Industry Expertise

‍Identity (ID) theft is a type of fraud that occurs when a bad actor uses someone’s personal details, such as their legal name, date of birth, address or credit card information, to commit an illegal activity. When it comes to insurance crime, Équité Association sees identity theft used to perform deeply complex insurance scams, and may be connected back to criminal organizations. This type of insurance crime has serious and devastating consequences for the victims, as well as negative impacts on public safety.

David Watterson, AVP, Healthcare Claims, Aviva Canada, shares the growing concern around treatment billing fraud, how technology is helping to detect it, and how Aviva is collaborating with industry stakeholders to find solutions to protect Canadians. Aviva Canada is the second largest property and casualty insurance group in the country, providing home, automobile, lifestyle, and business insurance to 2.4 million customers.

Gavin Mascarenhas, Vice President, Claims at Travelers Canada, shares the impacts fraud has on Canadians and how technology is supporting fraud detection. Travelers Canada is part of an industry-leading international team of insurance professionals committed to continuously evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of the industry and consumers. With approximately 1,400 employees across Canada to help customers prepare for, prevent and recover from loss, Travelers Canada’s commitment to outstanding service combined with their comprehensive insurance-based solutions gives individuals and businesses the confidence they need to feel secure.

Équité Association supports Canadian property and casualty (P&C) insurers, working with members, local and international law enforcement, and partners to defend against insurance crime. When Canadian vehicles were found in Dubai by Global Trends (an organization dedicated to identifying and disrupting auto fraud outside of Canada), they reached out to Équité’s Sid Kingma, Director, Investigative Services, Western Canada, and invited him to Dubai.

Équité Association, is committed to establishing a vibrant, inclusive, and positive workplace for our employees, including those who are part of the LGBTQ2+ community. We encourage our team to bring their full selves to work because we know each person’s unique lived experiences and perspectives are part of the mosaic of our workplace identity, which contributes to our successes and enhances our culture.

Insurers are doing more than ever before to protect their customers. Équité Association joins in that mission by working to detect and prevent insurance crime, making our communities safer. Équité’s hard work in the fight against insurance crime is shaping our 2023 accomplishments, which include investing in innovative technology and expertise, continuing to act as subject matter experts in partnership with law enforcement agencies across the country, and raising public awareness to protect Canadians.

Bryan Gast, VP, Investigative Services at Équité Association shares more about after market immobilizers, how they work and how using a layered approach is the best way to protect a vehicle from being stolen.‍

Équité Association (Équité) was founded in April 2021, to help protect Canadians and contribute to a more equitable world by tackling insurance crime. As a national not-for-profit organization, Équité Association supports Canadians to fight fraud by using advanced analytics, intelligence best practices, and coordinated investigations.

Fraud Prevention Month is an opportunity for Canadians to learn more about the alarming rise in insurance crime in Canada, particularly auto theft. Équité Association works with our members to protect Canadians from insurance crime. Whether stolen vehicles or staged accidents, there is always a victim, and this type of crime can have devastating financial, physical, and emotional consequences.

Last year, Équité Association investigators and partners recovered over 1,170 vehicles at the Port of Montreal valued at $63M, breaking the previous year’s record of most recovered vehicles.