Andy Wigmore, Claims Standards Council
Wigmore expressed relief that the CSC hadn't been named as the claims regulator. He said the Council was essentially "one man and a photocopier" and as such didn't have the capacity to regulate claims.
He outlined how far the CSC has come in its short history, from its establishment in 2004 to the present struggle with industry "rogues".
In February 2005, the CSC still didn't have any members and expressed its frustration to the government in a recommendation that regulation needs to be brought in. "The CSC suddenly got 100 members," according to Wigmore, as claims management companies (CMCs) realised it was the lesser of two evils.
He was particularly scathing about certain marketing activities undertaken by some CMCs. Fly posting in hospitals, arranged car crashes, paying students to make false claims and endowment chancers are among the dubious tactics that the CSC has tried to weed out.
Wigmore characteristically laughed off
the intimidation tactics employed by some disgruntled CMCs. The CSC has been subjected to burglary, a number of direct threats and dog's excrement sent to its offices.
He highlighted the lack of rules about procuring claimants and pleaded with the legal fraternity to stop buying claims from disreputable sources.
