Reforms to personal injury in the Prisons and Courts Bill come with a promise of lower car insurance premiums which will not be kept and aim to tackle a ‘compensation culture’ which does not exist, say lawyers.
“The Government’s so-called solution to high motor premiums is to reduce how much compensation people with genuine injuries will receive to derisory levels, and make the claims process more difficult and off-putting for the public,” said Neil Sugarman, president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) a national not-for-profit campaign group for injured people.
“The entire point of compulsory insurance is to protect and help people in the event they are injured needlessly. The Government’s tactic for reform is like saving money on heating your home by having the radiators ripped out,” Mr Sugarman said.
“But on top of that, insurers have a past history for promising lower premiums as a result of personal injury reform,” said Mr Sugarman. “They have never delivered on that promise and car insurance premiums keep on rising.”
“It would be wholly irresponsible for the personal injury reforms in the Prisons and Courts Bill to be allowed to pass unchallenged by MPs.”
MPs will debate the Prison and Courts Bill at second reading on Monday.