insurance
Life and Health Insurance Investigation: On-Site Inspections
When an IJ, disability, or long-term care claim requires verification
Daily benefits, disability pensions, and pension benefits represent long-term financial commitments for the company, sometimes spanning several years. When a case shows signs that warrant further investigation—such as inconsistent statements, system alerts, or reports from third parties—the manager needs factual evidence to decide how to proceed.
Our work is strictly based on facts: observation, verification of operational consistency, and cross-checking of reported data. It does not replace any technical advice provided by the company’s board and does not address any aspects falling within the scope of other areas of expertise.
In cases of this nature, procedural rigor is absolutely critical. An inspection conducted under improper conditions may result in the report being entirely disregarded in the event of litigation, or even lead to liability on the part of the client company. That is why our firm applies the industry’s strictest standards to these assignments.
Red Flags in a Personal Insurance Policy
- Discrepancy between the reported situation and known facts about the work environment.
- Informal reports of a second job held during the period for which benefits were received.
- Successive statements that are inconsistent with one another over time.
- Regular social media posts showing activity that is inconsistent with the reported situation.
- The insured person’s history of filings with other organizations (other companies, social security agencies).
- Recent change in the contractual situation shortly before the declaration (increase in coverage, new contract).
What Is Included in a Life Insurance Investigation
Our scope is limited exclusively to fact-finding investigations, in strict compliance with the legal framework established by the Internal Security Code. Our approach follows the principle of proportionality: techniques are deployed gradually, from the least intrusive to the most intrusive, and scheduled surveillance is only conducted after less intrusive steps (OSINT, documentary research, official agencies, interviews) have been exhausted.
1
Level 1, OSINT:
monitors open sources for public information shared by the insured (social media, professional publications), in accordance with the GDPR.
2
Level 2, Documentary Checks:
Cross-checking of self-reported background information with various organizations known to be involved in the case.
3
Level 3, Government Agencies:
contacting the relevant public agencies when warranted by the case.
4
Level 4, Auditions
Seeking testimonials from professional or personal contacts when the legal requirements are met.
5
Level 5, Scheduled Observations:
Monitoring of the insured person’s daily activities and movements, with time-stamped and geolocated documentation strictly limited to public spaces—used only when the previous levels have not been sufficient to assess the situation.
Verification:
Verification of the existence of an undeclared secondary employment, when the evidence in the case file warrants it.
Check:
Verification of consistency between the information submitted to the administrator and the actual daily routine observed.
All investigations strictly respect privacy and adhere to the framework established by the Internal Security Code. No intrusion, no illegal recording, and no use of underhanded methods.
ANONYMIZED CASE STUDY
Secondary Employment During the
Period of Unemployment Benefits
An insured person has been receiving daily benefits for eight months and claims to be totally unable to work. The claims adjuster receives an informal tip suggesting that the insured person is regularly present at a renovation site. Our observations, conducted over three weeks, document his daily trips to a private construction site located 40 km from his home, his morning arrivals in a utility vehicle loaded with tools, and his return trips at the end of the day. Cross-referencing with building permits reveals that this is a construction site for which he himself is the declared project owner. The report documents the observed facts without prejudging their legal classification.
The Process of a Life and Health Insurance Investigation
Procedural rigor determines the value of the report. Our five-step methodology incorporates this requirement into every phase.
01
Reception
Receipt of the engagement letter and the factual information in the file provided by the manager, excluding technical documents pertaining to other expert assessments.
02
Framing
Strictly defined investigation objectives, focused exclusively on verifying the facts and ensuring consistency in statements.
03
Deployment
Fieldwork: scheduled observations strictly within public spaces, cross-checking of documents, and interviews as needed.
04
Consolidation
Compilation of the factual information gathered, identification of any discrepancies with the statements, and verification of the file’s internal consistency.
05
Restitution
Delivery within a maximum of two weeks, along with a detailed report admissible in court, accompanied by supporting documents and photographs.
Our five-step survey methodology is detailed on the dedicated page.
Why should you entrust your case
to the Aquila Group?
The Insurance Investigation Division is headed by Victor de Villeblanche, a private investigator since 2012 who holds a law degree. He personally drafts each report. His cautious and fact-based approach is particularly well-suited to cases involving individuals, where procedural rigor determines the admissibility of evidence.
Our firm is AFNOR pre-certified and an ALFA affiliate. It operates through an integrated national network without subcontracting—ensuring confidentiality and consistent quality of service. Case files never leave the premises of the firm handling the case, which is particularly important for this type of sensitive matter.
Investigators working on personal insurance cases are specifically trained in covert surveillance techniques and the requirements of the Internal Security Code. No investigation exceeds the legal framework: it is this discipline that ensures the reliability of the final report.
- This type of case requires a high degree of procedural rigor.
- AFNOR pre-certification, ALFA membership.
- Enhanced privacy — no outsourcing.
- A report written personally by the division director, to be submitted within two weeks at the latest.
- Field agents trained in covert surveillance techniques within a strict legal framework.
Private investigation activities are governed by the Internal Security Code and regulated by the CNAPS.
To submit a personal insurance case to our firm, please use our dedicated form.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Daily benefits, disability pensions, pension benefits, checks on the consistency of employment, and investigations into the existence of parallel employment. The scope excludes any technical investigations that fall under the purview of other types of expert assessments.
Internal Security Code, Articles L. 621-1 et seq., and case law on the admissibility of evidence. Our procedures prohibit any entry into private premises and any unauthorized recording. The report is admissible only if the evidence was collected in accordance with the law.
A maximum of two weeks between the assignment of the task and the submission of the report. For certain cases requiring long-term monitoring, specific guidelines are provided at the start of the investigation.
No, unless otherwise instructed by the company. Discretion is an integral part of the process: informing the insured would undermine the investigation. The investigation is conducted with strict respect for privacy.
Yes, subject to approval by the relevant court. Our reports are prepared in accordance with the standards of fair presentation of evidence. The decision then rests with the company and its counsel.
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Be sure to check out our section on TSCM detection – Electronic dust removal for the detection of bugs and cameras, as well as ourOSINT digital investigation.