Aviva have conducted a survey of 2,000 drivers last December, of which 338 had made a personal injury claim. Aviva has said that there has been an increase of £118 to every motorists car insurance bill, as a direct result of the rise in personal injury claims especially whiplash claims.
Aviva has prepared a report ‘ Road to Reform: Reducing Motor Premiums by Reforming the
Personal Injury Claims Process’. In the report they are calling for it to be made a legal requirement that all claimants must contact the ‘at fault’ parties insurance company first before instructing a personal injury solicitor to pursue a personal injury claim.
The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) said the proposed changes would leave victims vulnerable. A spokesman said: "Putting the injured person entirely in the hands of the guilty party’s insurer would create a profound conflict of interest, and leave the victim in an incredibly vulnerable position. Independent advice is key to preventing such a conflict and ensuring a fair outcome for the injured person."
We at
Clearwater Solicitors believe that the claimant will be unfairly disadvantaged, as the third party insurers will seek to under settle the majority of compensation claims, in order to increase their profits. Most importantly it will lead to a blatant conflict of interest, as the claimant’s interests will not be best represented.
Our Head of Litigation states “All insurance companies primary duty is to their shareholders which means they will do whatever they can to decrease their expenditure and increase profit. We can only hope the government sees through this smokescreen and realise the real reason for the increase in whiplash claims is insurance companies selling details of their injured policyholders to third parties.”
If you have been injured as a result of any accident which was not your fault and are looking for a solicitor please contact us on 0800 430 430.
