Legal
DWF acquires niche law firm Fox Hartley
Law firm DWF will acquire a smaller rival, Fox Hartley, in order to broaden its specialist insurance offering.
Panama Papers leak could expose insurers to wider claims
Insurers could be hit hard as a result of the fallout from the Panama Papers data leak, according to lawyers.
CJCA s57 fundamentally dishonest ruling sends 'strong message' to fraudsters
The first fundamentally dishonest ruling under section 57 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 will act as a significant deterrent to potential fraudsters, according to the Association of British Insurers and law firm Horwich Farrelly.
KGM retrieves costs after first fundamental dishonesty ruling under CJCA s57
KGM, the UK motor insurance subsidiary of Sompo Canopius, will be repaid £6100 in costs after the first ruling of fundamental dishonesty under section 57 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015.
Legal: Wearable technology – employers beware?
Developments in safety-related wearable technology in the workplace bring both benefits and risks.
North of the Border: A cure for prescription?
In Scotland, in most non-personal injury actions, the doctrine of negative prescription has the effect of extinguishing a party’s right to damages.
Willis warns others as it settles JLT fine arts and specie team defection for £22m
International broker Willis Towers Watson today reaffirmed it is “committed to protecting its business” and “will always seek legal redress where appropriate”.
Blog: Insurers need to stop rolling over and paying outrageous charges
A lack of knowledge around vehicle recovery and the law may be costing insurers dearly.
SRA warning notice on PI fraud ‘a marker in the sand’
The warning notice on potential fraud in personal injury cases issued by the Solicitors Regulation Authority on 21 March is a vital move and serves a clear function to remind lawyers of their duties to address the issue, according to legal commentators.
Motor prosecution insurer Road Halo to partner with Arc Legal
Road Halo’s motor prosecution defence cover will be offered as an add-on or stand alone product through a partnership with Arc Legal.
Blog - Overseas operations: From a distance
Expanding overseas poses challenges for the insurance sector and, in particular, with the level of management oversight required
Legal: An opportunity to crack whiplash
The government is making a concerted effort to reduce the number of whiplash claims and consequently reduce the cost of motor insurance
Blog: From London to Dover - what the connected corridor might bring
On 16 March the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the budget that the government are investing a further £15m to create a “connected corridor” from Dover to London, further reinforcing the position of the UK as the global centre for the…
Brexit offers UK insurers respite on ECJ VAT ruling for outsourced claims
UK insurers are facing significant increases to the cost of outsourced claims handling if the government is forced to align its VAT position to a recent European Court of Justice ruling, but the June vote on whether the UK should leave the European Union…
FCA regulation of credit hire firms touted as CMCs fall under its remit
Industry commentators have backed the future Financial Conduct Authority oversight of claims management companies, announced in the 16 March Budget, alongside suggestions a similar regulatory framework should be adopted for credit hire companies.
ABI adds DAC Beachcroft as second associate member
The Association of British Insurers has added law firm DAC Beachcroft as an associate member, the second since the category was created by the ABI.
ECJ decides claims handling should be subject to VAT
Insurers and policyholders could be facing increased costs following a European Court of Justice decision that claims handling was not within the scope of the VAT exemption for insurance-related services.
BGL's Minster Law reports £35m loss as IPO talks ongoing
BGL Group's legal services business recorded a £35m loss in the financial year ended 30 June 2015 as group profit before tax fell to £70.4m (2014: £82.7m).
Brain Training: 10 things you need to know about ... workplace monitoring
1. Insurance firms are increasingly well informed about the risks and obligations entailed in handling client data, but often less so about personal data relating to their own employees.
Legal Update: Take care over CFA transfers
Transferring a PI claim to another law firm could be bad news for the claimant as this recent case shows, but also, most welcome for insurers, argue Joanne Staphnill and Abigail Taylor
Vicarious liability broadening unlikely to impact policy wordings
Insurers are unlikely to tighten policy wordings in light of a Supreme Court ruling relating to the vicarious liability doctrine, as lawyers warn the industry to expect further widening of the principle in the future.
Fraudsters ordered to pay £40,000 in crash-for-cash scam
A group of four people found to have deliberately caused a car crash with an innocent van driver has been ordered to pay £40,000 to the victim.
Jail for insurance fraudster after failure to repay £13k
A man who failed to repay more than £13,000 following his conviction for medical insurance fraud has now been jailed.