What Do Private Insurance Investigators Do?

Many Americans think they know what a private investigator does because they have seen movies about characters such as Sherlock Holmes. While these on-screen pursuits are entertaining, they are not an accurate reflection of an investigator's day-to-day responsibilities.

Cinema screens show audiences images of investigators and detectives who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth, even when their methods involve breaking the law. In reality, each private investigator must work within the framework of the law at all times as he or she cannot present evidence that was obtained using illegal methods. Companies that hire investigators have to make sure these individuals are collecting evidence that they can legally use. While a police officer is able to obtain a search warrant when he or she suspects an individual has something to hide, a private investigator does not have the authority to do this. So, how do they acquire information?

Data Retrieval
Most private investigators spend a considerable amount of their time on the computer. This is because most of the information they need in order to present evidence for a case can usually be found in a digital format. For instance, online arrest records provide publicly accessible information about criminal convictions and other run-ins with the law, while social networks elucidate information about an individual's personal associations. In fact, many individuals have even confessed to things such as falsifying a workers' compensation claim on their social media profiles because they did not expect investigators to look them up on Facebook or Twitter. Some private investigators specialize specifically in data retrieval.

What Do Private Insurance Investigators Do?

Surveillance
Private investigators also complete surveillance when necessary. As mentioned above, surveillance methods must be within the limits of the law so they will not involve illegal techniques such as wiretapping. Instead, these professionals might have to stay in one place for many hours waiting for an opportunity to obtain photographic evidence. Surveillance work also helps an investigator learn more about a suspect or claimant.

Private investigators are typically hired by corporations, insurance companies, attorneys, and others who need assistance with a fact-finding mission. For example, many investigators complete background checks and surveillance work when the client suspects an individual has filed a fraudulent claim. An investigation into a workers' compensation claim that an individual broke his or her leg on the job might result in video evidence of the claimant walking without crutches or a limp. In other cases, investigators can be brought in to perform thorough background checks for new hires, assist with background checks, or determine the source of a privacy breach. They can even be hired by police officers to investigate cases they have stopped pursuing or do not have the manpower to pursue to the degree necessary.

A private investigator's day does not resemble a movie, but instead involves using the methods detailed above to help a variety of clients uncover new information or evidence.