Insurance fraud costs the industry, and ultimately honest policyholders, a great deal. At the same time, treating every unusual claim as fraudulent damages customer relationships and reputation. Insurers need an investigator who establishes facts fairly, documents them properly and stays firmly within the law.
The office of Petros Drolias, licensed private investigator in Athens since the early 1990s, has handled more than 1,500 cases in 14 countries. We work for Greek and international insurers, loss adjusters and claims handlers, as well as the lawyers who represent them.
Claims we investigate
Motor claims. Staged or exaggerated accidents, inconsistent accounts, phantom passengers and disputed liability. We document the scene, trace witnesses, check available footage and reconstruct the timeline.
Personal injury and disability. Claims where the extent of injury or incapacity is in question. Proportionate observation in public places can show whether a claimant's daily activities are consistent with the declared condition.
Theft and burglary. Reported thefts of vehicles, goods or valuables, where the circumstances raise questions. We investigate the sequence of events, check for prior incidents and look for stolen items offered for sale through public channels.
Property and fire. Damage to homes, businesses and holiday properties, where the cause, timing or value is unclear. We gather background on the property, its use and the circumstances, working alongside technical experts.
Travel and tourist claims. Lost luggage, medical expenses, theft and accidents reported by visitors to Greece, often after they have returned home. Local enquiries can quickly confirm or contradict the account given.
Online indicators. Public social media activity that contradicts a claim, such as a claimant on sick leave posting from a sporting event. We archive public content lawfully, with dates and sources.
Why speed matters in claims
The value of a claims investigation falls quickly with time. Scenes are repaired, footage is overwritten, witnesses forget and claimants settle into a consistent account. Instructing an investigator early, as soon as a claim shows indicators that need checking, gives the best chance of establishing what really happened, whether that supports the claim or not.
Common indicators that justify a closer look include inconsistencies between statements, a policy taken out or increased shortly before the loss, a claimant who is reluctant to provide documents, damage that does not match the described event, or a history of similar claims. None of these proves fraud, and we treat them as questions to answer rather than conclusions.
Fair and proportionate investigations
Our assignments are designed to answer specific questions, not to intrude on claimants' lives. We use observation in public places only, keep surveillance proportionate and time-limited, and process personal data in line with the GDPR and Greek Law 4624/2019. We never intercept communications, which is protected by Article 19 of the Constitution and criminalised by Article 370A of the Penal Code, nor do we place trackers on vehicles or access bank, telecom or police data.
This approach protects the insurer as much as the claimant. Evidence that has been obtained lawfully and proportionately stands up when the claimant challenges it, when the matter reaches the courts or when a regulator asks how it was gathered.
Reports you can rely on
Every assignment ends with a structured report: the questions investigated, the methods used, a chronology of findings, witness details and supporting material. We keep facts separate from opinion and state clearly what could not be established. Where a claim proves genuine, we say so.
For international insurers, reports are written in English and can be shared directly with underwriters, reinsurers and external counsel. We can also act on the ground for claims involving foreign policyholders who are no longer in Greece.
Working together
Insurers often prefer a framework arrangement so that urgent instructions can be given quickly. We can agree reporting formats, communication channels and an estimate approach in advance, while every individual assignment is still scoped and estimated in writing before work begins.
To discuss a claim or a cooperation, call us 24/7 or write through our contact page. You can also read about our work for law firms handling insurance litigation.