Special Investigations Unit

We understand that choosing an investigative / surveillance vendor is a difficult, confusing, time consuming and expensive task. Marketing campaigns and smooth talking sales people do not always make a good investigative or surveillance agencies. Results, not words or marketing, equal results. It's time to start asking detailed questions to get detailed answers.

Some questions should include; "Is our current search for answers, leaving us disappointed?" "Are we receiving more questions than answers?" "Is our current vendor list compiled and handled by someone with a back ground in conducting investigations and surveillance?" "Does anyone on out team feel alienated without being able to make their own decisions?" "Does anyone on our team decide not to utilize this valuable tool, because they feel the current vendors are incapable of getting any results?" If you have answered yes to any of these questions, the time is now to take a Pro-Active approach and make some educated decisions. Over the past five years, you would be surprised with the amount of Yes answers we have received when asking the exact same questions. By help is on the way.

The R. Bauer & Associates Special Investigation Unit and SIU support services, will not replace, but enhance your current vendor approval system. Our comprehensive services are utilized to "Investigate your Investigator", allowing your claims professional, internal fraud department, adjusters and it's investigators the ability to concentrate on doing their jobs. This service will elevate the time wasting answering sales and marketing calls, while centralizing the "approved" vendor list to specific areas of expertise within stated requirements. These services will also allow management to have visual verification of the amount of funds wasted on less than competent investigative efforts and also be able to track the basic results of your efforts.

Insurance fraud and white collar crime is estimated between $150 and $200 billion dollars per year. With the current trends in the Insurance industry to utilize the lowest price bidder, results are diminishing and the value that these services provide is dwindling. Although there is not currently an accurate representation of the cost associated to employing a less than adequate surveillance or investigative agency, it is obvious to anyone who is in the industry or involved in the process of fighting fraudulent claims that something needs to be done immediately.

How can you tell if you investigative choices and fraud fighting efforts are working?

· Keep track of your savings, per case & per year, per vendor & overall.
· Have semiannual "Anti Fraud Seminars" and ask all of your vendors to participate.· Keep a list of approved & not approved vendors (per area)
· Keep a five-year list of not approved vendors.
· Keep track of your results (Good and Bad)
· Keep track & note the quality of the videos
· Keep track of the outcome of all the investigations
· Have a detailed prospectus prepared with all findings and future suggestions.

Some very important questions to ask you current or perspective vendors:

On Their Personnel:

· How many full time & part time investigators do you have on staff?
· What are the ages of your staff that will be handling your files?
· What is the ethnic breakdown of your staff?
· How much do your investigators make per hour?
· What are your investigators benefits?
· What states are you licensed?
· Do your use subcontractors to conduct the assignments we assign?
· Who hold's you license in each state?
· How many operatives do you have in each state?
· What are the specific backgrounds of your staff and why are they beneficial?
On There Company:

· How long have you been doing "Defense" Investigations & Surveillance?
· What other lines does you firm handle? (Plaintiff?)
· What specific kinds of vehicles do you use and why?
· What specific kind of camera equipment do you use and why? 
· Does the investigator or the agency own the equipment?
· Is any of the equipment leased?
· Do all your investigators have pinhole cameras with them on every assignment?
· What does each investigator have with them on each assignment?
· Do you charge overtime (over 8 hours)?
· Do you have RUSH charges, filing charges or minimum charges?

About Their Sales Staff:

· Ask how many surveillance hours they have personally completed.
· Ask how many investigations they have conducted.
· Ask why they have chosen this field.
· Find out what college degree they have attained and why?
· Ask how they get compensated for new business. 

Ask a few detailed "investigation specific" questions to the marketing / sales person:
"What would you do if the residence was a 16 unit apartment building?"

"What would you do if the police were called and very difficult to handle on an on going assignment?"

"What would you do if you believed that you were spotted by the claimant?

"What steps would you take in a location with no current address or phone?"

Remember to ask tough questions for real answers. You have to investigate you investigator!

Using a qualified investigation firm, like R. Bauer & Associates, Inc. is not a cost, it's an investment. It's an investment in your company and it's people to ensure it's future. Choosing to investigate possible false claims and using the tool of surveillance, is an investment that will be reflected in the overall savings and your bottom line.

Why Choose R. Bauer & Associates to provide SUI support for your "approved" vendor lists?

· Four decades of excellence and dedicated service to the Insurance Industry.
· Investigative staff of over 20 Investigators and field operatives
· Multi state licensing (Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa & Indiana)
· Exceeds national average for insurance coverage
· Workers' Compensation, Liability & Disability Specialists 
· Multi Cultural & Multi Lingual Investigators
· SIU consulting services (nation wide and local)
· State of the art office facilities
· State of the art surveillance equipment with each investigator
· State of the art covert surveillance vehicles, ideal for any situation
· Extensive services list to handle all you investigative needs, from A to Z.
· We can save you the most money! (That seems to be everyone's bottom line)

We have always been firm believers that you hire an investigation agency to get answers to your questions. Answers that will assist you in making an educated decision regarding the outcome of your claim. Our philosophy at R. Bauer & Associates is to tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.

I hope we can work together in the future fighting fraudulent claims. If you would like more information regarding any services offered by R. Bauer & Associates, if you would like a no obligation in-house seminar on any of our topics, I would be happy to meet with you at your earliest convenience. Please feel free to call me at any time.