The Association of British Insurers has brought out an 18-page guide to use of private investigators (PIs).
According to the ABI, it’s intended as a framework for insurers to devise their own procedures for investigating potential frauds in relation to claims from policyholders and third parties. “The guidelines encourage insurers to instruct only private investigators (PIs) who operate within the confines of the law and to high ethical standards, without unduly hindering insurers’ efforts to combat fraud.” It covers considering the use of a PI; entering into a relationship with a PI; fair processing wording; instruction to the PI; and access and retention of data collected by a PI.
Reasons for the guide are the Information Commissioner’s reports What Price Privacy criticising among other things insurers and others’ use of agents to look into cases which leads to blagging of personal information; and the likely SIA licence for PIs. The guide says of regulation: “Licensing is likely to come into effect in late 2008 and will help to ensure that PIs are fit and proper individuals that are competent to carry out their instructions. The competency criteria will not be insurance-specific, so the ABI is issuing these sector-specific guidelines to foster high standards among PIs.”
You can download the document from the publications part of the ABI website:
