Comparison
Hesper AI vs manual investigation
2-4 hours vs 14+ days. Every claim, not 25%.
TL;DR
Manual SIU investigation averages 14+ days per claim and costs $2,000-5,000 per case. A 5-person SIU can investigate roughly 50 claims per month. Hesper AI investigates claims in 2-4 hours at $75-150 per claim - and scales to cover 100% of flagged claims without hiring.
On this page
How manual SIU investigation works today
A manual investigation starts when a claim is referred to the SIU. The investigator reviews the file, queries databases (NICB, ISO ClaimSearch, DMV), requests documents, makes phone calls, may conduct field visits, analyzes statements for inconsistencies, and eventually writes a report. Each step is sequential and dependent on external responses. The average investigation takes 14+ days, and complex cases can take weeks. With a typical load of 200+ cases, investigators triage by gut instinct - spending time only on the claims they believe are most likely fraudulent.
What manual investigation misses
The capacity constraint means most flagged claims are never investigated. Industry data shows 75% of flagged claims expire without investigation. The claims that do get investigated receive uneven treatment - depending on which investigator gets the case, their experience level, their current workload, and what databases they have time to query. Inconsistencies across documents often go undetected because no single person has time to cross-reference everything. AI-generated document fraud is particularly dangerous because manual review cannot reliably detect pixel-level tampering.
How Hesper AI changes the economics
Hesper deploys an AI investigation agent for every flagged claim. The agent runs all 15 investigation phases in parallel: document forensics, database checks, statement analysis, OSINT investigation, network analysis, timeline reconstruction, and report generation. Because the phases run simultaneously (not sequentially like manual investigation), a full investigation completes in 2-4 hours. The cost per investigation is $75-150 - compared to $2,000-5,000 for a manual investigation when you factor in investigator salary, tools, and overhead.
Hesper augments your team - it does not replace them
Hesper handles the investigation workload, not the judgment calls. Your SIU investigators review the investigation reports, make denial decisions, conduct EUOs, and handle complex cases that require human expertise. The shift is from investigators spending 80% of their time gathering evidence (which Hesper automates) to spending 80% of their time on decision-making and case strategy (which requires human judgment). Most teams find their investigators become more effective, not redundant.
Comparison table
| Dimension | Hesper AI | Manual SIU |
|---|---|---|
| Time per investigation | 2-4 hours | 14+ days average |
| Cost per investigation | $75-150 | $2,000-5,000 (fully loaded) |
| Claims investigated monthly | Unlimited (scales with volume) | ~50 per 5-person team |
| Coverage of flagged claims | 100% | 25-30% (capacity limited) |
| Investigation phases | 15 phases, run in parallel | 3-5 phases typical, run sequentially |
| Document forensics | Pre-OCR pixel-level, 200+ signals | Visual review - misses AI-generated fakes |
| Report consistency | Standardized format, every time | Varies by investigator experience |
| Scaling | Add volume, not headcount | Each new hire = $85-110K/year + training |
| Availability | 24/7 | Business hours, minus PTO and turnover |
| Audit trail | Complete - every step timestamped and sourced | Depends on investigator documentation habits |
Who should use what
Hesper AI
Carriers where SIU capacity is the bottleneck
- More flagged claims than your team can investigate
- Need faster investigation turnaround
- Want consistent, audit-ready reports
- Cannot justify hiring more investigators at $85-110K each
Manual SIU
Complex cases requiring human judgment and field work
- Cases requiring in-person surveillance
- Situations requiring EUO preparation and testimony
- Regulatory proceedings requiring human witnesses
- Novel fraud schemes not yet in AI training data
Both together
Most carriers (recommended)
- Hesper handles volume - AI investigates every flagged claim
- SIU handles complexity - investigators focus on high-stakes cases
- Net effect: 100% claim coverage, better investigator utilization
Frequently asked questions
Related comparisons
See Hesper AI investigate a real claim
30-minute live walkthrough. Custom to your claim types.
Request a Demo