The Association of Chief Police Officers guidelines
Please find below a set of guidelines agreed by the ACPO Crime Committee which relate to our dealings with Insurance Companies and Loss Adjusters in relation to crime. There is a separate policy for accidents.
All personnel are reminded that it is our policy to comply with this guidance.
Guidelines
- Police forces will take no action in respect of letters, or any other enquiry from insurance companies, adjusters or claim assessors requesting:
(a) confirmation that matters have been reported to the police;
(b) that their interest be noted;
(c) information regarding the recovery of property (save as provided for at paragraph 4 below);
(d) information regarding the arrest of offenders;
(e) information regarding awards by courts of restitution or compensation. - Any enquiry from an insurance company or similar organisation relating to a non-routine matter, or any matter where there is reasonable cause to believe a claim may be fraudulent will be dealt with as necessary.
- Letters received from an insurance company confirming that settlement of a claim has been made and that title to property has passed to the insurer should be noted on the appropriate file. Such letters will not be acknowledged.
- When stolen property is recovered the loser should be asked if any insurance claim has been settled and if so, after disclaimers have been obtained (if necessary), the property should be dealt with in accordance with the agreement between the loser and the insurer. It should only be necessary for the police to be involved in direct contact with insurance companies over such matters, if title to the property has been transferred to such company and police have been informed.
- The representatives of the insurance companies and loss adjusters should be supplied with a copy of these guidelines and informed that this is the advice that is being given to Chief Officers by the Association of Chief Police Officers Crime Committee.
If the Insurance Company believes that the claim is fraudulent (as at point 2) and suspect that an offence has been committed, the allegation(s) should be recorded as a report of crime. The allegation should then be investigated and the insurance company notified of the progress of the investigation by the officer in the case. No investigation regarding fraudulent insurance claims will take place unless the insurance company are willing to support a prosecution in the criminal courts.
Prior to a formal report of a fraudulent claim, requests from insurance companies, for details contained in a report of crime, for comparison purposes, shall be declined.