2008-10-01 04:06:59 -

- Insurance agents from throughout Illinois on October 1 can hear workplace accident investigation expert Ranney P. Pageler explain how victims of suspected workers' compensation insurance fraud can identify suspicious claims, and appropriately and fairly respond to their legitimately injured employees.

Pageler, vice president of the Fraud Investigations Department for Employers Compensation Insurance Company, a subsidiary of EMPLOYERS, is

scheduled to address the annual convention of the Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (PIIAI) at the Springfield, Ill., Crowne Plaza Hotel and Convention Center. More than 800 independent insurance agents and industry representatives are scheduled to attend.

Through Pageler's educational presentation, insurance agents can learn how to assist their clients when a workers' compensation claim is suspected to be fraudulent, and how the resources of local police and other law enforcement agencies can be utilized in accident investigation. A 22-year veteran of insurance fraud investigations, Pageler leads Anti-Fraud Program efforts at EMPLOYERS(R), America's small business insurance specialist.(R)

Seminar registrants also may be eligible to receive three Continuing Education Credits from individual state chapters of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers Association for their attendance at Pageler's training seminar.

Insurance agents in attendance at his upcoming PIIA convention address also will learn how to prepare their work comp clients for what to expect from law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies in the event premium fraud is suspected of a small business, and how a premium fraud investigation is handled by legal authorities.

In addition to his accident investigation and fraud prevention efforts on behalf of EMPLOYERS policyholders, Pageler also spent nearly two decades in law enforcement. His professional pursuits have resulted in more than 500 criminal prosecutions in 23 states. He has been featured in state, regional and national newscasts on insurance fraud detection and prevention, and is currently licensed as a private investigator in the states of California and Arizona.

More information on EMPLOYERS workers' compensation insurance and fraud prevention programs is available at www.employers.com. Additional information about the upcoming PIIAI Convention October 1-3, 2008, in Springfield, Ill., is available at www.piiai.org.

Copyright (C) 2008 EMPLOYERS. All rights reserved. EMPLOYERS(R) and America's small business insurance specialist.(R) are registered trademarks of Employers Insurance Company of Nevada. Workers' compensation insurance and services are offered through Employers Compensation Insurance Company and Employers Insurance Company of Nevada. Insurance coverage not available in all jurisdictions.

EMPLOYERS, Reno
Trish White, Director, Corporate Communications
775-327-2636
twhite@employers.com
Ranney Pageler, Vice President, Fraud Investigations
Department
818-549-4570
rpageler@employers.com
David Blickhahn, Sales Executive
847-466-1322
dblickhahn@employers.com