John Jackson acknowledges that the insurance industry's fight against fraud is achieving results in reducing claims fraud (Opinion, 31 March).
The investment that Norwich Union and other insurers are making in this field is designed precisely with that end in mind. A deterred fraudster means fewer bogus claims and less of a burden in premiums for the honest policyholder.
But when it comes to pursuing prosecutions, the issue really revolves around police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) priorities.
The various crime targets set by The Home Office for our law enforcement agencies do not currently include any for fraud.
While insurance companies will assist with police inquiries and supply evidence wherever possible, the push to take fraudulent claimants to court can only ever be as strong as the police and CPS resources available to realise prosecutions on the ground.
Unfortunately, the reality is that most police forces have effectively been forced to de-prioritise fraud investigation, in preference to other targeted areas of crime.
Given that the National Criminal Intelligence Service now estimates that fraud contributes as much to the coffers of UK organised crime as drugs, this would seem to be a short-sighted and potentially counter productive policy.
As long as there is insurance, there will always be those who seek to abuse it for personal gain.
However, in the absence of an effective national fraud strategy, our industry's growing success in preventing claims fraud clearly demonstrates our resolve to take a tough line on that element of the UK's growing fraud problem that falls within our own control.
Chris Hill
Head of fraud
Norwich Union
