About IFIG
IFIG in 2023
IFIG and the Health Insurance Counter Fraud Group recently agreed to work together under the IFIG umbrella, so that we can bring communities together and share knowledge and resources under the IFIG umbrella. We continue to broaden the network encouraging collaboration across the financial sector rather than working in silos.
We are increasing our appeal to individual investigators in the UK whilst also extending our reach to other countries where fraud investigators are keen to learn from our experience, but this introduces other logistical challenges of meeting or attending our events in person. It is timely that we now embrace technologies that will allow Members to attend these events on-line.
The next stage of IFIG’s evolution is about championing high standards by providing access to investigation training for all. This will be delivered through the new features of our website which will include the capacity to store and deliver training material as well as capturing events that Members were unable to attend in person. Naturally, we wish to encourage as many people to attend meetings and network, but logistics and costs can be an obstacle, so we will overcome these challenges with a greater on-line presence.
We firmly believe that our Members represent a vast community of experienced investigators and that this should be recognised. It is our belief that training and knowledge sharing should be accessible to those with the least experience in order that consistency of results and professionalism are maintained. Our aim is to minimise the obstacle of cost in gaining access to training materials and we are delighted that our Members are already expressing a strong interest.
By continuing to work together as a collaborative community, sharing the latest insights, knowledge and guidance on best practice, our Members will continue to drive up standards, meet new challenges and have a positive impact on counter-fraud.
The Committee
Chair – Ami North
Ami was appointed Chair of IFIG in December 2021 having joined the board in 2017. Ami has over twenty years of experience in both claims and underwriting specialising in counter fraud.
Ami is Head of Personal Injury and Fraud at Tesco Insurance and is responsible for managing and developing the Underwriting and Claims fraud propositions.
Ami is passionate about collaboration in the counter fraud community and a member of the General Insurance Fraud Committee
Treasurer – Arlene McNaught
Arlene has worked at Broker Direct Plc since 2004 and holds the position of Senior Fraud Co-Ordinator. She holds a Masters degree in Fraud Management and has a real passion for her work.
Broker Direct recognised the importance of IFIG to the counter fraud community and supported Arlene when she joined in 2013 as Secretary. Following incorporation in 2017 she took on the responsibility of Treasurer.
Arlene is passionate about supporting the counter fraud community to come together to share intelligence, best practice and support the next generation of counter fraud investigators.
Secretary – Peter Oakes
Peter has been advising insurance and corporate clients on counter fraud and risk issues for over 20 years. He has dealt with complex and high value fraudulent claims across multiple product lines.
At the forefront of industry change, Peter is currently working with RTA and GAP insurers to improve data and intelligence sharing to prevent an emerging fraud trend currently costing RTA insurers millions in unidentified fraud leakage.
Formerly, head of fraud at Hill Dickinson, Peter led a team of over 200 counter fraud experts and continues to develop innovative data and AI driven solutions to fraud prevention and detection and is now responsible for the delivery of counter-fraud screening technology at Crawford UK.
Nick Edge
Nick has worked in general insurance since 2011 specialising in motor claims and brokering fraud.
Prior to this he was a Detective Sergeant in Greater Manchester Police where he worked in the Serious and Organised Crime Group specialising in firearms and terrorism. After leaving the police he was employed as a field investigator where his skills and experiences allowed him to become a UK Fraud Team Manager.
Formerly Head of Counter Fraud at the Freedom Services Group (Action 365 Claims, Freedom Brokers and Pukka Insure), Nick developed their strategic approach to tackling policy, inception and claims fraud.
In March 2022 Nick joined Likewize as Head of Fraud – Technology and is now responsible for the deployment of the counter fraud and financial crime solutions across Likewize.
Mike Brown
Mike is currently the Head of Fraud at Weightmans with responsibility for the management and development of the firm’s fraud offering.
He has a Masters’ Degree in Fraud Management, ICA Diploma in AML/TF and is a Fellow Member of the International Compliance Association.
He was previously an active Management Board Member of the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department; a Member of the CIFAS Intelligence Advisory Board; the Head of Counter Fraud Intelligence with Direct Line Group; and the Head of the Confidential Fraud and Intelligence Unit with the SRA with responsibility for undertaking investigations into fraud/dishonest allegations within the legal profession.
Mike previously served as a police officer with Thames Valley Police at various levels primarily in investigations and intelligence including covert tactics.
Steve Jackson
Steve is a Financial Crime Consultant with extensive experience of the tactical and strategic response to financial crime and has worked in the Insurance sector for over 20 years. He has participated in many industry level initiatives and has chaired industry level counter-fraud forums such as the Northwest Fraud Forum and IFIG which are focused on collaboration.
Prior to his retirement from Covéa Insurance, Steve was the Head of Financial Crime for over 10 years and was responsible for the strategic response to Financial Crime Risk including the development of their tactical response to fraud.
Prior to joining the insurance sector Steve spent 22 years as a police officer specialising in the forensic reconstruction of road collisions and the investigation of fraud in the road haulage industry.
Simon Cook
Simon has worked in the insurance industry for 24 years, 18 years of which have been in the counter fraud space. He is currently Director of Investigations – UK for the global insurance services provider Charles Taylor where he has led their multi award winning Specialist Investigation Services business unit for 15 years. Simon is a subject matter expert in international investigations and has managed complex claims investigations in all 4 corners of the world. Simon is a thought leader on the insurance fraud topic and regularly contributes to media stories about insurance fraud.
Beverly Cook
Beverly has been working in the insurance industry for over 30 years and for the last 15 year she has been the Managing Director of Expacare, an insurance intermediary specialising in offering international medical insurance products to individual and corporate clients.
She is also on the Executive Committee of AIMIP (Association of International Medical Insurance Providers) and was the Chairman for the Health Insurance Counter Fraud Group prior to its merger with IFIG.
The History of IFIG
In the mid-1990’s a number of insurance fraud investigators representing major UK insurers joined together to discuss the increasing problem of fraud against the UK insurance industry.
It quickly became apparent those investigators were frequently dealing with the same people who were attempting to systematically defraud several Insurers.
Members of the Group therefore developed a network and process for sharing of criminal intelligence for the purpose of fraud prevention and investigation.
In 1999 the group, assumed the title of Insurance Fraud Investigators Group (IFIG).
At that time IFIG was affiliated to the ABI Crime and Anti-Fraud Bureau. In 2001, the ABI reaffirmed its key objective as being a strategic organisation. IFIG then developed an independent identity dedicated to the prevention and investigation of insurance fraud in the U.K.
Since that time, IFIG’s membership has grown rapidly and now stands at over 320 member organisations, consisting of Insurers, Investigators, Loss Adjusters, Lawyers and Law Enforcement. In October 2008, IFIG was granted SAFO status under the Serious Crime Act 2007.
All IFIG members are committed to the organisation’s key aims of:
- Detecting and preventing Insurance Fraud
- Raising the profile of Insurance Fraud as a crime
- Providing a forum to discuss anti-fraud initiatives and techniques
- Sharing relevant Intelligence via the National Intelligence Model
In order to achieve its objectives, IFIG has developed close associations with the ABI, Insurance Fraud Bureau,law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies including the FSA, SIA, SRA and Ministry of Justice Claims Management Regulator, many of whom benefit from honorary IFIG membership.
As IFIG continues to grow its vision of assisting the UK Insurance Industry to defeat fraud becomes ever more achievable. It is clear our efforts are having a severe deterrent effect on insurance fraudsters.