Modern Insurance Magazine Issue 66

ASSOCIATIONS ASSEMBLE
Sue Brown
Title: Chair
Association: Motor Accident Solicitors Society
(MASS)
Uninsured Drivers: A
Collective Response
No-one will have been surprised when a
survey published by Trakm8 in November
2023 claimed that one in four UK drivers are
struggling to afford car insurance. With 40% to
60% increases, depending on which index to
go by, the unprecedented rise has undoubtedly
caused financial hardship to many motorists
juggling already precarious personal finances.
This is also likely to have had an impact on the number
of uninsured drivers. In 2020, the Motor Insurers’
Bureau (MIB) estimated that there were 130,000
uninsured drivers in the UK, although some estimates
have quoted up to 1 million. Some 76,500 people were
sentenced for driving without insurance in 2022, and
40,150 were convicted of keeping a vehicle without
valid insurance. The two millionth vehicle was seized in
2020 for uninsured driving.
Whilst it may take some time to feed through into
official figures and estimates, it would be very
surprising if the record increases in premiums are not
leading to more drivers than ever on our roads without
insurance. This would be a matter of huge concern
across the sector, and given that premiums are not
going to fall, the problem may yet get worse. It is
incumbent upon all interested parties to work together
to address this issue.
Firstly, we need to better understand the problem.
Recent estimates are hard to come by, and there is
little publicity to raise awareness of the dangers and
illegality of driving without insurance. Secondly, are
we doing enough to deter people driving without
insurance? Are the penalties high enough? And finally,
how can we best generate a revitalised collective
response from across the sector, involving insurers, the
police, the Department of Transport, the DVLA, and
both defendant and claimant solicitors? This is a serious
problem for us all, and it deserves the best collective
response that we can achieve.
Dr Mike Matthew BennerConnell
Title: Director Chief Executive of Policy and Public Affairs
Association: Chartered Association Insurance of Personal Institute Injury (CII)
Lawyers (APIL)
An Essential Part of
a PI Lawyer’s Toolkit
For injured victims of negligence, their
priority is always to get back to how they
were before they were injured, so far as
possible. APIL considers helping an injured
person to cope with life post-injury as
a critically important part of the claims
process.
APIL’s Best Practice Guide on Rehabilitation has had
a review, redesign, and relaunch. It aims to support
members in dealing effectively with the rehabilitation
of injured people, while securing full and prompt
compensation for them at the same time. The needs
of the injured individual and their families are at the
forefront.
The key theme is collaboration. Early collaboration
between insurers and claimant representatives could
not be more critical, as it helps injured people to be
able to start their rehabilitation sooner rather than
later. For example, claimant lawyers can communicate
rehabilitation needs to the insurer before liability has
been established. In some cases, insurers may provide
the initial funds for rehabilitation, the payment of which
will be taken into consideration at final settlement of the
claim.
The Guide advises on how to negotiate this in line with
the Rehabilitation Code, which is the framework devised
by both claimants and insurers. The Guide is an exclusive
benefit for APIL members, helping them to apply the
Rehabilitation Code and offering practical advice about
how it could be implemented. It also includes some
examples of how processes could work in different
cases.
A significant update in the relaunched Guide can be
found in a wealth of information around selecting the
right case manager, and in which cases. It is also more
accessible and easier to navigate than previous versions.
APIL is proud of the positive impact the Guide can have
on the lives of APIL members’ clients. The relaunched
Best Practice Guide on Rehabilitation is an essential part
of any good claimant representative’s toolkit.
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