The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has confirmed a major escalation in financial crime, with £1.16 billion worth of fraudulent general insurance claims detected in 2024. This crisis is driven by a 12% rise in detected cases, totalling over 98,400 incidents.

The core of this problem lies in exaggerated loss—where claimants deliberately inflate the cost of a claim beyond its true value—which alone accounted for £466 million. When facing these deceptive and costly claims, insurers and legal teams require irrefutable, factual evidence. This is where Surveillance Services become the most decisive tool in the anti-fraud arsenal.

The Most Targeted Threats Demanding Surveillance

The ABI data pinpoints where the fraud is most prevalent and most challenging to disprove without visual evidence:

Motor Insurance Fraud (£576M): Motor scams continue to top the fraud rankings, representing 53% of all detected bogus claims. While many are organised "crash-for-cash" scams, surveillance is critical for verifying whiplash or soft-tissue injury claims where the stated incapacity is often exaggerated.
Exaggerated Loss (£466M): This is the most common type of fraud, rising by 10%. It involves claimants stating they cannot work, move, or function normally due to an injury, even though their activity level in reality contradicts the claim.
Property Fraud (£189M): Although smaller in volume, deceptive property claims are rising significantly (11%), often involving inflated damage claims that require verification of property condition or the claimant's movements around the asset.

Conflict International: Precision Surveillance in Fraud Cases

Surveillance, when conducted professionally and legally, is the most effective method for establishing the truth in cases of suspected exaggerated injury or false claim submission.

1. The Focus on Factual Evidence

Our Surveillance Services are discreet, ethical, and legally compliant, designed to provide conclusive evidence for litigation support:

Verifying Incapacity: We monitor claimants who allege total or near-total incapacity to perform daily tasks. Legally obtained visual evidence showing a claimant engaging in physical activities inconsistent with their stated injury (e.g. heavy lifting, driving long distances, or playing sports) is often the single most powerful piece of evidence that can dismantle a fraudulent claim.
Employee Misconduct: Surveillance is also a key tool in corporate investigations, helping employers document suspected theft, breach of contract (e.g. working for a competitor while on sick leave), or chronic absenteeism.

2. Integrated Investigative Approach

Surveillance rarely acts alone. It is an integral component of a wider Fraud Investigation that includes:

Digital Footprinting: Monitoring online activity to find evidence (photos, posts) that contradicts a claim filed for loss of function or capacity.
Digital Forensics: Analysing devices and communications to find proof of internal collusion or communication between a claimant and a "ghost broker".
Litigation Support: Preparing detailed reports, video evidence, and sworn affidavits that adhere to the strict rules of evidence required in UK civil courts.

Conclusion: Deterrence and Enforcement

The ABI stresses there will be "no let-up in insurers' pursuit of fraudsters". By utilising professional, legal surveillance, insurers not only protect premiums for honest policyholders but send a powerful message of deterrence to criminal rings.

Conflict International provides the precision surveillance and expert evidence collection required to cut through deception, protect your organisation's financial integrity, and deliver clear facts to the courtroom.

Contact Conflict International

If you suspect an exaggerated claim, fraud, or require irrefutable evidence for litigation, contact our Surveillance and Investigation specialists today.

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