Whiplash
Insurance reflects on two years of the OIC portal
Today marks two years since the Official Injury Claims portal was launched. Industry experts react to the progress the portal has seen, teething troubles it has overcome, and what is still in need of work.
RSA’s personal motor withdrawal was More Than inevitable
Content Director's View: Jonathan Swift reflects on RSA's withdrawal from personal motor and concludes it had been coming for a few years now.
WTW partners with Sapiens; Zurich expands regional network; Pen UW creates head of IP
Friday Round Up: Insurance Post wraps up the major insurance deals, launches, investments and strategic moves of the week.
‘Major reset’ expected in motor personal injury two years on from whiplash reforms
Minster Law CEO Shirley Woolham said following a complex year that saw industry come out of a pandemic and continue to deal with the aftermath of whiplash reforms, the personal injury motor market is transforming into a different landscape.
Q&A: Nicola Critchley, Foil
Nicola Critchley, partner at DWF, and president of Foil since November 2022, catches up with Insurance Post to discuss what she hopes to achieve during her time as president, what is on the agenda for 2023, and how the body will support member firms and…
OIC’s Martin Saunders reflects on the portal’s journey to success for claimants
Following recent feedback that the portal is not operating correctly, Martin Saunders, head of service for Official Injury Claim addresses some of the more recent media inaccuracies and sheds light on why the portal is a successful route to justice for…
Insurers to appeal against mixed injuries whiplash judgment
The Association of British insurers has confirmed that insurers are looking to appeal against the mixed injuries whiplash judgment handed down at the Court of Appeal in January.
Trade Voice: Mass’s Sue Brown on why the OIC portal has been a resounding failure
Sue Brown, chair of the Motor Accident Solicitors Society, argues that the criteria by which the success of the Official Injury Claims portal has been judged have continually shifted and takes aim at what she sees as the MoJ’s latest excuse.
Justice Committee launches inquiry into impact of whiplash reforms
The Justice Committee has today launched an inquiry into how whiplash injuries resulting from road traffic accidents are processed following reforms to the legal framework introduced in 2021.
‘Clarity’ for PI as Court of Appeal hands down judgment on mixed injuries
The Court of Appeal has handed down judgment in two mixed injury cases leapfrogged in November, providing some clarity on how mixed injuries should be handled. However, some are concerned it could lead to further litigation and an adverse impact on…
Fixed recoverable costs regime extension delayed
Fixed recoverable costs will not be extended until October next year in move welcomed by legal sector.
Data analysis: PI market continues to contract following whiplash reforms
Personal injury law firms are exiting the market at an alarming rate following whiplash reforms.
Court allows legal bodies to intervene in whiplash test cases
The Court of Appeal has given permission for the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and Motor Accident Solicitors Society to intervene in two test cases that are set to help establish levels of compensation to be awarded for mixed whiplash injuries.
Analysis: Could PI receive clearer guidance on mixed injuries before year-end?
While there are no official test cases to provide guidance on handling mixed injury claims, defendant and claimant lawyers could see some much-needed clarity before the end of the year as two claims are leapfrogged to Court of Appeal.
Unrepresented claimants continue to sit below 10% according to OIC
The fifth tranche of data from Official Injury Claim portal shows that unrepresented claimants still make up less than 10% of its users, while the time taken to settle claims increases yet again.
Mass renews call for early review into OIC tariff
The Motor Accident Solicitors Society has renewed its call for an early review of the tariff of damages for low-value road traffic accidents, as recommended by the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales.
Interview: John O’Roarke and Ronan McCann, HF (formerly Horwich Farrelly)
Having overseen a name change from Horwich Farrelly, CEO Ronan McCann and chairman John O’Roarke explain how the rebranded HF is shaping up for a future of diversification, M&A and staff ownership as it looks to become the Admiral of the legal sector.
Portal still needs bedding in, say MIB and Medco bosses as 115,000 claims await medical reports
With no apparent reason for delays in obtaining medical reports, Dominic Clayden, CEO of Motor Insurers’ Bureau and Martin Heskins, executive chair of Medco, suspect the portal needs more time to bed in.
Concerns grow for unrepresented claimants as trends appear in OIC figures
The fourth set of figures from the Official Injury Claims portal shows that the number of unrepresented claimants still make less than 10% of those using the portal, with the claimant sector concerned about ability of accident victims to get support they…
Mixed injuries working group aims to take a range of test cases to Court of Appeal ‘as quickly as possible’
As first instance judgments are starting to come through, Martin Saunders, Official Injury Claim’s portal head of service says the mixed injuries working group aims to take a range of test cases to Court of Appeal “as quickly as possible”.
Blame laid at the OIC portal for unexpected fall in PI motor claims since pandemic
Personal injury motor claims decreased despite more traffic since the pandemic, according to CRU figures, with blame being directed towards the government portal
Arbitration could shorten the whiplash portal’s 175 day wait for settlements to ‘three to 10 days’
An arbitration service has claimed OIC delays could be shortened from six months to “three to 10 days” if parties are no longer allowed to play games.
Blog: Housing disrepair paves the way to a perfect storm – are insurers ready?
With the recent whiplash reforms squeezing profit margins, Jared Mallinson, partner and head of counter fraud at Horwich Farrelly, considers whether the insurance industry is facing a new claims epidemic, with the social housing industry reporting a rise…
EY predicts motor NCR of 113.8% in 2022; Geo buys Lorega; Konsileo secures Series A funding; and ex-Fresh trio launch new broker
For the record: Post wraps up the major insurance deals, launches, investments and strategic moves of the week.