Lewis supports Young review

Zurich UK General Insurance chief executive Stephen Lewis has welcomed Lord Young’s review of compensation.

He said he welcomed the peer's recommendations in his report, published earlier today, that the government should push ahead with the Jackson Review of civil litigation costs, which the government is due to consult on later in the autumn.

Lewis said: "We hope the report also marks the beginning of a move towards more clarity around how to manage occupational health and safety effectively as well as more consistent application and interpretation of laws and rules.

"Zurich is keen to be involved in the next stage of Lord Young's report and future discussions with Government, particularly on the direct issues raised about the insurance sector.

“We hope, as insurers, we can play our part to support these by improving the way insurance and risk management is viewed - as tools to manage and mitigate risk and not a means of restricting the activities of businesses or the general public."

Forum of Insurance Lawyers vice-president Tim Oliver expressed support for Young’s support for an extension of the Ministry of Justice’s recently introduced scheme to cut the costs of low value road accident claims.

He said: “The MOJ’s RTA reforms have showed how having efficient technology and processes in place can dramatically increase claims settlement times in low value claims. We welcome the possibility of extending this to incorporate other personal injury claims – indeed that was the aim of the MOJ’s initial review of the issue, back in 2007.”