Canoe man prosecutors recover £500,000 from wife – The Guardian

Posted February 15th, 2012 in assets recovery, Crown Prosecution Service, fraud, insurance, news by sally

“Prosecutors have recovered more than half a million pounds in assets from Anne Darwin, whose husband faked his own death in a sea canoeing accident so they could claim more than £600,000 in life insurance money.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th February 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

David Cameron to ‘end compensation culture’ for whiplash – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 14th, 2012 in compensation, insurance, news, personal injuries by sally

“David Cameron will today pledge to end Britain’s ‘damaging compensation culture’ by tightening the rules on false whiplash claims that are driving up the cost of car insurance.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 14th February 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Man jailed over police chase in stolen ambulance – The Guardian

Posted January 24th, 2012 in drunk in charge, insurance, news, sentencing, theft by sally

“A man who led police on a high-speed chase after stealing an ambulance response car to get home after a New Year’s Eve party has been jailed for nine months.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th January 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

No smoke without fire – New Square Chambers

Posted January 24th, 2012 in fire, housing, insurance, land registration, news by sally

“It is well known that on exchange of contracts for the purchase of land, title to the property vests in the buyer in equity, so that the buyer is immediately at risk if there is damage to the property. This can be a trap. If, for example, the property is damaged by fire between exchange and completion, the buyer is bound to complete without reduction in price: Poole v Adams (1864) 10 LT 287.”

Full story (PDF) see p. 2

New Square Chambers, January 2012

Source: www.newsquarechambers.co.uk

Direct Line and Churchill fined for file tampering – BBC News

Posted January 20th, 2012 in complaints, data protection, financial regulation, insurance, news by sally

“Insurance firms Direct Line and Churchill – both owned by RBS – have been fined £2.17m for tampering with customer complaint files before submitting them to the Financial Services Authority (FSA).”

Full story

BBC News, 18th January 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Recent Developments in RTA damages – Zenith Chambers

Posted January 18th, 2012 in accidents, contracts, insurance, news, road traffic by sally

“The latest development in the credit hire saga, this decision follows the attempts by defendant insurers to apply the Cancellation of Contracts made in a Consumer’s Home or Place of Work Regulations 2008 (“the 2008 Regulations”). In Chen Wei v Cambridge Power & Light Ltd the defendant successfully used the claimant’s breach of the 2008 Regulations to avoid payment of any hire charges. In this case the claimant sought to avoid the same conclusion by having the damages paid under a policy of insurance which was in place and pursuing the claim as a subrogated claim by the insurers.”

Full story (PDF)

Zenith Chambers, 17th January 2012

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

Insurance industry must take action to stop customers launching spurious legal claims, say MPs – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 16th, 2012 in insurance, news, personal injuries by sally

“The insurance industry must take action to stop customers launching spurious legal claims which are driving up the cost of premiums, a committee group of MPs has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 16th January 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Referral fees in spotlight as MPs slam cost of whiplash claims – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 12th, 2012 in fees, insurance, news, personal injuries by sally

“MPs today call for the bar to be raised if claimants are to receive compensation for whiplash injuries following motor accidents.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 12th January 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Coalition plans to kill off ‘health and safety monster’ with limits on lawyers’ fees – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 6th, 2012 in fees, health & safety, insurance, legal profession, news, personal injuries by sally

“David Cameron said the move would provide protection for employers facing claims over workplace accidents and help end a ‘culture of fear’ among businesses over health and safety. Insurance companies suggested the change could lead to reduced premiums for motorists by reducing the number of ‘friviolous’ damages claims arising from traffic accidents. Existing limits on legal fees in personal injury cases will now be extended to claims for up to £25,000, officials said. For the first time, caps on lawyers’ fees will also apply to claims brought against employers.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th January 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

No payout for victims of Nottingham’s August ‘riots’ – BBC News

Posted December 20th, 2011 in criminal damage, damages, insurance, news, police, violent disorder by sally

“Nottinghamshire Police Authority will not pay out for damage incurred during summer riots because of a definition in a piece of Victorian legislation.”

Full story

BBC News, 20th December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Insurance Contract Law: Post Contract Duties and other Issues – Law Commission

Posted December 20th, 2011 in consultations, contracts, insurance, Law Commission by sally

“Insurance Contract Law: Post Contract Duties and other Issues.”

Full consultation paper

Law Commission, 20th December 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk/lawcommission

Insurer fined £2.8m by FSA for sales standards – BBC News

Posted December 19th, 2011 in financial regulation, fines, insurance, news by sally

“An insurer has been fined £2.8m by the City watchdog for a ‘high-risk’ system of pay for its sales agents, among other faults.”

Full story

BBC News, 19th December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

 

PI lawyers risk conflict claims under ABS – Law Society Gazette

Posted December 16th, 2011 in conflict of interest, insurance, legal profession, news, personal injuries by sally

“The legal profession is unprepared for conflicts of interest in personal injury law that will occur from 2012, the Gazette has been told. Such conflicts could leave PI lawyers open to negligence claims and increase professional indemnity insurance premiums.”

Full story

Law Society Gazette, 15th December 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Female motorists face £900m hike in annual insurance premiums, Government says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 12th, 2011 in EC law, insurance, news, women by sally

“Women drivers in the UK will pay over £900 million more a year for motor insurance than they currently do as a result of ‘broadly negative’ changes to EU gender laws, the Government has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 12th December 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

In re Digital Satellite Warranty Cover Ltd and others – WLR Daily

Posted December 8th, 2011 in appeals, insurance, law reports, warranties by sally

In re Digital Satellite Warranty Cover Ltd and others: [2011] EWCA Civ 1413;  [2011] WLR (D)  352

“A contract for repair or replacement only in the event of breakdown or malfunction which did not oblige the insurer to indemnify the insured for costs which the insured himself incurred fell within paragraph (b) of class 16 Schedule I to the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001.”

WLR Daily, 29th November 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Ban on referral fees is looming but enforcement could prove tricky – The Guardian

Posted December 6th, 2011 in bills, enforcement, fees, insurance, news, personal injuries by sally

“There is a crucial get-out clause that means referral fees in personal injury claims may continue to be paid in disguise.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Berry v Star Autos Ltd and others – WLR Daily

Berry v Star Autos Ltd and others [2011] EWCA Civ 1304; [2011] WLR (D) 327

“On a claim to which there were two or more defendants the court had power to order an interim payment under CPR r 25.7(1)(e) if it were satisfied that at least one of the defendants against whom the application for interim payment was being made would be held liable and each of those defendants was insured; the fact that there might be another defendant who was not insured was immaterial.”

WLR Daily, 10th November 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Referral fee ban will hit PI claimants – says MoJ assessment – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 1st, 2011 in fees, insurance, law firms, news, personal injuries, reports by sally

“Personal injury claimants could suffer from a ban on referral fees while insurers and lawyers would incur no extra costs, according to the government department proposing the ban.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 31st October 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘Before the event’ legal insurers cannot refuse an insured’s solicitor solely because of rates, court says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 27th, 2011 in costs, fees, insurance, news by sally

“An insurer cannot refuse to pay fees for an insured’s choice of solicitor solely because the solicitor’s rates are higher than a limit stipulated by the insurers, a court has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 26th October 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Supreme Court Court backs asbestos compensation law – BBC News

Posted October 12th, 2011 in asbestos, compensation, health & safety, human rights, insurance, news by sally

“The UK Supreme Court has backed the right of people in Scotland to claim damages for the asbestos-related condition pleural plaques.”

Full story

BBC News, 12th October 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk