ABI calls for withdrawal of Law Society PI campaign

The ABI has defended the insurance industry in a strongly worded letter to the Law Society, following the launch of the society’s ‘Don’t get Mugged’ campaign in June.

The controversial campaign promotes personal injury lawyers, with the catchphrase, “Don’t get mugged by an insurer – use a solicitor”, and asserts that “accident victims who turn down an insurer’s initial offer and take legal advice from a solicitor get on average two to three times more compensation”.

In a letter addressed to Law Society president Nick Fluck, ABI director general Otto Thoresen said that the figures used were from an FSA study of just 113 cases from three insurers, undertaken four years ago.

Thoresen said that the study was described by its own authors as “limited” and “patchy” and that it did “not allow definitive conclusion”.

In the letter Thoresen said: “Your campaign is a gross error of judgment, represents a deeply regrettable resort to little more than public name-calling and it comes as a matter of considerable surprise that a professional and well-respected organisation such as the Law Society is prepared to lower itself to such action.

“I am more than aware that the insurance industry and some – but by no means all – of your members have taken different positions in the ongoing debates over personal injury compensation reform.

“Robust debate on key policy issues is to be welcomed and, as part of those debates, the insurance industry has always been careful to ensure our contributions are based on evidence rather than the highly misleading and selective use of statistics.

“This campaign can only be damaging to relationships between the Law Society’s wider membership and insurers. I look forward to your assurance it will be withdrawn immediately.”