Claims management companies (or CMCs)
Aviva’s Ward on the spectre of paid-for online spoof ads
Trade Voice: Pete Ward, head of claims counter fraud at Aviva, explains how a small but highly visible group of unscrupulous accident management companies are misleading consumers.
Blog: Housing disrepair paves the way to a perfect storm – are insurers ready?
With the recent whiplash reforms squeezing profit margins, Jared Mallinson, partner and head of counter fraud at Horwich Farrelly, considers whether the insurance industry is facing a new claims epidemic, with the social housing industry reporting a rise…
FCA move to ban ‘phoenixing’ a step in the right direction but more could be done to stop dishonest CMCs
Financial Conduct Authority plans to impose significant changes on claims management companies that would prevent ‘phoenixing’ are a step in the right direction but the industry has called for more action to stop dishonest CMCs.
Insurance Post TV: COP26 Climate Summit special featuring Aviva, Axa and others
Insurance Post reveals the latest episode of its ‘magazine-style’ television show, Insurance Post TV, which gets under the skin of some of the key issues of the day.
Trade Voice: Apil's Neil McKinley on why a total ban on cold calling would be an easy win for the government
Neil McKinley, president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, argues that cold calls are far more than just a nuisance and that restrictions introduced in 2018 do not go far enough.
Treasury committee seeks answers from big tech firms on economic crime
Treasury Select Committee chair Mel Stride MP has written to Google, Ebay, Facebook and Amazon with a series of questions relating to their policies and actions to combat economic crime, prevent fraud and protect consumers.
Blog: Loss adjusting on the emerald isle
Craig Harris, Criterion loss adjuster, reflects on the unique challenges of loss adjusting in Ireland.
Blog: Teething problems with the Official Injury Claim portal
Caroline Johnson, technical claims director at LV General Insurance, highlights 'teething problems' with whiplash reforms.
CMC fined £110,000 for nuisance calls
Claims Management Company Crosfill & Archer Claims has been fined £110,000 by the Financial Conduct Authority for historic unsolicited telemarketing calls.
Analysis: The CMCs out of scope
When the Financial Conduct Authority took over claims management company regulation in 2019, it fired warning shots at the sector. Should the regulator’s remit be widened to cover those firms that don’t come under its surveillance?
Insurers wary of 'perverse' CMC behaviour following whiplash reforms
Insurers are concerned that whiplash reforms may result in claims management company “displacement”.
Google lays out scam advert counter measures
Google has detailed the steps it is taking to protect consumers and legitimate businesses in the financial sector after research by Post revealed that brokers are being targeted by claims management companies.
Analysis: The broker problem with online claims adverts
Research by Post has revealed that brokers as well as insurers are being targeted by claims management companies seeking to take over motor claims via misleading advert urls online, particularly on mobile devices
Insurance and accident-related nuisance calls fall during pandemic
Complaints about insurance-related nuisance calls and texts fell by 25% in 2020, though experts have warned that the trend could reverse as Covid disruption lifts.
Insurers wary of CMC influx following whiplash reforms
Insurers are concerned that the implementation of whiplash reforms will result in an increase of personal injury claims management companies if fee caps are not introduced.
CMC fee caps: Are proposed tariffs too generous or will they drive a choice exodus?
Insurers have argued that proposed fee caps for claims management companies may be too generous, while the claims sector has cautioned measures could reduce choice and service quality.
CMCs expect soaring Covid-19 caseload as employees and public lodge claims
Covid-19-related lawsuits are set to drive a 40% increase in litigation over the coming year, with many claims management companies either already dealing with or anticipating a surge in claims.
FCA proposes to cap CMC fees saving consumers £9.6m a year
The Financial Conduct Authority has published proposals to cap the fees claims management companies can charge their customers.
Commission-hungry claims firms target Covid-hit businesses
Claims firms and no-win-no-fee solicitors have ramped up attempts to get businesses to make Covid-related claims with them following the Supreme Court business interruption ruling – but insurance experts are concerned that fees could be as much as 40% of…
Former RAC employee sentenced after selling personal data to CMC
Former RAC employee Kim Doyle has been sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for two years, in a prosecution brought by the Information Commissioner’s Office for selling unlawfully obtained personal data to a claims management company.
FCA fines more than halve to £192.6m in 2020
The Financial Conduct Authority imposed fines of £192,570,018 in 2020, the third lowest total on record since the watchdog was formed in 2013.