Personal injury (PI)
ACSO calls for official review of OIC as Sir Christopher Bellamy steps into MOJ role
A claimant support organisation has urged Sir Christopher Bellamy to review fixed recoverable costs for civil cases as he replaces Lord Wolfson of Tredegar as parliamentary under secretary of state.
Analysis: One year on, is the whiplash portal working or heading for a crash?
With the Official Injury Claim portal celebrating its first birthday on 31 May, Post investigates how it has fared over the past 12 months.
OIC portal figures don't show true picture of reforms as driver behaviour has changed with Covid
As driver behaviour changed following the Covid pandemic, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions on the impact the whiplash reforms have had on the number of claims coming through the new system, a conference has heard.
MoJ defends the low proportion of unrepresented claimants using OIC portal
Speaking at the Association of British Insurers’ whiplash event, David Parkin, deputy director for civil justice and law policy at the Ministry of Justice, addressed the criticism that Official Injury Claims portal is not meeting its objectives as less…
Insurance-related nuisance calls and texts rose by 40% in 2021
After improving in 2020, insurance-related nuisance calls and messages rose by 40% in 2021, with Information Commissioner's Office receiving 3989 complaints.
Low motor accident claim levels raise concerns that 'injured people are not claiming'
A claimant organisation has raised concerns that the number of registered motor claims in the first quarter of 2022 remained at a pandemic level, despite road traffic mostly returning to normal.
Intelligence: Ireland is cautiously optimistic about its financial future
As Ireland emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic into a post-Brexit world, David Worsfold explains that after addressing past regulatory failures, and now looking to make personal injury reforms, the Irish insurance market is currently looking forward and…
Aviva told to pay £3.2m to artist but dementia claim fails
The High Court has found that Aviva must pay around 10% of the £33.6m originally sought by artist Manuel Mathieu in a personal injury case.
Fears OIC portal is not meeting objectives as unrepresented claimants make up less than 10% of users
Latest figures from the Ministry of Justice show that unrepresented claimants still make up less than 10% of those using the Official Injury Claim portal, as concerns grow that portal is not meeting objectives of being “consumer friendly”.
Blog: The curious incident of the dog and the bite crime
Rebecca Conway, chief legal officer at Arc Legal Assistance, reflects on the increase of pets in households in the UK during lockdown, and what route policyholders can pursue if they are bitten by a dog that has not been trained or socialised enough.
Insurance sector faces 'serious consequences' as Northern Ireland sets its discount rate at minus 1.5%
Industry experts have warned the insurance market could face "serious consequences" after the Northern Irish Government Actuary changed the personal injury discount rate to minus 1.5% from minus 1.75%.
Concerns persist around public understanding of self-driving vehicles
With different levels of autonomous technology available, insurers have warned that an Automated Vehicles Act must be clear on what self-driving cars can and cannot do and this must be communicated effectively.
Self-driving vehicle data sharing rules must be right from day one, insurers urge
Insurers have warned that any duty to disclose data in an Automated Vehicles Act must be right from "day one" to avoid lengthy litigation.
Industry 'cautiously optimistic' discount rate will be set before NI Assembly dissolves
The Northern Ireland government actuary department will have had less than two months to complete the review of the discount rate before the Assembly dissolves on 25 March, but industry watchers remain “cautiously optimistic” this is achievable.
MoJ publishes simplified claims portal user guide after previous guidance branded ‘off-putting’
The Ministry of Justice has published a five-step guide to using the Official Injury Claim portal after the previous 64-page long guidance was branded as “off-putting” and “complex” by critics.
Adapting alternative dispute resolution could save insurers £30m in 2022
The case for adapting alternative dispute resolution urgently needs to be revisited according to Stewart McCulloch, managing director at Claimspace, who believes this could save the industry 'tens of millions' in court cost as well as release the…
Allianz: cyber usurps BI as biggest risk; Direct Commercial gets PE investment; Ford and ADT reveal JV Canopy; and Tractable launches AI Property
For the record: Post wraps up the major insurance deals, launches and investments of the week.
Preview: What will 2022 bring for the insurance market?
Post spoke to market experts to get their predictions for what 2022 will look like.
Review of the Year 2021 – Claims and legal
Post spoke to loss adjusters and lawyers to get their thoughts on the highs and lows of 2021.
Podcast: What next for the OIC portal?
In the second of a two-part podcast series Insurance Post reflects on the initial Official Injury Claim data covering the period from 31 May to 31 August.
Podcast: Reflections on the initial OIC portal data
In the first of a two-part podcast series Insurance Post reflects on the initial Official Injury Claim data covering the first three-month period.
NI to change discount rate in New Year
Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister Naomi Long has welcomed the passing of a Bill that will change how the country’s personal injury discount rate is set.
Analysis: Astroworld - liability and legacy
The Astroworld tragedy could have a lasting impact on US legislation, experts have predicted, as a liability battle around the fatal event emerges.
Trade Voice: Apil's Neil McKinley on why a total ban on cold calling would be an easy win for the government
Neil McKinley, president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, argues that cold calls are far more than just a nuisance and that restrictions introduced in 2018 do not go far enough.