Unity is needed in personal injury claims initiative. All stakeholders in the personal injury claims process should welcome the seismic shift in attitudes we are now seeing.
Since InterResolve launched its bodily injury claims scheme, offering early pre-lawyer capture, rehab and a low cost, independent settlement process outside the present system, we have had interest and positive responses from insurers, lawyers, government and ABI alike.
The news that Royal & SunAlliance (R&SA) is to pilot a scheme focused on capturing injury claimants pre-lawyer (News, 6 April) is further evidence that insurers are recognising the need to embrace the change. However, the insurance industry must avoid a partisan approach.
Individual insurer schemes are fine, but they will not help to tackle the real issues - namely an existing legal system which carries huge unnecessary cost with claims farmers increasing costs even further.
A cross-industry approach will achieve change far more effectively. The way forward is collaboration and not individual solutions. What's needed is something that all insurers with a common interest, whatever size, can operate as a single non-court process and share the benefits.
Peter Ashdown-Barr
Chief executive
InterResolve
