Civil Liabilities Act
Portal still needs bedding in, say MIB and Medco bosses as 115,000 claims await medical reports
With no apparent reason for delays in obtaining medical reports, Dominic Clayden, CEO of Motor Insurers’ Bureau and Martin Heskins, executive chair of Medco, suspect the portal needs more time to bed in.
Concerns grow for unrepresented claimants as trends appear in OIC figures
The fourth set of figures from the Official Injury Claims portal shows that the number of unrepresented claimants still make less than 10% of those using the portal, with the claimant sector concerned about ability of accident victims to get support they…
Mixed injuries working group aims to take a range of test cases to Court of Appeal ‘as quickly as possible’
As first instance judgments are starting to come through, Martin Saunders, Official Injury Claim’s portal head of service says the mixed injuries working group aims to take a range of test cases to Court of Appeal “as quickly as possible”.
Arbitration could shorten the whiplash portal’s 175 day wait for settlements to ‘three to 10 days’
An arbitration service has claimed OIC delays could be shortened from six months to “three to 10 days” if parties are no longer allowed to play games.
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…
Analysis: What is driving the increase in credit hire fraud
With Aviva reporting a 10.7% increase in motor injury claims fraud, Post investigates what is driving the increase in credit hire fraud.
ACSO calls for official review of OIC as Sir Christopher Bellamy steps into MOJ role
A claimant support organisation has urged Sir Christopher Bellamy to review fixed recoverable costs for civil cases as he replaces Lord Wolfson of Tredegar as parliamentary under secretary of state.
Analysis: One year on, is the whiplash portal working or heading for a crash?
With the Official Injury Claim portal celebrating its first birthday on 31 May, Post investigates how it has fared over the past 12 months.
OIC portal figures don't show true picture of reforms as driver behaviour has changed with Covid
As driver behaviour changed following the Covid pandemic, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions on the impact the whiplash reforms have had on the number of claims coming through the new system, a conference has heard.
MoJ defends the low proportion of unrepresented claimants using OIC portal
Speaking at the Association of British Insurers’ whiplash event, David Parkin, deputy director for civil justice and law policy at the Ministry of Justice, addressed the criticism that Official Injury Claims portal is not meeting its objectives as less…
Low motor accident claim levels raise concerns that 'injured people are not claiming'
A claimant organisation has raised concerns that the number of registered motor claims in the first quarter of 2022 remained at a pandemic level, despite road traffic mostly returning to normal.
Fears OIC portal is not meeting objectives as unrepresented claimants make up less than 10% of users
Latest figures from the Ministry of Justice show that unrepresented claimants still make up less than 10% of those using the Official Injury Claim portal, as concerns grow that portal is not meeting objectives of being “consumer friendly”.
MoJ publishes simplified claims portal user guide after previous guidance branded ‘off-putting’
The Ministry of Justice has published a five-step guide to using the Official Injury Claim portal after the previous 64-page long guidance was branded as “off-putting” and “complex” by critics.
Adapting alternative dispute resolution could save insurers £30m in 2022
The case for adapting alternative dispute resolution urgently needs to be revisited according to Stewart McCulloch, managing director at Claimspace, who believes this could save the industry 'tens of millions' in court cost as well as release the…
MOJ to 'reflect' on visibility of OIC portal
A Ministry of Justice representative has said it will 'reflect' on communication around the Official Injury Claim portal.
OIC portal data raises 'questions' on exceptional circumstances and access to justice
Official Injury Claim data has raised questions among insurers and claimant representatives, with one expert warning trends "strongly" imply teething problems warnings hold true.
Less than 10% of whiplash portal claimants unrepresented
Ministry of Justice data shows that nine in ten claimants using the Official Injury Claim whiplash portal have done so using a lawyer or other representation.
Top 100 UK Insurers 2021: AM Best Commentary: Market able to withstand the impact of operating challenges
Covid-19 had the biggest impact on insurers in 2020. Commercial lines insurers suffered while personal lines insurers broadly benefited according to William Keen-Tomlinson, senior financial analyst in London for AM Best.
Analysis: The claims sector in a post-reform world
The launch of the whiplash portal has made it more difficult for firms to make money handling small claims, leading to firms reassessing their models. Post investigates what the sector will look like in a post reform world.
Minster Law strikes deal for Irwin Mitchell's fast-track PI business
Minster Law has reached an agreement to take over Irwin Mitchell’s fast-track personal injury business with intentions to “lead consolidation in the market”.
Blog: Tinnitus – the next whiplash?
Weightmans associate Richard Burrows zones in on tinnitus claims.
Blog: Teething problems with the Official Injury Claim portal
Caroline Johnson, technical claims director at LV General Insurance, highlights 'teething problems' with whiplash reforms.
Insurers wary of 'perverse' CMC behaviour following whiplash reforms
Insurers are concerned that whiplash reforms may result in claims management company “displacement”.
Cross-sector working group seeks clarity on mixed injury whiplash portal claims
A cross-sector working group has been set up with mixed injury whiplash test cases set to make their way through the courts.