In covert surveillance cases, particularly those involving potential medical or workers’ compensation fraud, insurance adjusters often restrict field investigators by specifying exact times, dates, and durations for surveillance. However, these constraints can reduce the investigation’s effectiveness by preventing investigators from observing claimants during critical periods or adapting to unforeseen circumstances. For example, claimants may be inactive during prescribed hours due to irregular schedules, such as working night shifts or staying indoors during daytime surveillance windows, rendering observation impossible. Adverse weather conditions, like heavy rain or fog, can obscure visibility or limit safe surveillance, requiring investigators to shift to clearer times. Other issues, such as unexpected claimant travel, road closures, or equipment malfunctions, further necessitate flexibility to adjust hours and ensure effective monitoring.

Rigid schedules prevent investigators from adapting to these dynamic challenges, compromising evidence collection.

This often results in missed opportunities to observe subjects during their normal daily routines and assess their physical capabilities. Only the most experienced and motivated investigators can uncover pertinent information in such cases, frequently working beyond assigned hours to obtain evidence needed to prove or disprove a claimant’s injuries.

To illustrate this issue, consider an investigator who receives an assignment from an insurance adjuster or their legal counsel requesting three consecutive days of eight-hour surveillance from 0800 to 1600 hours. Experienced field investigators know that the first day is typically spent locating the claimant. Once found, they can establish a baseline for the claimant’s daily activities. However, in many cases, claimants provide false information about their actual residence, and some are even advised by their attorneys on how to evade surveillance or make it as challenging as possible. If an investigator is restricted to specific hours, it can severely hamper their ability to locate the claimant and initiate surveillance.

There are occasions when specifying a particular time is appropriate, such as when a claimant who is difficult to locate has a scheduled medical appointment. Surveillance around the appointment time is crucial for identifying a hidden claimant and conducting mobile surveillance to follow the subject back to their residence.

Except for surveillance tied to medical appointments or urgent depositions, it is best to provide investigators with a desired date range or a flexible timeframe. This allows them to select the most effective hours for surveillance, whether during the day or at night. For example, if a claimant provides a residential address but the investigator is limited to surveillance between 0800 and 1600 hours, they cannot observe the residence after dark, missing signs of activity such as lights being turned on, vehicles arriving after work hours, or vehicles not listed in provided information or background research.

In contrast, when investigators have the flexibility to choose their surveillance hours, they can employ strategies to maximize success. For instance, they might conduct surveillance during early morning or late evening hours, when claimants are more likely to be active outside their homes, or adjust their schedule based on observed patterns in the claimant’s behavior.

Insurance adjusters may impose time constraints due to budgetary concerns or a lack of understanding of the surveillance process. Budgetary pressures include travel expenses, such as fuel, vehicle maintenance, and lodging for investigators working in remote areas, which can escalate if surveillance extends beyond planned hours. Seasonal charges, like higher rates for surveillance during winter due to equipment needs (e.g., heated vehicles or weather-resistant gear), also influence costs. Administrative costs, such as scheduling and rescheduling surveillance, add to the burden, as adjusters must coordinate with investigators, claimants’ attorneys, and internal teams, incurring fees for missed appointments or last-minute changes. Additionally, overtime pay for investigators working extended hours can strain budgets. Adjusters, aiming to control these expenses, may set rigid schedules, unaware that this can lead to incomplete investigations and higher long-term costs if fraudulent claims go undetected.

Except for planned medical appointments, one might consider allowing experienced investigators to select their own surveillance times and methods to enhance success. Successful investigators, such as those at Turnstone Intelligence, understand what is required to locate claimants and gather valuable information for insurance adjusters and their attorneys.

Turnstone Intelligence thrives when given flexibility in dates and times, leveraging the accuracy of its preliminary research to optimize surveillance outcomes. The firm conducts thorough pre-surveillance investigations, including database searches, social media analysis, and background checks, to identify claimants’ likely routines, workplaces, or unreported addresses. This research often reveals patterns, such as claimants being active during non-standard hours (e.g., early mornings for unreported jobs or evenings for social activities), which rigid 0800–1600 schedules may miss. Flexible scheduling allows Turnstone investigators to align surveillance with these patterns, ensuring they observe claimants during peak activity periods. For instance, if research indicates a claimant frequents a gym at 0600, investigators can prioritize early morning hours, capturing evidence of physical capabilities inconsistent with reported injuries.

Moreover, Turnstone’s accurate preliminary research reduces wasted surveillance time, making flexibility cost-effective. By identifying discrepancies in claimants’ reported addresses or behaviors upfront, investigators can focus efforts on verified locations or adapt to new leads, such as following a claimant to an unreported residence discovered during flexible nighttime surveillance. This adaptability minimizes the need for repeated surveillance attempts, saving adjusters’ budgets while maximizing evidence quality. In contrast, rigid schedules undermine Turnstone’s research-driven approach, limiting investigators’ ability to act on real-time insights and increasing the risk of missing critical evidence. Granting flexibility ensures Turnstone Intelligence delivers comprehensive, actionable findings for adjusters and attorneys.

In summary, while timed surveillance is necessary for specific situations like medical appointments, granting flexibility generally leads to more effective investigations, enabling investigators to adapt to claimant behavior, uncover hidden activities, and provide comprehensive evidence for informed decision-making.