Arson is serious business, costing insurers millions ofdollars. In the battle against fraud, claims professionals canarm themselves with vital claims investigation tools, includingexaminations under oath (EUOs) to gather pertinent facts and makeinformed claims decisions.

Here, we share ten tips to maximize the usefulness of EUOsin your claims investigation:

1. Provide your attorney transcripts of all recordedstatements.
2. Give your attorney copies of all the expert reports.
3. Furnish your attorney with a copy of the insurance policy.
4. When dealing with an arson fire, make sure you have the firedepartment's report about the incident.
5. Ask if the fire department took photographs of the scene. If so, obtain copies for your file and provide a set to yourattorney.
6. Spend the necessary time to determine what documents you needand attempt to obtain them before the examination under oath, ifpossible.
7. Meet with your attorney before the examination under oath todiscuss the facts of the claim and ensure he or she has allpertinent information. A meeting allows to you to expand uponinformation included in the claims file.
8. Maintain regular phone contact to ensure that your attorney isup to date on the insurance investigation.
9. If possible, attend the examination under oath so that you canjudge the insured's demeanor.
10. Consider asking your attorney to videotape the examinationunder oath. A videotape of the insured's statement takenshortly after the loss will help capture the person's true emotionsand can be used to discount a change in behavior at a later date orduring trial.