Digital Forensics and the Future of Insurance Fraud Detection: How Digital Media Forensics is Revolutionising Claims Handling

In today's digital landscape, insurance fraud is evolving, with claimants increasingly using both shallow and deepfake editing tools to manipulate digital evidence to support fraudulent claims. Fraud of this type is becoming more extensive, as access to editing technology becomes more common and sophisticated. This has made detecting fraudulent activities increasingly challenging, requiring advanced tools and expertise to identify manipulated evidence.

To address this issue, Jensen Hughes adopted new digital media forensics, a specialized service that is set to transform how Jensen Hughes and insurers handle claims and protect against fraud.

What is Digital Media Forensics?

Digital media forensics is the process by which Jensen Hughes utilizes pioneering software to investigate and analyse photographic images and digital documents, such as PDFs, for evidence of fraud and manipulation. Through digital media interrogation, forensic experts can identify signs of:

• Re-use of images or documents from previous claims.
• Internet sourcing of evidence (e.g., using stock photos or images found online and passing them off as original).
• The origin locale and creation date (metadata) of a document or image, providing critical clues about where and when it was created, which can often expose inconsistencies.
• Digital manipulation, including edits that alter the appearance of damage, location or other claim-relevant details.

Identifying digital manipulation presents significant challenges due to the complexity of today’s editing tools and the expertise some fraudsters now possess. Without the right forensic resources, fraudulent alterations can go unnoticed, resulting in substantial financial losses for insurers. Jensen Hughes’ digital media forensics service uses cutting-edge software and skilled analysts to identify these sophisticated fraud attempts.

A Cost-Effective Solution for Claims Handling

All digital media forensics cases are keenly priced to deliver an excellent return on investment. For a competitive rate, insurers can submit up to 20 images or documents, which are meticulously reviewed by Jensen Hughes forensic experts. A succinct report will be issued, highlighting any suspicious areas that may warrant further investigation or provide grounds to deny a claim. This expert review adds an extra layer of assurance to claims processing, equipping claims handlers with clear and actionable insights to make informed decisions before payouts are issued.

For insurance companies, the benefits of digital media forensics extend beyond simple cost savings. Reducing fraudulent claims also improves company credibility and efficiency, as legitimate claims are processed faster when fewer resources are tied up in fraud investigations. By improving the detection rate of digital manipulation, digital media forensics minimises payouts on illegitimate claims, protecting the insurer’s bottom line and reinforcing customer trust.

The Future of Insurance Fraud

As digital fraud grows more sophisticated, robust fraud detection tools like digital media forensics can be used as proactive measures to enhance both cost-efficiency and the integrity of claims handling. With Jensen Hughes' digital media forensics service, insurers can now leverage advanced forensic expertise, which is poised to be a game-changer for the insurance industry.

To instruct Jensen Hughes on a digital media forensics case, send an email to instructus.uk@jensenhughes.com or instructus.ie@jensenhughes.com. Please attach the relevant images or documents and label it as a DMF request.