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In this special personal injury claims focused webinar we look at what impact last year’s reforms have had on the sector, how the OIC portal is working and what is in store for the future.

Featuring:

• Donna Scully – Director, Carpenters Group
• Matthew Maxwell-Scott – Executive Director, The ACSO
• Samantha Ramen – Director of Market Affairs, Keoghs
• Gary Barker – Claims Director, The AA
• Chris Ashworth – AVP, Enterprise Holdings

Momentum builds for Motor Showcase Event

ILC and ARC360’s inaugural Motor Showcase Event continues to gain traction with the industry showing its support for the new experience.

Headline sponsored by Enterprise, the event will provide a host of engaging initiatives including the ‘next generation’ meet and greet session; a fully immersive exhibition arena; a Partner Showcase stage with sessions hosted by Enterprise, Copart, Innovation Group and Solera Audatex amongst others; and the main auditorium keynote stage featuring contributions from Gemini ARC, Thatcham Research and Trustpilot, as well as other major industry influencers to be revealed in the coming weeks.

Car insurance prices on the rise

Comprehensive car insurance premiums have risen by two per cent in the last year, according to the Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index, published in association with Willis Towers Watson (WTW). This equates to a £12 rise to an average annual price of £550.

This increase has been driven by a four per cent hike in prices in the first three months since the FCA introduced new pricing rules on 1 January, 2022.

Copart accelerates carbon literacy training

Copart is accelerating plans to roll out its carbon literacy training programme to all 1,200 colleagues. This is part of its Copart Cares initiative, which underlines the company’s commitment to sustainability.

The training, delivered by AutoTrader on behalf of the government-funded Carbon Literacy Project, is intended to help colleagues to live more sustainably both at work and at home.

Rental industry can accelerate EV adoption

A new report published by The Electrification Coalition in partnership with Enterprise Rent-A-Car has highlighted the key role the car rental industry can play in accelerating the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

The report was published following a trial in Florida which put rental drivers behind the wheel of EVs, and found that two-thirds were more likely to purchase an EV as their next vehicle after the experience.

It also urged rental companies to prepare to introduce EVs into their fleets by initiating staff training and installing onsite charging facilities.

S&G increases northern footprint

S&G Response has opened new offices in Halifax as it continues its expansion into the north of the country.

Managing Director Andy Whatmough said, “Halifax is a thriving northern town with an exceptionally strong insurance community. We have been looking to increase our geographical footprint since the end of the Covid-19 period and this provides the ideal opportunity to expand our service delivery capability and recruit further talented people into our culture.”

e2e sets customer service standard

e2e Total Loss Vehicle Management [e2e] has become the first and only organisation in the salvage and automotive recycling industry to achieve the BSI Customer Service Kitemark.

Accreditation followed a three-day audit of all aspects of customer service including strategy, culture, resources, people, technology, customer feedback and complaints handling, and enhances the company’s reputation for delivering an exceptional customer experience.

Key speakers confirmed for ILC event

Coming on the back of Earth Day last week, ILC is proud to confirm a number of speakers for The Environmental Challenges of Property Claims conference, taking place at 200 Aldersgate, London, on 9 June.

Headline sponsored by CoreLogic, around 150 industry professionals from a wide cross-section of the home and property claims sector will attend the specialist event which will, through a series of panel debates, try to answer three key questions: what has happened so far, what is coming, and how do we prepare for it?

Ageas makes Build Back Better pledge

Ageas has become one of the first UK insurers to sign up to Flood Re’s Build Back Better scheme, which helps flood victims protect themselves from further damage.

Instead of simply repairing flood damage, the scheme means insurers will help fund and install preventative measures than can reduce the effects of future floods. This could include flood barriers, self-closing airbricks or moving plug sockets higher up walls.

Labour rates hit record high

The cost of labour on London building sites has hit an all-time high, according to Hudson Contract’s latest report on pay trends. It found that average weekly earnings for self-employed tradespeople in the capital hit £1,027 during March.

Record earnings were also recorded in the East Midlands (£1,070) and the South West (£934), while across England and Wales as a whole earnings increased by 0.9% to £959.

Product availability remains stable

Product availability has been rated as good in the latest report published by the Construction Leadership’s Council’s product availability working group.

According to a statement released by John Newcomb, CEO of the Builders Merchants Federation, and Peter Caplehorn, CEO of the Construction Products Association, product availability remains stable, although there are still challenges around the supply of bricks, aircrete blocks, certain roofing products and gas boilers.

Mastercard develops anti-fraud capabilities

Mastercard has collaborated with Microsoft to develop an enhanced identity solution designed to tackle the rising threat of digital fraud.

The solution pairs Mastercard’s network insights with the merchant’s own data to confirm in real-time that the consumer is who they claim to be.

Cyber threat named number one risk

A new global survey has identified cyber-attack and data loss as the number one risks for business directors.

According to the Directors Liability 2022 Survey, conducted by WTW and Clyde & Co, 65% of respondents described the risk of cyber-attack as very or extremely significant; 63% said the same of data loss, while 59% regard cyber extortion as a very or extremely significant risk.

Duck Creek announces DataOne collaboration

Global tech solutions provider for the insurance industry Duck Creek Technologies has announced that DataOne Software has become the newest member of its Solution Partner Ecosystem.

By integrating DataOne’s technology with Duck Creek’s own cloud-based solution, insurers are able to provide policy documents with accurate and complete vehicle details, including an associated image for a personalised user experience.

Claims inflation spelled out

The publication of the 16^th edition of the Judicial College Guidelines has confirmed the increasing cost of claims. Its figures revealed a 6.56% increase in RPI since the last edition was released in September 2021.

The report has also been revised in accordance with new legislation around whiplash claims, while new sections have also been added to address sexual and physical abuse and work-related limb disorders.

The report said, “It is clear that awards for general damages are not exempt from the claims inflation that we are seeing in other heads of loss.”

AXA calls for AV legislation

AXA UK & I is one of 18 businesses urging the government to introduce a legal framework to support the safe introduction of automated vehicles (AV). The group has written to the Prime Minister calling on him to announce primary legislation for AVs in the upcoming Queen’s Speech.

Dougie Barnett, Director of Customer Risk Management at AXA UK, said, “The development of self-driving technology needs to be underpinned by a robust legal and regulatory framework, which prioritises the safety of all road users. With this letter, we are urging the government to announce primary legislation for Automated Vehicles, ensuring safety remains at the heart of their development and deployment as well as advancing the benefits they bring to society.”

UK ditches EU motor insurance law

Parliament has this week passed a bill to scrap the EU’s Vnuk motor insurance law, which stipulates drivers must have motor insurance for vehicles other than cars and motorbikes. This includes golf buggies, mobility scooters and quad bikes, and could be enforced even on private land.

It is estimated that scrapping Vnuk could save the insurance industry up to £2bn a year, or £50 per policyholder.

WebinARC – People & Skills – Register Now

In this webinARC we look at the latest trends in recruitment, upskilling and wellbeing from a industry undergoing rapid evolution. 

Featuring:

• Helen Driscoll, Head of Human Resources, The Vella Group
• Dean Lander, Head of Repair Sector Services, Thatcham Research
• Edwyn van Rooyen, CEO, T-Cup