18/05/2018

ABI not impressed by Small Claims Track limit

Commenting on yesterday's Justice Select Committee report on the Small Claims Track (SCT) limit,James Dalton, director, general insurance policy, ABI, said, 'The conclusions in today's Justice Select Committee report on the Small Claims Track (SCT) limit read like a shopping list of asks from the claimant lawyers. If accepted, these recommendations would achieve absolutely nothing in terms of reducing the number and cost of whiplash-style claims, would allow lawyers to continue to line their pockets and honest motorists would continue to pay higher car insurance premiums as a result. In addition to every £1 paid in compensation to claimants, claimant lawyers get nearly 50p.

'Access to the justice system is important and the fact remains that under the Civil Liability Bill, compensation for whiplash claims will be fixed and a portal is being developed to facilitate access for people to make a claim with the support and guidance they need to do so.

'We remain confident that our data provides a reliable and transparent indication of the levels of claims fraud detected by insurers and we are happy to work with Government and other stakeholders on this issue'.