Hard-pressed motorists enforced to handle rising insurance premiums may soon get some good news. In MPs' committee this week challenged the insurance industry to decrease charges. The committee said car cover prices have spun out of control because of rising claims for whiplash injuries. And it accused insurers and lawyers of cashing in on crash victims by taking fat fees for passing their names on to claims companies. Louise Ellman Mp of the Transport committee said that Insurers, solictitors and claims management companies have themselves to driven up the cost. She demanded more transparency about the charges and those consumers be given clear information on referral fees and who earns money from them. That prompted finger-pointing between the insurance and legal industries, with both trying to blame the other for rising charges. Desmond Hudson, chief executive of the Law Society told that the insurance industry itself is fuelling the costs of accidents and passing them back to motorists. The fact that it sells accident details to third parties certainly fuels the number of claims. Some firms have a record of seeking to pay off the victim of an accident whether or not that victim has been injured." John Spencer, director of Spencers Solicitors, said that Insurers should make offers without requiring any medical evidence. Their hope is to buy off a claim before the injured person seeks independent legal advice and is properly represented. The committee demands that referral fees need to be banned across the board. However lawyers' fixed costs also need to be reduced. At last the Transport Committee said that the Government should set up a cross-departmental ministerial committee to look at reducing the cost of motor insurance.
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