Legal
Swinton appoints Carpenters Law as claims handler
Swinton has appointed Carpenters Law as its claims handling partner, replacing Slater & Gordon.
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…
High Court dismissal of Stoke City assault case 'good news' for insurers
A High Court judge’s decision to dismiss allegations relating to a historical assault case involving former Stoke City Football Club goalkeeper Peter Fox and apprentices at the club should be welcomed by insurers, according to law firm Hill Dickinson.
Axa awarded £10k in costs after successful 'crash for cash' case
An attempted claim for personal injury damages following a staged accident has seen £10,000 and an eight month sentence awarded against a claimant.
Legal Update: The complexities of abuse
Andrew Caplan looks at the ever-widening scope and depth of abuse claims.
North of the Border: Time for an update
The long-awaited changes to the Scottish civil court system have finally taken effect.
Legal Update: Chasing their losses
Insurers must recover the billions they lost in the interest rate fixing scandal, says Edward Swan
Admiral dismisses data-selling claims as ABS's report £6.2m profit
Admiral has rebuffed claims its in-house legal divisions were set-up to circumvent the 2013 referral fee ban as its two alternative business structures reported joint pre-tax profits of £6.2m in 2014.
Claimant firms predicting profits in next 12 months, survey finds
Nearly half of claimant personal injury and clinical negligence law firms are expecting their turnover and profit to increase over the next year as they remain confident about the appeal of smaller firms to consumers, according to research published by…
Legal Update: What the Jackson reforms have - and haven't - changed
The Jackson report in December 2009 promised an interlocking package of reforms designed to control civil litigation costs and promote access to justice. They were implemented largely through the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act in…
Ghost broker jailed for three years
A Barking man has been jailed for three years for selling fake motor insurance policies to criminals.
Insurance fraudsters operating cross-sector, research finds
Fraud data from other sectors can help insurers identify and tackle policy application and claims fraud, reducing the financial impact of insurance fraud on the industry and genuine customers, according to a new report from Cifas and Hill Dickinson,…
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.
Aviva questions guidelines calling for 5% uptick in whiplash damages
Aviva has expressed disappointment at the Judicial College’s decision to advise in its 2015 guidance that the damages for lower value whiplash claims should rise by at least 5%.
Legal update: Beware the IPT trap
The November IPT hike might push businesses toward underinsurance, fears Helen Devery
In Series: Liability and Collaboration: Bridging the gap
With panel sizes reducing and the market getting more competitive, how can law firms demonstrate they can work with both the mass market players and niche market specialists?
Lawyers and insurers unite on catastrophic injury claims code
Insurers and law firms have joined forces to produce a guide to help speed up the handling of catastrophic injury claims valued at more than £250,000.
Legal Update: Scottish Court of Appeal re-affirms law on secondary victims
The Scottish Court of Appeal has recently reaffirmed the law on secondary victims by ruling that damages can be claimed only when an illness is the result of the direct perception of a distressing event.
QBE's private prosecution sees fraudster jailed
A fraudster has been given a 12 month custodial sentence as a result of a private prosecution launched by QBE.
Blog: Insurers and the late payment of claims provisions of the Enterprise Bill
The Enterprise Bill 2015 provisions on late payment of claims have caused some disquiet within the insurance industry, although they should merely reinforce good practice.
Trade Voice: Taking cover is a must
Compulsory public liability insurance will improve safety standards while helping protect companies.
Quindell will 'vigorously defend' claimant lawsuit
A claimant group has written to Quindell informing the embattled outsourcing company it intends to sue it for up to £9m before costs.
Virtual Trials: Court on camera
Could civil disputes really be settled online?
Legal Update: Turning the Tables
The Ogden Tables are not the only way to calculate future loss of earnings, says David Williams