SERIOUS PLAYERS READ THIS POST (also posted in poker theory forum)

[deacsoft]

I am hoping to get some feedback on a theory of mine. This theory is aimed at serious players who would like to learn as much as they can about poker. It is also a must that the player does play or does intend to play in live games (casino, cardroom, home games). What I'm looking for are any players who have tried this and their experiences, or any general feedback for those who have thoughts on the post. My theory is this...

Every year the insurance industry pays out millions of dollars in fraudulant claims. That's right, I said pays out. Why would they do this? Because they can't prove the claim is fraudulant. Then how do they know it is? They know because they employ the greatest human lie detectors on the planet. Thse amazing lie detectors are called claims investigators.

For those of you who don't know, claims investigators are well trained insurance agents that's sole purpose is to confirm or deny the validity of an insurance claim. Some are also allowed to make the decesion to accept or reject the claim, and others yet can decide on the dollar amount of the claim to be paid out. A rather large responsibility.

They are given this responsibility because they are trained to handle it. They take classes that teach them to look for "tells". Unless there is some other overwhelming evidence to support otherwise, these agents rely upon their lie detection skills to determine if any further investigation is required. They use gestures, body language, hand positioning, body positioning, tone of voice, rate of speaking, eye movement, head movement, how a person reacts to different questions/situations, etc, etc just like we do in poker. The only difference being that in poker we are given the unique oppertunity to prove it every hand if we so choose.

In insurance if they can tell that someone is making a fraudulant claim but can find no evidence outside of their keen lie detection skills to prove it the claim is paid out. In poker no one ever has to be paid off. If you so choose you can put your skills to the test and call the bluff or raise the bluff. You have an oppertunity to know every time if your lie detection skills are accurate. Aside from sitting down with Mike Caro, I can't see a better way to learn tells than to take the smae training/classes claims investigators do.

I am seriously considering taking the $300-$400 insurance claims investigation class for the sole purpose of applying what I learn to poker. The insurance industry is the fastest growing industry in the country. Their profit margine largely depends on the number of claims they pay out. The number of claims they pay out largely depends on the findings of the claims investigator. The findings of the claims investigator largely depends on his/her lie detection skills. Insurance agancies trust these people with decesions involving millions of dollars. These classes must be worth the $300-$400. I believe they will pay for themselves many time over. Just as they do for the insurance agancies.