The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has revealed a new partnership with Shift Technology and EXL to create a national platform for detecting and investigating insurance fraud. This initiative, managed through the ICA’s Insurance Crime Intelligence Network of Australia (ICINA), is designed to support insurers in securely sharing information on fraud patterns and coordinating investigations, with an initial focus on motor insurance claims.
Development of the platform is set to begin in early 2026. The system will use advanced analytics to provide real-time alerts to investigators about potentially fraudulent activity. The platform is intended to allow insurers to collaborate on investigations into organised fraud and address repeat offenders. Similar programs using Shift Technology’s solutions have been implemented by insurance associations in the UK, France, Canada, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Andrew Gill, CEO of ICINA, noted that while the insurance sector has long been engaged in combating fraud, criminal tactics have evolved alongside digital advancements. “Today’s organised networks exploit online services with increasing sophistication, driving up costs for honest customers. By connecting insurers through secure, real-time intelligence sharing, we’re creating an early warning system that identifies fraudulent patterns across the entire market – stopping criminals before claims are paid,” Gill said.
The new platform will operate under a governance structure that includes legal oversight and technical controls designed to meet Australian regulatory standards. Data shared by participating insurers will be protected through privacy-preserving methods, role-based access, and end-to-end encryption.
Jeremy Jawish, CEO of Shift Technology, noted that fraud carried out by organised groups not only affects single insurance companies but also has consequences for the broader sector. Both insurers and their customers experience the effects of these activities. “Our work with insurance associations around the world has demonstrated that we are stronger together when it comes to fighting organised insurance fraud. Together with EXL, we are bringing these powerful collaboration capabilities to the ICA and its member insurers,” Jawish said.
Vishal Chhibbar, chief growth officer and head of international growth markets at EXL, added: “Building on our deep insurance expertise and long experience helping insurers move from fragmented systems to governed, high-quality data environments, we are embedding advanced data directly into the platform. Our teams work closely with individual insurers to uplift data quality, strengthen validation and security controls, and ensure the intelligence they rely on is accurate, trusted and actionable.”
The launch of the platform comes as insurance fraud remains a persistent issue for the sector. Findings from Reinsurance Group of America’s (RGA) 2024 Global Claims Fraud Survey show 74% of respondents observed that fraud cases are either stable or rising compared to previous years. The survey, which included a significant number of respondents from Asia-Pacific, found that fraudulent activity is most prevalent at the claims stage, with one in every 30 claims affected.
Fraud identified in the survey falls into three main categories: organised fraud by criminal groups, deliberate fraud involving misrepresentation, and opportunistic fraud occurring during underwriting or claims. Consumers were most often identified as the main perpetrators, followed by insurance agents and medical professionals. The survey also noted that some fraudulent activity originates from within the insurance industry itself.
In 2023, ICA members identified $560 million in opportunistic fraud cases related to motor and property insurance. Undetected fraud is estimated to cost the industry an additional $400 million annually, which can result in higher premiums and wider economic effects.
The ICA’s counter-fraud and scam function is intended to create an industry-wide capability for detecting organised fraud networks and identifying new fraud-related trends. This function will collaborate with ICA members and government agencies to collect intelligence and address insurance fraud and scams. Meanwhile, the new platform is intended to provide Australian insurers with a method for identifying and responding to organised fraud, in accordance with industry practices concerning insurers and policyholders.
