Referral fees
ABI welcomes vote on banning referral fees
The banning of referral fees will be debated in the House of Commons next week and provided the vote is successful, will be added to Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke has announced.
North West top for bodily injury claims
Research from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries has shown the North West of England to be the leading hot spot for private car insurance claims involving bodily injury.
Djanogly stripped of CMC powers
The justice minister, Jonathan Djanogly, has been stripped of his responsibility to regulate claims management companies after it was revealed he and his family could profit from changes to legal aid he was proposing.
Labour Party criticised for generating referral fees
The Daily Mail has reported that the Labour Party has received over £350,000 in donations from personal injury lawyers.
Claims experts defend firms against Straw’s “parasite” comments
Claims specialists have defended their offerings after Jack Straw branded claims management companies (CMCs) and credit hire companies as “parasites in the system”.
Straw slams CMC “parasites” and near criminal activity
Jack Straw MP has attacked claims management companies (CMCs) and credit hire firms as “parasites in the system” in his evidence to the Transport Select Committee’s investigation into the cost of motor insurance.
ABI warns Transport Select Committee
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has warned that “not for the first time” the Transport Select Committee risked “missing the point” about motor insurance as it re-opened its inquiry.
Survey finds 96% of young drivers feel priced off the road
Research by Young Marmalade has revealed that 96% of young drivers think they are being priced off the road because of high motor insurance premiums.
Personal injury lawyer welcomes referral fee ban
A personal injury solicitor has broken ranks with his peers to welcome Government moves to ban referral fees in insurance cases.
Video: reaction to referral fee ban at Expo South
At the inaugural Broker Expo South, Insurance Age spoke to attendees about their reaction to the proposed ban on referral fees.
Editor’s letter - October 2011
“The government, always keen to jump on a bandwagon, has taken up public concerns over soaring premiums”
Reportage: Do the right thing
Getting the level of payouts, customer service and the time taken to process a claim correctly is a tricky job, but the industry is starting to get the balance right, reports Edward Murray
Insurance Age blog: A month in insurance
I don't know anything about insurance. I don't have any insurance, and I've never knowingly read an insurance magazine in my life.
Medical experts challenge Straw to defend whiplash claim
A group of medical experts has claimed that Jack Straw MP’s comments made on 13 September in the House of Commons presented an unfair generalisation of the independent medical sector.
Referral fee ban could be catastrophic for brokers
Industry experts have warned that brokers reliant on an income stream from referral fees could find the government’s ban disastrous for their business.
Ban on referral fees is not the only answer says Biba
The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (Biba) has voiced strong concerns about the government's announcement of a ban on referral fees for the selling on of personal injury details.
Government to ban referral fees
The government has pledged to ban the use of referral fees as part of what it calls its commitment to curb compensation culture.
ABI calls for end to compensation culture
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has called for reform of Britain’s compensation culture laws claiming that UK consumers pay £2.7m a day to claimant lawyers through their motor insurance premiums.
Admiral's Engelhardt on Jack Straw and Confused.com
Henry Engelhardt, chief executive officer of Admiral, has welcomed Jack Straw’s intervention on referral fees but with certain crucial caveats.
Jack Straw to speak at Post claims event
Former Justice Secretary and outspoken critic of referral fees Jack Straw will address the annual Insurance Age’s sister title Post’s Claims Event on 12 October.
Ageas to be grilled by IIB over Toba changes
The Institute of Insurance Brokers (IIB) is to hold discussions with Ageas in response to member complaints over recent amendments the insurer has made to its terms of business agreements (Tobas).
Brokers will see more of new RSA chief
Adrian Brown has predicted that brokers will see more of Andy Haste’s successor than they see of the current chief executive.
McMillan wants clear water between Aviva and competition
Mr McMillan said he wanted to make it clear to brokers that the Aviva was absolutely open for business.