Legal
L&G warns of increase in burglaries
Legal & General (L&G) has queried the findings of the British Crime Survey which reported a 14% increase in burglaries in England and Wales but found “no evidence” that the recession is having an impact on overall crime figures.
Flaxman appointed to CEDR commercial mediation service panel
Roger Flaxman has been appointed as a member at the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution’s (CEDR) commercial mediation service, CEDR Solve, as one of 18 insurance specialists on the 120-strong panel.
Slow down in car insurance price rises
The average price of a comprehensive car insurance policy rose by 2.7% in the second quarter of 2011, according to the Confused.com and Towers Watson Car Insurance Price Index.
SRA says ARP is working
Despite criticism from the insurance industry, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has said its new enforcement measures for the Assigned Risks Pool (ARP), have started to show signs of success.
Lack of resources could hinder Bribery Act
As the 2010 Bribery Act comes into force on the 1 July, anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International UK has warned that its enforcement could be undermined by a lack of resource.
Solicitor responds to Jack Straw on referral fees
Des Collins, senior partner of Collins Solicitors, has welcomed Jack Straw’s comments on the need to clamp down on claims management companies and ban referral fees.
Jack Straw attacks referral fee system
Former Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw MP, has called for referral fees to be banned in an article published in The Times.
Government says yes to referral fees
As part of its new Justice Bill, unveiled today, the government has confirmed its intention to spare referral fees.
Appeal decision good news for surveyors
The Court of Appeal has unanimously agreed that surveyors did not owe a duty of care to a buy-to-let investor in the case of Scullion v Bank of Scotland Plc (t/a Colleys).
Elite declines to enter solicitors’ PI market
Elite Insurance, has decided against entering the solicitors’ professional indemnity (PI) insurance market this year reversing initial suggestions it would.
Legal experts criticise PRA announcement
The legal sector has roundly criticised the contents of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and Bank of England’s joint paper describing it as worrying and raising more questions than answers.
Sean Quinn to play starring role in family's High Court drama
Failed insurance tycoon Sean Quinn is set to be included as a defendant in a major High Court battle between his family and Anglo Irish Bank, according to the Irish Independent.
Independent 10 years on - the broker response
Ahead of the tenth anniversary of Independent Insurance going bust Insurance Age has canvassed opinion in the broker market asking what impact it had and whether the industry has learnt any lessons.
Ink boosts PI team ahead of solicitors’ renewal season
Ink Insurance has appointed two lead underwriters from St Mary Underwriting as it looks to expand in the solicitors’ professional indemnity (PI) market.
More judicial reviews but no certainty of success, says RPC
There will be more judicial reviews following the decision by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to increase the top limit of awards by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) however recent events mean the regulators will be “emboldened” in defending…
Judicial reviews will rise after FOS award change, warns law firm
The announcement by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) that the Financial Ombudsman Service's (FOS) maximum binding award is to be increased to £150,000 will lead to an increase in judicial reviews according to lawyers at Browne Jacobson.
Personal injury costs to approach £10bn, report says
Costs faced by the personal injury insurance industry are likely to rise from £8.4bn in 2010 to £9.7bn by 2014 driven by the growth in the number of motor personal injury claims according to a report by Datamonitor.
Quinn family to take Anglo Irish Bank to court
Sean Quinn’s family has lodged an Irish High Court action seeking damages against Anglo Irish Bank over alleged negligence, breach of duty and intentional and/or negligent infliction of economic damage.
FSCS pledges to target insurers in the wake of High Court PPI ruling
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme’s (FSCS) confirmation that it will pursue recoveries from insurers involved in the mis-selling of payment protection insurance (PPI) has triggered debate over where the responsibility for the whole debacle…
FSA fines set to treble, brokers warned
Two new regulators formed from splitting the FSA could compete to set the highest fines
Power hour: legally speaking
Our experts debate the issues facing legal expenses insurance, from the implications of the Jackson Review to referral fees and broker understanding of the market. Liz McMahon reports
Government under fire over before the event myth
Legal expenses insurers (LEI) have slammed the government for creating the myth that before the event (BTE) legal protection can fill the gap left by the changes which will result from Lord Justice Jackson’s recommendations.
ABI demand to ban referral fees may prove to be futile
The Association of British Insurers may have wasted energy in its attempts to ban referral fees as new legislation on the horizon could see these fees “self regulate” without the need for any kind of mandate.
FOS rules that volcano claim comes under 'poor weather conditions'
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has refused to refer a travel insurance dispute on whether last year's volcanic ash cloud was the result of "poor weather conditions" to the court as a test case.