Whose side are insurers on?
Posted: February 19, 2013
Posted in: Whiplash Injuries
The Law Society has reacted robustly to a campaign by Aviva Insurance, which proposes to prevent consumers from seeking legal advice when pursuing a whiplash claim.
Law Society president Lucy Scott-Moncrieff said:
“Who do you trust to give you a fair deal? A lawyer working for you, or an insurer working for the person or company in the wrong, whose main interest is minimising what they pay you?
“Would you seriously trust the other side’s insurer to give you a fair deal?”
Having consulted with its membership, the Law Society is preparing to respond to the government consultation on arrangements concerns whiplash injuries in England and Wales. It will argue that any increase in the small claims limit is inappropriate, but that should the government deem an increase to be required that it should be restricted to an inflation increase.
Lucy Scott-Moncrieff added:
“Some in the insurance industry already go directly to victims of accidents immediately after the accident to get them to sign away their rights for a cheque that is unlikely to have any relationship to what they’re really entitled to. Today’s proposal seeks to take that a step further.
“You need someone independent to make sure that you get what the law entitles you to have. It appears that Aviva want to strip us all of our rights so they can make more profits.”
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