Letter – Rigorous tests for solicitors

09/11/2007

I read the article headlined “Seize the opportunity” (Fraud Management Briefing Plus 18 October p3) and it occurred to me that no one mentioned the roles legal expenses providers play in preventing personal injury fraud.

The before-the-event panel of expert personal injury solicitors are at the front line of detecting fraud. So too are solicitors on after-the-event panels, as they have had to prove to the legal expenses insurer that they have the expertise to deal with PI claims and have passed requirements to be on the insurer’s panel.

There is a common misunderstanding that volume is the decider on whether a solicitor is accepted onto ATE panels – claims history is usually the number one decider for reputable legal expenses insurers. They will not be accepted if an application form shows any evidence of the firm failing to properly vet cases.

Legal expenses insurers work closely with ATE solicitors to ensure they have a good risk assessment process when considering the measuring of key performance indicators.

So when considering the solicitor’s role in preventing fraud it is worth taking into account the likelihood of the solicitor being on a panel where their performance is continually monitored.

Chris Harragan Development advisor Allianz legal protection

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