PI Brief Update

Insurers’ Proposals for Further Reform to the PI Sector - Ian Miller, 1 Chancery Lane

09/05/15. The Association of British Insurers' website recently set out its top 10 insurance and savings priorities for the next parliamentary session. The most striking of these for personal injury lawyers is the proposal for “Modernising the civil justice system to get compensation to claimants rather than lawyers.” The ABI fleshes this out by suggesting increasing the small claims track limit for PI claims, considering a reduction in the current 3-year limitation period and using fixed legal fees to address the rise in industrial deafness claims and ensuring people suffering from asbestos related conditions get compensation quicker.

Another of the ABI proposals which would also affect the PI sector is a proposal for “Cracking down on the behaviour of Claims Management Companies” by requiring them to comply with a more robust regulatory regime and stopping nuisance calls and texts.

Some consider that pressure from the insurance industry played an important role in bringing about some of the reforms which occurred in the last parliament. The themes in the proposals are familiar and are not new. Indeed the last government consulted on some of these matters. However the ABI clearly wants to keep these issues on the agenda and it will be interesting to see what pressure is exerted in the next parliament for further reforms which could have far reaching consequences for PI lawyers and litigants.

The whole list can be viewed on the ABI Website

Ian Miller
1 Chancery Lane

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