New service is launched with the purpose to stop attempted fraud in connection with car accidents

Today, attempted fraud constitutes a major expense for the insurance industry. In Sweden alone, the estimated cost to the insurance companies is SEK 3–6 billion every year (2017*). Soon, SOS International will be able to offer its customers a whole new service, the investigation of fraud in connection with car accidents and, thus, help its customers save money.

SOS International is the market leader in roadside assistance in the Nordic region and today, the company has a network of roadside assistance companies covering 121 locations in Sweden. Now, SOS International launches an entirely new service in the Swedish market; documentation of fraud in connection with car accidents.

“We are currently training our own alarm centre and our roadside assistance network in Sweden in how to discover possible fraud in connection with car accidents. The aim is to be able to help insurance companies reveal more attempts of fraud than currently with the help of proper documentation from the scene of the accident,” says Markku Reinikainen, Head of Nordic Network Development with SOS International.

An investigation into fraud starts at the scene of the accident by the SOS International alarm centre coordinating with the on-site roadside assistance staff. The roadside assistance company also documents damages by taking photos, amongst others. After being logged in the shared IT system, an alert is automatically raised if an accident appears to be suspected fraud.

One SOS International partner, Ramströms bilbärgning AB, has many years of experience with investigating attempts at fraud and has worked successfully to detect these in time:

“In our region, Västmanland, insurance companies reject two to three claims every month based on the information we provide. We have more than 10 years of experience in preventing fraud through careful documentation of the scene of the accident and have thus been able to provide the insurance companies with important information in investigations,” says Johan Ramström of Ramströms bilbärgning AB.

Based on the present solid experience of Ramströms bilbärgning, a structured approach has been developed in collaboration with SOS International to assess the likelihood of suspected fraudulent claims. A major training initiative is currently underway to teach SOS International’s own alarm centre, as well as all those involved in the large SOS International network of roadside assistance companies throughout Sweden, everything about this new process:

“We have developed a process, which ensures that everyone involved document and note the small details that are important pieces in the puzzle, thus allowing an insurance company to reject a claim. The important thing is that everyone is working in the same way and that all actors understand each other – from the staff in the alarm centre to the roadside assistance staff and case handlers to the garage. Only then you get the full effect,” says Johan.  

The new service will be implemented on the Swedish market in early 2019.

For more information, please contact:
Markku Reinikainen, Head of Nordic Network:  
Technical Division
Mobile +46 70 415 9299
markku.reinikainen@sos.eu

*https://www.svenskforsakring.se/globalassets/rapporter/forsakringsbedragerier/forsakringsbedragerier-i-sverige-2017.pdf