Referral fees
Postbox: Mediation is a viable alternative
The various debates surrounding the future of referral fees and the resulting impact on the costs of insurance — 'TSC re-opens premiums inquiry as referral fee furore escalates' and 'Referral fees a 'red-herring', claims CSC' - overshadow the fact that…
AI Claims on track to hit profit forecast despite downturn in accidents
AI Claims has reported that its trading profit in the financial year is in line with market expectations.
The claimant's view: referral fee reality check
In last week's Post, Laurent Matras proposed banning all forms of referral fees paid by lawyers and to replace them with a non-profit making organisation to centralise and allocate demand to supply.
News analysis - RTA scheme extention: Statistically speaking
With the MoJ consultation on extending the RTA personal injury scheme now closed, Lynn Rouse asks how an evidential basis can be put forward with no sign of statistics on success to date.
Zurich adds referral fee clause
Zurich has added a clause to its terms of business arrangement that requires all personal lines brokers to reveal details of referral fee income involving its customers.
Volkswagen launches accident management product
Volkswagen Insurance Service, the insurance arm of Volkswagen Financial Services, has launched an accident management product.
Insurance Age blog: Where did the culture of compensation come from?
When Axa came out and sang from the roof tops about its decision to ban referral fees, it labelled the move "a first step in a journey to reform the emerging compensation culture which it claimed was spiralling out of control".
Co-operative calls for tougher stance on false claims
The Co-operative Group is calling for tougher penalties for firms that encourage false personal injury claims and cold-call potential claimants via email, text or phone.
Cameron “sympathetic” to referral fee ban
Speaking during Prime Minister’s question time yesterday David Cameron said that he is “very sympathetic” to a referral fee ban.
Referral fees: End of the affair?
Despite recent calls for a ban on referral fees, the government must weigh up the wider considerations and consequences of its actions, explains Leigh Jackson.
Interview - Tom Woolgrove & Steve Maddock: Delivering the hard numbers
RBSI's Tom Woolgrove and Steve Maddock are faced with the daunting task of turning the business around ready for a flotation or sale, and they are already seeing some encouraging results, reports Lynn Rouse.
Guest comment - Referral fees: Take off the blinkers
The banning of referral fees should just be the beginning of a wider overhaul of the civil litigation system, argues Groupama managing director Laurent Matras.
Government insists it will not make "knee jerk" referral fee ban decision
The Government has insisted that while sympathetic to a ban on referral fees, it will not introduce one as a knee jerk reaction.
TSC re-opens premiums inquiry as referral fee furore escalates
The chair of the Transport Select Committee has told Post that motor insurers will be called back to parliament for further questioning following her decision to re-open its inquiry into the rising cost of motor insurance.
Affinity: 'Sticky' challenge faced by affinity in bid to boost business
Insurers must "tap into partner loyalty" within affinity arrangements if they are to stay one step ahead of mounting outside pressures, according to Ageas' partnerships director Ian Wardle.
Referral fees a 'red herring' claims CSC
The Claims Standards Council has warned the insurance market that abolishing referral fees is a "red herring" that will only send motor insurance premiums "through the roof", due to the loss of their ancillary income stream.
Moody's: Insurers to follow Axa lead on referral fees
Axa UK’s announcement that it will no longer accept referral fees from personal injury lawyers is likely to put pressure on the insurer’s general insurance rivals to follow suit.
‘Dirty secret’ comes as no surprise to legal expenses group
The Legal Expenses Group has welcomed Jack Straw’s investigation into referral fees.
Keoghs boss: motor claims costs to rise under reforms
The Ministry of Justice should "refocus on cost" if Lord Justice Jackson's reforms are to deliver lower premiums for customers. Steve Thomas, director of market affairs at law firm Keoghs, has warned the government consultation that started in August…
Editor's comment: Referral fees witch hunt
Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later: public outrage at referral fees and the "gobsmacking" practice of insurers making money from passing on details of claimants to personal injury solicitors. Few, however, would have put money on it emanating…
Axa ready for referrals ‘hurt’
Axa UK’s decision to stop accepting referral fees will “hurt” it in the short term and lose it several millions of pounds in income, but it is looking to the “longer-term prize” of getting bodily injury claims under control, according to personal lines…
Axa ready for referrals ‘hurt’ - Insurance News Now – 30 June 2011
Post news editor Mairi MacDonald outlines this week's major general insurance stories including the response of Axa personal lines boss Steve Hardy, on the insurer’s decision to stop accepting referral fess from personal injury lawyers.
Axa bans referral fees
Axa said that it will no longer accept referral fees from personal injury lawyers and has called for whiplash injury reform to eliminate fraud within the industry.
ICO to investigate Jack Straw’s claims
A spokesman for the Information Commissioner’s office has confirmed that it is launching an investigation into claims from Mr Straw that motor insurers who sell clients' details to personal injury lawyers are breaking the law.