Edgar Hamilton Wellard, the Lloyd's guaranteeing broker, goes to court again this week in a further attempt to avoid being ditched by Highway Motor Policies, writes Andrew Pring.
Last Friday EHW won a week's injunction preventing Highway from interfering with EHW's brokers.
The injunction stated that Highway was not to provide any other Lloyd's broker with information about EHW's clients. As reported in Insurance Times, Highway had written to EHW's brokers saying it was cancelling its facilities with EHW from January 8 and directing them towards HSBC and Holman's.
While the injunction is in force, Highway must continue to take business through EHW as normal. But also last Friday, just before the injunction was granted, Highway cancelled its agencies with the 610 brokers that EHW guarantees for the leading private motor syndicate. It invited them to re-apply direct to Highway, which would put them in touch with EHW's two main rivals. This move is on hold, pending the court hearing.
EHW hopes to persuade the judiciary to uphold the temporary injunction and commit the case for trial.
In a letter to its brokers, EHW chairman Terry Wellard writes: "This is the thin end of the wedge, and although Highway at the moment are doing this to us, it can only be a matter of time before they do it to you."
A number of brokers dealing with EHW have contacted Insurance Times to complain at Highway's actions.
