6533b861fe1ef96bd12c5a2b

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Insurance fraud detection: A statistically validated network approach

Michele TumminelloAndrea ConsiglioPietro VassalloRiccardo CesariFabio Farabullini

subject

Economics and EconometricsSettore SECS-S/06 -Metodi Mat. dell'Economia e d. Scienze Attuariali e Finanz.Accountingstatistically validated networksbipartite networksFinanceinsurance fraud detection

description

Fraud is a social phenomenon, and fraudsters often collaborate with other fraudsters, taking on different roles. The challenge for insurance companies is to implement claim assessment and improve fraud detection accuracy. We developed an investigative system based on bipartite networks, highlighting the relationships between subjects and accidents or vehicles and accidents. We formalize filtering rules through probability models and test specific methods to assess the existence of communities in extensive networks and propose new alert metrics for suspicious structures. We apply the methodology to a real database-the Italian Antifraud Integrated Archive-and compare the results to out-of-sample fraud scams under investigation by the judicial authorities.

https://doi.org/10.1111/jori.12415