Calls grow to act now on reforming personal injury compensation

Politics.co.uk - 25 March 2008.

The ABI (Association of British Insurers) has today joined forces with the CBI and Citizens Advice to call for the Government to introduce its proposals for reforming personal injury compensation without delay. These will enable personal injury compensation to be paid more quickly to injured people.

In April 2007 the Government published proposals for a faster, fairer, more cost efficient compensation system. Implementing these proposals now would save 110 million days a year in delays dealing with personal injury claims following motor accidents alone.

Speaking at an ABI parliamentary reception today to launch Adding Insult to Injury: the need for reform of the personal injury compensation system, Stephen Haddrill, the ABI’s Director General, said:

“Our compensation system is failing many claimants. It is too slow, riddled with high legal costs and undervalues rehabilitation. Insurers want to pay compensation and arrange rehabilitation faster than the current system allows. Personal injury claims following a motor accident take on average two years to settle, with three years on average for workplace claims. This is unacceptable.

“The Government has grasped the need for reform. We look forward to implementation of their proposals without further delay. Every day without change is another day of unnecessary delay for claimants.”

The CBI said:

“The CBI will work in partnership with others to facilitate a system that is claimant-centred, fair, more streamlined, less adversarial and enables early rehabilitation so that claimants can receive speedy treatment and return to normal work and life as quickly as possible.”

James Sandbach, Citizens Advice, said:

“For many thousands of people who have experienced accident or injury through no fault of their own, often suffering disabling effects, the system is failing.”