Personal injury victims will be disadvantaged by insurers' proposal to increase the small claims limit, according to a report by the Law Society.
Four-fifths of respondents expressed disquiet at relying on insurers for fair compensation without the aid of a lawyer. And three-quarters were uneasy about the prospect of having to bring a claim themselves.
Desmond Hudson, Law Society chief executive, said. "With most people not trusting insurers to deal with them fairly without the help of a solicitor any increase to the small claims limit could leave most victims at the mercy of big insurers.
"This survey reveals that insurers, whether rightly or wrongly, are not trusted and access to independent legal advice is essential. Our new proposals for reforming the claims process would make it efficient while preserving the consumers' right to independent legal advice - making it fast and fair.”
