Legal
Claims Club: Industry should be prepared for online court to become a reality in the near future
Insurers and their lawyers have been warned to take the prospect of an online court seriously and advised that the pace of change is likely to take many by surprise.
Claims Club: Late payment legislation to add ‘new pressure’ to difficult fraud cases
Insurers have been urged to prepare a late payment strategy now, after an insurance barrister warned the late payment clause, due to be introduced with the Enterprise Bill, will add additional pressures in suspected fraud cases.
Supreme Court ruling in Knauer could lead to 10% increase in reserves
A ruling by the Supreme Court looks set to add to insurers' difficulties in calculating what constitutes the appropriate lump sum to set aside for serious personal injury cases.
Insurers face reserve increases after Supreme Court Knauer ruling
A seminal ruling by the Supreme Court last week means insurers potentially face substantive increases in claims costs on fatal accident claims.
US sanctions strong disincentive for Iranian cover despite lifting of EU restrictions
Banks' reluctance to process payments is a major barrier for insurers wanting to conduct Iran-related business following European Union sanctions relief last month, while legal research has found remaining US primary sanctions are quelling the appetite…
Blog: Controlling costs means fixing them
In line with Lord Justice Jackson, the Forum of Insurance Lawyers believes the time is right to extend the fixed recoverable costs regime.
Quiz of the week – 19 February
Test your knowledge of the week's insurance news, with the Post insurance quiz of the week.
Average property damage claim cost more than doubled in past decade
The average cost of property damage claims has more than doubled in the past 10 years, with pay-outs totalling £4bn per year, according to research from law firm BLM.
Legal Update: Time for insurers to get ready
A growing number of cyber incidents means insurers must prepare strategies to deal with a range of new business interruption liabilities.
Claimant law firm billed £27k as Allianz PI claim is struck out
A claimant solicitors firm has been ordered to pay £27,000 of defendant legal costs after a personal injury claim lodged with Allianz was struck out by a court.
SRA consults on minimum terms changes to PII policies
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is consulting on technical changes to the minimum terms and conditions that need to be included in professional indemnity insurance policies.
MoJ proposes capping CMCs' PPI fees
The Ministry of Justice has proposed capping fees charged by claims management companies handling mis-sold payment protection insurance claims, in a consultation launching today (15 February).
Gallagher pleased with injunction success
Arthur J Gallagher has said it is pleased with a court order granted in the Portsoken case, which it stated ensures "valuable and confidential information" belonging to the firm is located and deleted from Portsoken's systems.
Blog: Enterprise Bill may drive PI for insurers
Other professional services providers take out professional indemnity cover but should insurers now be looking for similar protection?
Bluefin lodges High Court injunction against ex-CEO Bruce and GRP
Bluefin has suspended two current members of staff and obtained an injunction in the High Court against its former CEO Mike Bruce and specialist investment group Global Risk Partners.
Four Birmingham ghost brokers sentenced
Four Birmingham men have been sentenced after a ghost broker insurance scam was uncovered by Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department detectives.
Further defendants added in Gallagher court case
Arthur J Gallagher has expanded its legal proceedings against Alex Skriptchenkov and Portsoken Limited to include five more defendants.
Blog: A quiet end to ‘average'?
There are differing views as to whether no longer applying average is a wise move likely to mean more business or will it result in higher claims costs?
IFB joins SRA and insurer talks over 'consistent' approach to claimant firm fraud
High level discussions are taking place between the insurance industry and the Solicitors Regulation Authority towards establishing a consolidated process for submitting evidence of fraud perpetrated by claimant law firms.
Blog: Let's take low speed impact cases out of the ‘too hard to do' drawer
In court, the credibility of your witness is everything. But in low speed impact claims, the reliability of expert witness evidence is akin to the Wild West. The true facts of a collision are too rarely investigated and expert testimony is frequently…
Fundamentally dishonest pair added to IFR over £50k Axa claim
A fraudulent induced accident claim against Axa worth almost £50,000 has been thrown out after a Birmingham County Court judge concluded that the claimants were fundamentally dishonest in their testimony.
Legal Update: A brave new world
The Insurance Act will demand a change of underwriting culture to reduce the risk of litigation.
North of the Border: To decree or not to decree
A convicted party has a statutory right to prove they did not commit the offence they were convicted of.
Elite to stop writing solicitors' PII as falling rates take a toll
Unrated carrier Elite Insurance is withdrawing from the English and Welsh solicitors’ professional indemnity insurance market.