Personal injury (PI)
Claims Club: SRA to conduct a thematic review following IFT’s call for tougher action on CMCs
The Solicitors Regulatory Authority will conduct a review into the issues and concerns raised by the Insurance Fraud Taskforce Report earlier in the year.
Slater & Gordon says UK redundancies likely after 155% profit crash and £448m goodwill write down
Slater & Gordon has said there will “likely” be redundancies and office closures following a review of its UK operations and a goodwill write down of A$876.4m (£448.4m).
Insurers back Axa's call for consistent injury awards in Ireland amid 30% motor premium increases
Insurers in Ireland are backing a call by Axa for more consistent personal injury awards amid concerns the body established to handle personal injury claims and compensation in 2004 has lost its way.
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.
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.
ABI blames tax hike and CMCs for 8% rise in motor rates
The rise in insurance premium tax along with the activities of certain claims management companies have been blamed for an 8% uptick in the average private car comprehensive motor premium over the course of 2015.
NAHL says taskforce report no threat to short-term performance
National Accident Helpline generated reduced revenue in the second half of 2015, according to a trading update from NAHL Group which expects to report that revenues are up 15.7% for the year ended 31 December 2015.
High Court PI claims at a five year high, law firm finds
The number of personal injury claims at the High Court has reached its highest level in five years, according to figures obtained by law firm Nockolds.
Uncertainty around high risk corporate travel destinations may impact coverage
Countries that constitute 'high-risk destinations' are becoming a grey area for companies wanting to protect their employees during overseas corporate assignments, as terror incidents lead to demand for comprehensive multinational programmes.
Supersonic Cars: The need for speed
Ask a meerkat or a moustachioed opera singer for a quote for a supersonic car and you would be met with bewilderment and a rapid search for the exit door. Yet it is not as unusual a question as you might think.
Thompsons responds to insurer meeting on fraudulent solicitors
Claimant firm Thompsons Solicitors has accused insurers of "talking up a crisis" to suit their own agenda in relation to the amount of personal injury fraud reported by the industry.
Claims Club: Mediators told to emphasise service to claims professionals
Mediation practitioners must shoulder some of the blame as to why insurance claims managers have not made greater use of their services, according to Expedite Resolution director and mediator Phil Hesketh.
North of the Border: When is a victim not a victim?
Harrowing case clarifies law around nervous shock and who counts as a secondary victim
RSA transfers home and injury adjusting team to Cunningham Lindsey
More than 120 RSA home and injury loss adjusters are to transfer to Cunningham Lindsey from 31 December.
Travel: Winter Sports: Prang on the piste
Snowflakes have barely started falling in the Alps but already the media is asking how well our travel insurance policies will protect holidaymakers if their trip is hit by cancellation or calamity
Foil calls for mesothelioma portal to be introduced
The Forum of Insurance Lawyers has called for the launch of a new portal to handle mesothelioma claims which would offer fixed costs to the victim's lawyer if a defendant or insurer admits liability within 30 days.
Fraudulent claimants ordered to pay £3000 to innocent driver
Claimants seeking personal injury damages have been found fundamentally dishonest and ordered to pay £3000 in exemplary damages to a driver who collided with them.
Blog: Don't let your clients get burned this Bonfire Night
On Guy Fawkes Night this evening, fireworks and bonfires will bring the family together, creating an enjoyable atmosphere for children and adults alike. However, there is one other thing we need to remember, remember this 5th of November, and that's to…
Legal Update: Shaking up cost control
Few would argue that post-claim legal costs management grabs the headlines in the same way as other areas of general insurance claims work. Perhaps one explanation for this is the 2013 reforms, vaunted as the ‘silver bullet' for managing legal costs in…
Claimant firms' profits forecast a 'sign of market consolidation'
The CEO of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers, Laurence Besemer, believes the results of a survey showing that personal injury firms expect to deliver more profits in the coming year is merely a sign of "more market consolidation".
North of the Border: Time for an update
The long-awaited changes to the Scottish civil court system have finally taken effect.
Serious injury guide potential precursor for future claimant and defendant engagement
The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers is hopeful partnering with insurers on its serious injury guide will pave the way for future positive collaboration between the historically opposing claimant and defendant sides of the industry.
Motor claims: What's driving motor claims?
Despite a range of unprecedented reforms and the industry’s own determination to fight motor claims fraud, numbers appear to be on the rise. What are the factors that could be influencing this alarming statistic?
Legal Update: Turning the Tables
The Ogden Tables are not the only way to calculate future loss of earnings, says David Williams