Insurers, solicitors and Lloyd's syndicates are being urged to consider putting an injured person through rehabilitation.
In October 1999, the International Underwriting Association (IUA), in conjunction with the Association of British Insurers (ABI), published the second UK Bodily Injury Awards Study.
The study showed the quicker rehabilitation was made available to an injured person following an accident, the better their recovery and the greater the likelihood of them returning to a normal lifestyle.
Norman Cottington, president of the Bodily Injury Claims Management Association (Bicma), is now drawing up a list of companies that agree to the principle of the code. Firms that promise to apply rehabilitation wherever possible will have their contact details posted on the internet in June.
Cottington, who is also an active member of the IUA-ABI rehabilitation working party and was responsible for the guide to rehabilitation which appeared in the report, has spoken to individual companies such as Norwich Union, Axa, Allianz Cornhill and Zurich. They have all signified their agreement.
Last month, he wrote to members of the Lloyd's Motor Underwriting Association and ten of the 12 motor syndicates signed up, including Summit, Wren, Eclipse, Chaucer and Crowe.
In the past fortnight, Cottington contacted the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers' 4,900 members and the Forum of Insurance Lawyers. He has also asked the Motor Accident and Solicitors' Society to include his letter in their next newsletter and has plans to target ABI members.
“Bicma believes that any individual insurer or solicitor wanting to look at rehabilitation for a claimant will find it much easier if he can refer to a register and find someone else receptive to this approach,” said Cottington.
“We are delighted at the response so far, but it is also surprising that a number of people who have contacted us have not previously heard of the rehabilitation code.”
