Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee
Published: 2011-03-11
Total Pages: 128
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Fraud is one of the main factors driving up the cost of motor insurance. Wider access to justice should not provide a licence to make false personal injury claims under car insurance policies. A dedicated police unit - paid for by the insurance industry - should be established to tackle this escalating problem. The Committee also highlights the merry-go-round of 'referral' payments made to or by insurance and law firms, rescue truck drivers, vehicle repairers, credit hire firms, claims or accident management companies and medical experts in connection with motor insurance claims. It calls on the insurance industry to take steps to introduce much more transparency. The report also urges the Government to do more to bring down the casualty rate amongst young drivers, including by making the driving test more rigorous. In addition, the Committee recommends the Government: set out a clear timetable for new data sharing arrangements between the DVLA and motor insurers; undertake a promotional campaign, aimed at young drivers, to alert them to Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE - the requirement for the keeper of any registered vehicle to have valid motor insurance); review the penalties for uninsured driving one year after CIE has been implemented; fund research to review international experience in restraining the number of personal injury claims relating to motor insurance, with the aim of publishing a discussion paper during 2012 outlining possible options for change.