Personal injury claims account for the highest number of professional indemnity (PI) claims for solicitors over the past 12 months, according to the fifth annual Solicitors' Professional Indemnity Claims Report from Alexander Forbes Professions.

Personal injury cases account for 18% of claims since last renewal, a 7% increase on last year's figures, when personal injury was only the fourth largest cause of claims for solicitors.

Property is still a major concern for solicitors – 17% of claims were a result of commercial property business, while a further 17% of cases resulted from residential property issues.

Glenda West, director at Alexander Forbes Professions, said: "As expected, The Accident Group (TAG) and other claims farmers have had a resounding impact on claims faced by solicitors over the past few months.

"For the first time, [personal injury] has become the single leading cause of potential professional indemnity claims for solicitors in the UK.

"We are already seeing the impact of TAG on personal injury lawyers renewing their professional indemnity policies this year. As we get closer to renewal we expect more firms to notify potential claims due to their involvement with TAG and other claim management companies.

"It is anticipated that the gap will widen, pushing personal injury further into the lead as the highest cause of potential professional negligence claims against solicitors.”

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