FIMAT PEOPLE

Fraud Investigation Management & Training Co. is a partnership of ClaimSchool, Inc. (a national provider of training and educational materials for the insurance industry) and Schifrin, Gagnon & Dickey, Inc. (private investigators, adjusters and third party administrators providing nationwide services to the insurance industry). Its principals bring more than 100 years of fraud investigation experience to the firm and include a lawyer, insurance claims consultant and author who has specialized in insurance fraud for more than thirty years and private investigators whose credentials for the last thirty years are impeccable.

FIMATwas founded as a Special Investigation's Unit for insurers operating in California who found it was not cost-effective to create their own SIU. FIMAT provides SIU services relating to:

• Property claims ranging from large jewelry losses, arson, burglaries, robberies, catastrophe claims, personal article floaters, and others. Clients include Lloyd's of London, Jewelers Mutual, Farmers Insurance, and others.
  
• Personal injury, auto, and premises/products liability cases ranging from fraud rings, major class action products liability cases, personal injury defense investigations, and all other related claims. We handle routine claims investigations, including detailed written/ recorded statements, scene investigations, photo taking, and other task assignments. Our clients include large and small insurance companies, defense law firms, third party administrators, and self-insurers.
  
• Independent adjusters license, 2607896, issued by the Department of Insurance to our parent company. Our investigators are cross-trained to adjust claims ranging from slip and fall accidents, auto collisions, routine property claims and others. All investigators are annually certified in the California Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations (copies of declarations available upon request).
  
• Access to many resources available to handle both suspicious and routine insurance claims. Some of the resources include the Central Index Bureau (CIB), Property Insurance Loss Register (PILR), National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Jeweler's Board of Trade (JBT), and other insurance-related databases. We are also members of various insurance associations (see Memberships) and have a well- established reputation within the insurance industry.
  

Barry Zalma, an insurance coverage attorney since 1972, is the founder of Barry Zalma, Inc., a California law firm whose practice is limited to the representation of insurers. The firm's practice emphasizes first party property matters, third party liability coverage situations, and fraud investigation. Mr. Zalma has been recognized as an expert in several states on insurance claims handling and insurance fraud.

Mr. Zalma is the author of the text book for insurance claims professionals, Insurance Claims A Comprehensive Guide which is available from Specialty Technical Publishers of Vancouver, BC, Canada or at 800-251-0381. Mr. Zalma is also the author of numerous articles for insurance trade publications and law journals. These articles, related to insurance coverage, claims handling, and fraudulent claims.

Mr. Zalma is also the author of several books on claims and claims handling. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner, a member of the board of directors of the Southern California Fraud Investigators Association, and a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators and the California Conference of Arson Investigators.

Peter H. Schifrin is the president of Schifrin, Gagnon & Dickey, Inc. a firm of insurance investigators, adjusters, surveyors and third party administrators with offices covering the entire state of California. Schifrin, Gagnon & Dickey, Inc. provides investigative services throughout the United States and has correspondents in most countries in the world.

 Peter has spent over 15 years in the insurance industry. As a licensed adjuster and private investigator, he has extensive experience with a wide variety of claims, including first-party property, environmental, entertainment, and all forms of general liability and he is a Registered Professional Adjuster ("RPA"). His management responsibilities extend to initiating and administrating specific client claims management and cost control programs.

Mr. Schifrin has an impeccable reputation as a thorough investigator with extensive experience establishing defenses to fraudulent insurance claims.

Richard Harer, manages Specialized Investigations and is recognized as an expert in the insurance industry. Mr. Harer has over 25 years experience in the investigation of insurance fraud and a wide range of cases. Specialized investigations was  founded as a Special Investigation unit of a well established independent adjusting firm which has provided service to many major insurance carriers for over 20 years.

• Private Investigators license PI9868 issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs and independent adjusters license, 2607896, issued by the Department of Insurance to its parent company.
• Specialized Investigations hires investigators that already have extensive investigative experience rather than training them at the expense of its clients.
• Specialized Investigations also has experienced bilingual Spanish and minority investigators on staff.
• Mr. Harer is active in various insurance, fraud and investigative organizations
• Mr. Harer is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) through the National Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, which requires a minimum of 12 years' experience and education in fraud-related work.
• He is also a Certified Professional Investigator (CPI), which designation he earned through the California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI).

Mr. Harer is an established writer and speaker on various subjects, including public record computer databases, the investigative medical audit, insurance fraud, and surveillance.

Last Updated: August 18, 2007

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