Burden of proof and independent medical panels on the agenda

Ministers at Wednesday’s insurance summit promised insurers tougher action on the UK’s whiplash epidemic, including how to find easier ways for insurers to turn down unfair whiplash claims, according to an inside source.

Transport secretary Justine Greening chaired the meeting in the department for transport offices in Whitehall, which was attended by justice minister Jonathan Djanogly, minister of state Oliver Letwin, roads minister Mike Penning and health minister Simon Burns.

Other attendees were RSA UK and western European chief executive Adrian Brown, AXA UK chief executive Paul Evans, Aviva UK general insurance chief executive David McMillan, Biba head of corporate affairs Graeme Trudgill, Zurich UK chief executive Stephen Lewis and Sabre chief executive Keith Morris.

Djanogly said there would be a “big bang” in the whiplash arena now that the legal aid act has royal assent and will come into force next April.

Topics raised at the meeting included:

  • How insurers could find ways to reject unfair whiplash claims without having to find and prove fraud
  • Possible government consultations on setting up independent medical panels to judge whiplash claimants and changing the threshold of the small claims court
  • Giving guidance to doctors on identifying whiplash
  • How interested young drivers are in telematics and how it could help reduce claims and premiums.

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