Digitising the personal injury claims process

Last year, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) published a report on the personal injury claims system in the UK. The report suggested a number of reforms. Here, Joe Pendle, Director of Client Services for Insurance Services Office (ISO) Ltd, highlights the fact that the report gives no recognition to the key role of technology in enabling time frames to be enforced and claims to be standardised – without which, according to Mr Pendle, claimants will still miss out on quick and fair settlements. Here, he looks at the issues of bench marking the personal injury claims process, the timelines and the fairness of the system. He also makes the case for digitising the personal injury claims process. ISO is a provider of personal injury claims and anti-fraud insurance services and solutions. ISO, together with Premier Medical and Rymills Solicitors, has established PICAS (Personal Injury Claims Assessment Service) which it describes as the first solution intended to entirely computerise the personal injury claims process in the UK. Mr Pendle joined ISO from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) where he was Group Operations Manager, prior to which he was Unit Manager at Endsleigh’s Docklands claims department. Mr Pendle’s experience comprises a number of claims-handling and management roles at AGF Insurance, Shead Motor Policies and Allstate Insurance Company.