Insurers view medical panel as a pain in the neck

Outlook You’d think that the insurance industry would be delighted at the creation of ‘MedCo’, an independent medical panel set up by the Ministry of Justice to assess whiplash and other accident injury claims.

Apparently not. The AA warns darkly that registered medical reporting organisations could “exploit the system” by setting up multiple registrations.

This, it opines “could enable them to handle a disproportionate number of low-value whiplash injury cases, compromising the independence of the panel”. Crikey!

Oh, and by the way, lots of motorists think whiplash victims should simply get their medical expenses covered.

It may be true that false whiplash claims have become a problem. But the insurance industry’s apparent desire to eliminate claims lodged by those who have been injured shouldn’t be seen as a solution to it.

Having someone ploughing into the back of one’s car, jamming the neck forward, can be a deeply painful experience. As such, it is only right that the innocent victim of such an occurrence by compensated for the pain and inconvenience caused. Not least the inconvenience of dealing with obstructive and recalcitrant insurance companies (as I can testify from bitter personal experience).

Moreover, there ought to be a penalty for those who drive badly and cause accidents, the cost of which the insurance industry is fond of bleating about.

A more imaginative contribution to the debate around these issues from an insurance industry that recognised this might make people more inclined to give due regard to its views.