Private Investigator for Insurance Fraud in Switzerland

With 25 years of experience within the criminal police, the director of Neuhaus Private Investigations dedicates part of his activity to insurance fraud investigations. These are cases in which the police may sometimes lack the time or resources to conduct in-depth inquiries. Insurance companies themselves are not always in a position to carry out all the necessary investigations to establish proof of fraud.

In all areas of insurance, it may occur for various reasons that policyholders receive benefits to which they are not actually entitled. While this does not always constitute fraud in the strict legal sense, it nonetheless involves clear abuse. Law enforcement authorities regularly observe cases in which insured individuals who do not meet the eligibility criteria still attempt to obtain, or successfully obtain, social benefits with the evident intention of deceiving the insurer.

Insurance fraud, including fraud related to unemployment or disability insurance, is a well-known issue in Switzerland and in many other countries. It does not only affect insurers, but impacts society as a whole. Every worker contributes, through mandatory contributions, to financing unemployment benefits and disability pensions. Unfortunately, it is not difficult for ill-intentioned individuals to exploit the social security system. Such abuses may allow certain individuals to receive undue benefits for months, and sometimes for many years, generating considerable costs for insurers and for the entire community.

Ultimately, combating abuse is essential to ensure that citizens who genuinely require unemployment benefits or disability pensions can receive them appropriately and for the period to which they are entitled.

In a judgment dated 18 October 2016 concerning the unlawful surveillance of a road accident victim by an insurance company in Switzerland, the European Court of Human Rights found a violation of Article 8 (right to respect for private life) of the European Convention on Human Rights, while finding no violation of Article 6 (right to a fair trial). The Court also highlighted shortcomings in the Swiss legal framework governing private investigations. Subsequently, in a ruling of 14 July 2017, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court held that disability insurance lacked a sufficiently clear and detailed legal basis to conduct surveillance of insured persons suspected of abuse. Federal authorities responded by establishing a clearer legal framework permitting the use of private investigators to oversee surveillance in cases of strong suspicion of fraud.

In January 2015, the Sunday newspaper “SonntagsBlick” published an in-depth article on insurance fraud involving the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund (Suva). In response to the increase in reported cases, Suva strengthened its anti-fraud measures. Since 2007, the detection of fraudulent cases has enabled it to save more than 135 million Swiss francs. This example clearly illustrates the necessity of actively combating insurance fraud.

Neuhaus Private Investigations provides qualified private investigators to effectively combat insurance fraud and protect your organization’s interests.