Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry

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Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 27/6/2011 10:36:11 PM

Fluke Skywalker

Posts: 9540
Joined: 23/4/2006
From: the dark side of the sun

I don't know how many drivers there are here but the rise in premiums has been really fucking annoying, and it turns out insurance companies and even the police have been selling details of accidents to scumbag claims lawyers.

The deal is if you've had a prang and it wasn't your fault you sue the other guy for whiplash (an injury that doesn't show up on scans) and win thousands for yourself and the lawyers. The insurance companies sell the details for anything from 200 quid onwards and of course the rise in premiums benefits who?

It's about time someone spoke up about this scam - it's a total and utter disgrace. A simple fact highlights the problem - 8 million pounds a year is what whiplash injuries cost the NHS. Insurance claims for whiplash..... 2 BILLION

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/insurance/motorinsurance/8600877/Motor-insurance-racket-over-no-win-no-fee-lawyers-pushes-up-prices-says-Jack-Straw.html

Post #: 1

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 28/6/2011 1:39:01 PM

Chief Wiggum

Posts: 1921
Joined: 30/9/2005

jesus christ fluke, there's something we agree on!

the thing is that even though I have never been in a crash where it's been my fault (been rear ended a couple of times) I've always been the mope that has a look at the damage, and goes "nah, your alright" yet continually gets shafted by insurance premiums, despite having not claimed since passing my test and having passed from being a teenage male to a 30 year old, and having had a speeding offence cleared from my record and having gained an endorsement to drive with a trailer. I have yet to see a drop in my premiums.

I have seen various reasons for the rise - too many uninsured drivers, fraudulent crashes, personal injury etc. etc. and can't really see it changing anytime soon

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Post #: 2

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 28/6/2011 2:36:38 PM

sharkboy

Posts: 6031
Joined: 26/9/2005
From: Belfast

Have you ever had whiplash Fluke? If so, you'd realise the severity of the injury. I'm not denying for a second that there are a huge percentage of false claims for whiplash (I used to work in an office that processed claims and reckon in the time I was there, I probably witnessed less than a quarter of the scams that people pull!), but there are people with genuine injuries caused by this. Writing it off as "an injury that doesn't show up on scans" is belittling the pain and suffering it can cause. And while there seems to be quite a difference between the cost to the NHS and the cost for claims, you haven't factored in the cost to the economy through lost time at work or the personal cost to those genuine people who just try to live with the pain and get on with their lives.

Car insurance premiums are ridiculous (though if you think you've got it bad, just try getting insured in Northern Ireland!), but that's not entirely because of the number of fake claims. We're a lot more litigious than before and the constant bombardment of adverts from InjuryLawyersForYou and their ilk doesn't exactly help. The insurance companies selling on their clients' details to the same lawyers can only create a vicious circle here of increased litigation. Add to that the fact that courts have been getting more generous in their payouts and cars have been getting more expensive to repair and it soon becomes clear why claim payouts stand at �2billion.

Personally, if a company can make �200-1000 from selling my details, I'd like to see that reflected in the next quote I received, not be faced with a 30% bump in premiums!

Uninsured drivers or people driving vehicles that aren't roadworthy are the bigger problem. In fact, quite a percentage of your premium goes towards a fund to pay out in claims where the liable party wasn't insured. Here in Northern Ireland we're required by law to display an MOT disc on our windscreens to show that the car is roadworthy. How difficult would it be for the insurance companies to produce a similar disc that shows the period of insurance? It's by no means a solid solution, but at least that way it would be a bit easier to spot the uninsured.

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Post #: 3

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 28/6/2011 3:07:10 PM

elab49

Posts: 51584
Joined: 1/10/2005

Doesn't all this get flagged up now because it's automated? If you haven't registered the car as off the road and the MOT and/or insurance lapse - because they are now all on linked systems it's chased up? So even if you get a tax disc with a month or so to go you'll still get the call?

I agree on the whiplash but there does seem to be a discrepancy in costs - IMO that's partly the way the NHS deal/record with it though. I injured my back in a car crash - you get a few weeks of physio but if it shows no improvement they pretty much give up - until it's two years later and the injury has solidified and they need to start off again by cracking the scar tissue on your spine

But a lot of people simply have to end up dealing with that kind of non-scannable soft tissue injury with OTC methods like painkillers - so the NHS side would never match up and when the injury really hits it's not linked up to the original presentation.

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Post #: 4

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 28/6/2011 8:37:37 PM

Fluke Skywalker

Posts: 9540
Joined: 23/4/2006
From: the dark side of the sun

Yeah I wasn't belittling the severity of whiplash, just commenting on the use of this specific injury by claims lawyers because it's so difficult to disprove.

I think if referral fees are banned it's a serious blow against this kind of litigation - anyone with a serious case would look to take it further anyway so it wouldn't affect genuine people, just those who get a text/ phone call after the event effectively having a wad of cash waved in their faces to lie in court.

In terms of uninsured drivers adding to the problem, surely rocketing premiums are a contributory factor to more people driving illegally. I hope the coalition government take this very seriously indeed - it would strike a blow for the common law abiding citizen against yet another set of faceless bastards sucking every penny from the British consumer.

We also need to do something about the goddamn utility companies who are a massive drain on the disposable income of the average Briton - it's obvious that if people are getting caned by their energy bills that is billions less being spent on goods and services and hampering any recovery.

And Chief - I'm sure we agree on loads of things but we seem to just meet in foreign policy discussions!

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Post #: 5

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 28/6/2011 9:54:24 PM

Keyser Sozzled

Posts: 5933
Joined: 1/10/2006
From: Dublin

Sharky, it always amazes me that the UK has no requirement to display a valid Insurance disc, I think you might be one of the few jurisdictions that operate on that basis.

Also the fund you are talking about is the Guarantee fund operated by the Motor Insurers Bureau.

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RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 28/6/2011 9:59:41 PM

elab49

Posts: 51584
Joined: 1/10/2005

But you don't get a tax disc without valid insurance - and if it lapses without renewal it gets chased up. Would another bit of paper on the windscreen change that?

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Post #: 7

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 29/6/2011 1:34:29 PM

great_badir

Posts: 4172
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From: A breaking rope bridge in the middle of the jungle

Wrong time to say my premiums have gone down the last two years running?

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Post #: 8

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 29/6/2011 10:22:41 PM

Keyser Sozzled

Posts: 5933
Joined: 1/10/2006
From: Dublin

The one thing to say, although I am not defending Insurance companies, is that Insurers don't generally make huge profit from premium. They make it from the investment arm of the business. A portion of the net earned premium is invested and a return is gained from that. Sadly part of the reason why premiums go up is Insurers trying to keep their bottom line healthy when the investments tank.

< Message edited by Keyser Sozzled -- 29/6/2011 10:23:09 PM >

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Post #: 9

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 30/6/2011 12:17:19 AM

Funkyrae

Posts: 20306
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Just stick a pin in a map

quote:

ORIGINAL: great_badir

Wrong time to say my premiums have gone down the last two years running?

If it is, then I have to admit the same and duck. Of course, I have moved from a relatively high crime area to a relatively zero crime area. Which helps.

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Post #: 10

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 30/6/2011 1:00:48 PM

great_badir

Posts: 4172
Joined: 6/10/2005
From: A breaking rope bridge in the middle of the jungle

quote:

ORIGINAL: Funkyrae
Of course, I have moved from a relatively high crime area to a relatively zero crime area. Which helps.

I can't even say that - I've been living in the same place for the last seven years. The premiums have just come down with no obvious explanation. Naturally I'm not going to contact them to see if they've made a mistake!

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Post #: 11

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 31/5/2012 12:19:43 PM

Chief Wiggum

Posts: 1921
Joined: 30/9/2005

resurrecting the thread as the OFT is having a look into the insurance industry (link)

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RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 1/6/2012 1:03:27 PM

great_badir

Posts: 4172
Joined: 6/10/2005
From: A breaking rope bridge in the middle of the jungle

I doubt very much that anything will change - the industry might be fined some, but I'll be amazed if premiums go down. They'll probably agree to freeze them for a year or two at best.

On the other hand, I'm glad the whole not being able to choose your own repair garage thing has been highlighted, cos that used to get right on my tits. I haven't had many accidents (and none of them were my fault), but I always ended up having to go to a garage that was about twenty miles away from where I lived. Ludicrous. Now I make sure I only go with companies that allow you to choose your own garage.

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Post #: 13

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 1/6/2012 1:38:43 PM

Flatulent_Bob

Posts: 7790
Joined: 30/9/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: great_badir

Wrong time to say my premiums have gone down the last two years running?

Same here but that's because I'm old, my partners haven't because she's still under 30 even though I have more claims in the past 5 years.

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Post #: 14

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 1/6/2012 2:04:53 PM

Chief Wiggum

Posts: 1921
Joined: 30/9/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: Flatulent_Bob

quote:

ORIGINAL: great_badir

Wrong time to say my premiums have gone down the last two years running?

Same here but that's because I'm old, my partners haven't because she's still under 30 even though I have more claims in the past 5 years.

Can I just ask if you've had kids in the last few years? I wonder if that factors into the premium calculations

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Post #: 15

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 1/6/2012 7:57:50 PM

Flatulent_Bob

Posts: 7790
Joined: 30/9/2005

Not just, but we have kids yeah.

New questions also ask if we own our home, and how long we had lived there.

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Post #: 16

RE: Jack Straw Goes after Car Insurance Industry - 2/6/2012 12:00:23 AM

Chief Wiggum

Posts: 1921
Joined: 30/9/2005

This is Off Topic.

Whilst I hate the rise in premiums, I do have a love of the logic behind the insurance and risk businesses - I mean you have kids and no doubt you love and cherish them, so when you drive them to playschool, you are more wary and cautious on the road and hence a lower premium. (not to mention as you have the added expense of children, you are now more price sensitive)

You own your house, and have lived there for a number of years - suggests that you're interested in joining a community, and are more likely to try and avoid neighbours' "tuts", driving in a more sedate manner in your local area.

And this will all be made from millions of data points that have been collected over the years from other drivers and applied to modern behaviour.

It's kind of creepy, but the analysis of things like this fascinates me.

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Post #: 17