The loss adjustor has saved clients more than £100m in fraud costs over the past few years 

Loss adjuster Sedgwick has hired Laura Horrocks as the new head of fraud technology and intelligence for its UK-based investigation services division.

Horrocks will oversee the development of Sedgwick’s newly integrated counter-fraud solution from Shift Technology, which provides clients with fraud identification services.

Ian Carman, director of investigation services at Sedgwick, said: “Our counter-fraud strategy revolves around three key pillars – people, technology, and intelligence.

“Our passion for protecting our clients and their honest customers against the impact of fraud means that our strategy goes many steps beyond simply purchasing the latest counter-fraud technology.”

Horrocks’ appointment and the recent integration of Shift Technology are among the latest of Sedgwick’s counter-fraud investment and growth strategies and initiatives.

Horrocks has been at Sedgwick since 2015 and brings significant experience in counter-fraud to her new role.

She previously worked as a fraud assessment and intelligence manager, integrating colleagues from across three investigation services divisions into one fraud assessment and intelligence team.

Horrocks has also served as manager of the Sedgwick Road Traffic Accident (RTA) insurer investigations team, investigating motor insurance fraud to help clients make significant savings.

Prior to Sedgwick, she worked as an intelligence analyst for law firm Keoghs. She has also worked as a claims handler for Capita for almost three years. 

Horrocks said: “It’s an honour to be appointed to this new role. Having worked at Sedgwick for a number of years, I know how innovative the business is in introducing solutions to tackle fraud.

“I look forward to using Shift Technology across the business to continue to evolve detection and save clients’ money in fraud costs across a variety of claims.”

Shift Technology’s machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) technology gives Sedgwick’s fraud investigations team a tactical edge by improving accuracy in pinpointing insurance fraud early.

Sedgwick is the first claims management company to partner with Shift Technology and adopt its industry-leading fraud detection solution.

In 2021, Sedgwick named a new UK fraud investigations leadership team and became an affiliate member of the Insurance Fraud Bureau.

These investments have helped Sedgwick build on its success over the past several years, saving clients more than £100m in fraud costs across home, commercial, motor and liability claims.

Carman added: “Horrocks and her team, working alongside our technology and industry partners, will ensure that our detection methods never stop evolving, our technology is continually optimised and we’re able to shine light on emerging trends and threats in near-real time.”