Legal
Penny Black’s Insurance Week - 17 April 2014
At Post’s Claims Club, Axa’s head of liability claims John Dacey said that anecdotally, insurers are witnessing a rise in claimants representing themselves.
North of the Border: Outdoor fall case dismissed
Judge finds occupier has no duty in Leonard v Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority.
Unrated insurers tighten grip on solicitors' PI market, states report
Unrated carriers have consolidated their market share within the solicitors’ professional indemnity arena, according to an annual study by the Law Society.
Hip replacement ruling 'should deter forum shopping'
Product liability insurers have received a boost after a judge ruled that non EU claimants have no right to sue manufacturers under the consumer protection act.
Legal update - Alan Bate v Aviva: Court of Appeal dismisses property case after failure to disclose business risk
Mark Aitken examines a case where a high net worth individual failed to give a fair presentation of risk.
Mass concerned at court fee proposals
The Motor Accident Solicitors Society is concerned at the increasing cost of court fees following the release of a Ministry of Justice report today announcing a sliding fee scale for monetary claims.
Clayden pledges claims overhaul after axing quarter of solicitor panel
QBE’s claims director Dominic Clayden has told Post he will overhaul the insurer’s claims handling after completing a review that saw QBE shrink its solicitor panel by a quarter.
Medical Devices: Ripple Effect
The shockwaves of the Poly Implant Prosthèse breast implants scandal are continuing to affect insurers and the regulation of medical devices
Europe: Wall V Mutelle
With the steady increase in cross-border movement that we have witnessed over time, insurers are facing more cases with jurisdictional issues than ever before, says Trethowans associate Bethany Blamire.
Calls for debate on scrapping of low value PI payouts branded 'cynical'
Law firm Simpson Millar has described suggestions emanating from the Association of British Insurers that cash payouts for low value personal injury claims should be scrapped as “very worrying”.
Government urged to introduce GDL 'without delay' by Scottish minister
Scottish transport minister Keith Brown has spoken out in favour of graduated driving licenses and called for the UK government to “take action without further delay”.
Legal Update - Duty of Care: Tree surgeon fall case dismissed in High Court in duty of care clarification
Nicholas Thorne examines a case that looked at the duty of care an occupier owes employees of contractors.
North of the Border: Fatal accident claim awards rise
In England, the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 allows the spouse of a deceased to recover a fixed amount, currently £12 980.
Personal injury lawyers disagree with MoJ stance on QOCS
Three quarters of personal injury law firms dispute the Ministry of Justice’s view that qualified one way costs shifting is an alternative to after the event insurance, according to a survey by law firm advisers O’Connors.
Mediation - Time for a Rethink?
How would you rate your last experience of mediation? Did both sides settle the dispute all smiles and within half a day? Or was the reality a little less rosy than that?
CMS report highlights surge in warranty and indemnity M&A activity
Warranty and indemnity insurance is becoming a prominent feature of mergers and acquisitions activity in Europe, according to a study conducted by international law firm CMS Cameron McKenna.
BLM joins forces with Scottish firm
Insurance law firm Berrymans Lace Mawer is joining forces with Scottish firm HBM Sayers in a deal expected to complete on 1 May.
Interview: Bill Paton: The other side of the telescope
When Bill Paton departed Zurich after three decades in general insurance, he took a short hop to law firm DAC Beachcroft to view life from the other side of the table.
Legal Update: Jurisdiction: Noteworthy arguments raised in pre-Rome II German road traffic accident case
Alistair Kinley details an ongoing case with ramifications for claims with foreign elements.
In Series: Data: Weeding out fraud
With organised fraud costing the insurance industry an estimated £392m a year, is increased use of data the key to winning the battle?
More self-insurance schemes likely after FCA add-ons report
The Financial Conduct Authority report released today on general insurance add-ons could see the establishment of alternative forms of self-insurance, according to EY.
Parabis looks to Mills & Reeve for insurance hires
Parabis Law has appointed three insurance law specialists from Mills & Reeve as partners.
Rajah & Tann hire 14 from Hunton & Williams in Bangkok
Singapore-based law firm Rajah & Tann has hired 14 lawyers from US-based law firm Hunton & Williams in Bangkok.
Contract law not main obstacle to single insurance market
Contract law is only one obstacle to cross-border insurance within the EU, among many more important ones, according Insurance Europe.