Personal injury (PI)
Blog: Surviving the consequences of Covid-19
Malcolm Henké, head of Horwich Farrelly’s large and catastrophic injury group, provides a perspective on the potential challenges and opportunities that come with Covid-19 when looking at large and complex injury litigation.
Motor Insurance World Live video presentation: Same problem, new challenges; tackling motor fraud in 2020
Allianz has been tackling fraud for over a decade with savings increasing year-on-year for the last ten years.
Personal injury and insurance lawyers agree best practice for Covid-19 crisis
Lawyers on the insurer and claimant sides have agreed to protocols and practices to help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and allow for access to justice.
Insurers plead with government to make early call on further whiplash reform delay in light of Covid-19
The whiplash reforms implementation date should be delayed and a realistic timescale put in light of the Covid-19 epidemic.
Discount rate: Warnings on NI premium pressure and claims costs
If the discount rate in Northern Ireland is made minus 1.75% this will lead to price hikes and potentially vast jumps in the cost of individual claims, insurers and lawyers have warned.
Northern Irish discount rate of minus 1.75% proposed
The Northern Irish Department of Justice plans to change the Northern Irish personal injury discount rate to minus 1.75%, pending a statutory consultation.
Blog: How automating arbitration can reduce insurance claims costs and complexity
Recent research from the Association of British Insurers found compensators pay out millions every day on repairs and bodily injury claims in the UK but according to Olly Savage, Minsitry of Justice data reveals they’re handling high volumes of injury…
Q&A: Forum of Insurance Lawyers CEO Laurence Besemer
In 2009 Laurence Besemer became the first CEO of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers, the UK trade body for defendant law firms. A decade into the role he spoke to Jonathan Swift about its commitment to its members, a successful 2019 and why it is definitely…
Analysis: Little leeway from five month delay to whiplash portal
The Ministry of Justice has addressed a “loophole” meaning children and vulnerable adults will be able to recoup representation costs when the delayed whiplash portal rolls out, but questions linger over its start date, pressure on courts and claimants…
Government delays whiplash portal implementation
The government has decided that it would not be “practical” to implement the whiplash portal as planned and has delayed it until August.
MIB urges government to act after Supreme Court rejects Lewis appeal
The Motor Insurers' Bureau has been tipped to challenge the government into amending the Road Traffic Act or change its own Articles following this week's Supreme Court ruling in the case of MIB v Lewis.
Government delay to claims portal expected within days
Industry experts have predicted that the government is ready to delay the upcoming launch of the claims portal with an announcement expected “very soon”.
Analysis: Insuring care for the elderly – is the insurance sector up to the challenge?
Prime Minister Boris Johnson may be the Brexiteers’ main man, but can he also deliver the goods when it comes to caring for the UK’s growing elderly population?
Insurers accused of profiting from limitation law in child abuse cases as review concludes
In the closing statements of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse proceedings insurers were accused of profiting from limitation law and withholding payments even when convictions were made, as survivors urged for changes to the law and a…
MIB uninsured drivers scheme mooted as template for child abuse compensation payouts
A model similar to the Motor Insurers' Bureau's untraced and uninsured drivers payout scheme has been suggested as one way survivors of institutional child sexual abuse could be compensated.
Ecclesiastical faces fresh allegations of unethical treatment as case of ‘suicide watch’ claimant comes to light
Exclusive: Ecclesiastical’s CEO Mark Hews is being called upon to ‘put his house in order’ after experts have been left shocked and appalled at the ‘unethical’ practice of desktopping an abuse victim on suicide watch labelling it ‘shameful’ and ‘very…
Aviva's Colm Holmes warns distracted driving is causing claims inflation
Aviva general insurance CEO Colm Holmes has said that claims inflation is far exceeding expectations, pinning the blame on poor driving.
Decisions on ADR and children still to be made by MOJ before whiplash portal's April launch
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau is waiting on a number of government decisions in order to meet the slated 6 April launch date for its whiplash portal.
MIB chases agreements with France, Poland and Romania as it builds Brexit contingencies
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau is continuing efforts to secure agreements with France, Poland and Romania to preserve so-called ‘protection of visitors’ rules that would otherwise fall away if the UK is unable to strike a deal with the European Union by 31…
Hastings sees claims costs jump in Q4
Rising claims costs in quarter four are expected to put a slight dent in Hastings’ 2019 dividend payout.
Government to plough on with Thomas Cook Compensation Bill
The government has outlined plans for a capped compensation scheme for Thomas Cook customers suffering “the most serious hardship” from injuries or illness.
Insurance Monitor: Reflections on the 2019 general election
In the first of a regular column, David Worsfold reflects on the fall out of the conclusive Conservative Party victory in the 2019 general election.
Government still missing the point on child compensation whiplash qualms, campaigners say
The Ministry of Justice continues to face criticism for "missing the point" in its response to allegations of a “loophole” in whiplash legislation that affects children and vulnerable road users.
Blog: The opportunity for legal expenses insurance in a post-reform world
The Civil Liability Act has created some unintended circumstances and Minster Law's CEO Shirley Woolham asks how legal expenses insurance can help in the post-reform world.