Personal injury (PI)
Helphire eyes new areas after restructure
Helphire is gearing up to enter a period of development, after completing a substantial restructuring of the business.
Interview - Patrick Snowball: Turning the light on at Suncorp
When Patrick Snowball headed to Brisbane to take the reins at Suncorp, many in the UK industry were surprised. Jonathan Swift finds out why he took this particular job offer and his plans for his tenure.
Environmental liability - under-insurance: Clean up your act
Environmental insurance is regularly purchased by companies looking to cover historical liabilities rather than their day-to-day operational risks. Tony Lennon examines the reasons behind this decision.
Esure names PI claims manager
Online insurer Esure has appointed John Miles to the newly-created role of UK PI claims manager in a bid to tackle the recent increase in third party personal injury motor claims.
Law report: Dual carriageway planting leaves council facing negligence charge
This law report has been contributed by national law firm Berrymans Lace Mawer.
North of the Border: animals acts: don't give a dog a bad name
As readers will be aware, north of the border, unlike in England the pre-action protocol for personal injury claims is entirely voluntary and has no statutory basis. Many insurers and claimants firms are signatories to the protocol and have found it…
AM Best commentary: Keeping the balls in the air
While hardly a vintage year for the general insurance sector, 2009 did see an overall improvement due to investment earnings - but, says Catherine Thomas this year is unlikely to match up.
Towers Watson: injury claims costs up 30%
The cost of injury claims in the UK car insurance market has grown recently by nearly 30% per annum according to Towers Watson.
Anti-Jackson campaign group launches
A group of charities, law firms and victim support groups have formed an alliance in opposition to Lord Justice Jackson’s proposals for civil litigation cost reform.
10 years ago: Industry tries to head off ATE litigation
Looking through Post's back catalogue paints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as this highlight from 10 years ago reveals.
The claimant's view: flaws in the system
A recent Adam Smith Institute briefing paper, Access to justice: balancing the risks, makes an important and welcome contribution to the debate on civil justice reform and the Jackson review — especially its analysis of the proposals as being …
Biba backs FSA over ERN database plans
The British Insurance Brokers' Association has backed Financial Services Authority proposals for an employers' liability insurance database, operated by the Employers Liability Tracing Office.
Start-up taps into insurer PI claim fears
A new legal process outsourcing firm is in trials with "a number" of insurers and brokers to capture third-party personal injury claims.
Service Certainty launches new MOJ reforms offering
Insurance consultants Service Certainty has launched a new service designed to help insurer’s combat fraud and meet timescales under Ministry of Justice reforms.
Collins Solicitors responds to Lord Young’s review
Des Collins, senior partner of Collins Solicitors, has responded to the predicted conclusion of Lord Young's review.
Elite joins consumer alliance
Legal expenses Elite Insurance has joined the Consumer Justice Alliance as one of seven founding members.
Mediation myth debunked by settlement successes
New figures prove that personal injury cases — often cited as the exception to the rule — can be successfully mediated. Statistics from specialist not-for-profit organisation Trust Mediation reveal that, out of 33 PI cases handled between January and…
New members strengthen advisory council
The prospect of problematic personal injury cases being resolved by mediation has been bolstered by the backing of two industry heavyweights. Representatives from insurer Aviva and personal injury solicitors Thompsons are among the latest to join Trust…
Staff productivity benchmarking needs close examination
External benchmarking of staff productivity can help claims managers persuade chief executives to recruit more staff — as well as resist calls for staff cuts.
Law report: Claimant's competence leads to dismissal of cognitive damage claim
This law report has been contributed by national law firm Berrymans Lace Mawer.
ABI backs Jackson's proposals
The Association of British Insurers has called for the findings of Lord Justice Jackson’s review of civil litigation costs to be implemented in full, as soon as possible.
CSC member firms fall foul of SMS crackdown
Two members of the Claims Standards Council have been forced out as a result of an investigation into the sending of unsolicited text messages.
Quantum drops appeal in 'positive' Court of Session ruling
Scottish consultancy firm Quantum Claims has dropped its plan to appeal against a recent Court of Session costs judgment, heralded as "positive news" for the insurance industry.
Legal update - legal expenses insurers: Freedom of choice?
Can legal expenses insurers still oblige policyholders to use their panel solicitors in light of a recent European Court of Justice decision and communications from the Financial Services Authority? Mark Lee seeks to unravel the complexity of the issue.