How Lie Detectors Test Claimants

Did you know that insurers are using a new weapon against fraudulent claims? You could be in for some 'cognitive interviewing' if you have to submit a claim.

A few days ago I'm sorry to say that I scraped my husband's new car. Well, it's second-hand but it's a new car to us because we've only had it for nine months. The phrase 'incandescent with rage' has always been a particular favourite of mine but it's the first time I've ever been able to use it about my husband!

Quite apart from anything else, I was only backing out of the driveway, so it's not as if I'm unfamiliar with reversing out of that particular spot seeing as we've lived here for 20 years. And, yes, I'm jolly embarrassed.

Anyway, since my unfortunate mishap, I've been learning rapidly that it's not something I should do again in a hurry because the insurance company is making me jump through hoops to get them to agree to pay for the damn repairs. Apparently they want an engineer to inspect the car before authorising the claim.

I wondered if it was because they didn't believe that I'd caused the damage in my own driveway (I scraped the car against the gas meter on the wall).

In order to combat insurance fraud, more and more insurers are using what's known as 'cognitive interviewing and voice stress analysis' when customers ring up with a claim. The lie-detector technology can spot irregular stress levels in the tone of voice when claimants answer certain questions.

If the reading indicates a high risk of deceit, the claim will be investigated in far more detail. Where no high-risk readings are recorded, it's practically certain the claimant is telling the truth, and his/her claim can then be fast-tracked through the system.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) estimates that fraudulent claims cost the UK insurance industry over £1 billion a year so it's hardly surprising that they're employing this sort of approach these days although companies using lie-detector technology are still the exception rather than the rule.

As you might imagine, I was already rather stressed out when I rang up my insurance company -- I still can't believe my own stupidity -- so I don't see how these voice stress analysers can work. Still, if they really do weed out the fraudsters, then anything that might eventually result in lower premiums is worth trying.

As it turns out, my insurance company always sends an engineer to cars being repaired by garages that aren't on their own approved list but it all adds to the hassle.

Still, at least I got to use the phrase 'incandescent with rage'!

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