Brain injuries charity calls for the compulsory wearing of cycle helmets

Andrew Harding is chairman of Headway, Cardiff, the brain injury charity and a board member of the Headway charity nationally. He is a member of the Court of Protection court user group and is listed as a leader in the field of personal injury in the Legal 500.

THE death of a 28-year-old cyclist in London last week led to Olympic Gold medallist Bradley Wiggins being asked to comment on whether cyclists should be made to wear helmets.
His comments brought the issue of cycle helmets back into the spotlight and sparked a heated debate about whether now is the time for new legislation to be introduced.

As chairman of Headway, this is a campaign that I am all too familiar with and fully support Headway’s call for helmets to be made compulsory for cyclists in an attempt to save lives and prevent lifelong disability.

The wearing (or not wearing) of cycle helmets remains an on-going and increasingly high-profile area for concern. Recent reports suggest that fatal and serious cycling accidents have increased by 74% in Wales, and a total of 118 cyclists were killed or seriously injured last year – an increase on the previous highest number of 68 recorded in 1997.


Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health-news/2012/08/06/brain-injuries-charity-calls-for-the-compulsory-wearing-of-cycle-helmets-91466-31556142/#ixzz22lwQlLGT

Compensation scheme to be overhauled

Victims who suffer sprained ankles, broken toes or bruised ribs would no longer be entitled to compensation under Government plans, Kenneth Clarke said today.

The Justice Secretary said the plans would see payouts target the most serious injuries and prioritise high-quality practical help, rather than helping those with relatively minor injuries.
Mr Clarke also said the compensation scheme would be extended to help British victims of terror attacks abroad.
Under the proposals, rapists and murderers will no longer be able to claim compensation for being victims of crime under the taxpayer-funded Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICS).

Read More - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/compensation-scheme-to-be-overhauled-6297148.html

Hybrid cars are safer, concludes report

Hybrid cars have been found to offer a significant safety advantage conventional rivals because of their additional weight helps reduce the severity of crashes, according to a new study from the Highways Loss Data Institute (HLDI).
The US non-profit organisation dedicated to reducing deaths, injuries, found that the odds of being injured in a crash are 25 per cent lower for people in a hybrid car than for people travelling in a non-hybrid models.
"Weight is a big factor," explains Matt Moore, HLDI vice president and an author of the report. "Hybrids on average are 10 per cent heavier than their standard counterparts. This extra mass gives them an advantage in crashes that their conventional twins don’t have."
However the Institute acknowledges that other factors may also be contributing to the safety of hybrid models, such as how, when and by whom hybrids are driven. To maximise the fuel efficiency benefits of a hybrid car, hybrid drivers often adopt a greener driving style-such as looking further ahead to avoid harsh braking-which is known to be a safer style too.
According to the Institute the new findings are good news for green-minded drivers who don’t want to trade safety for fuel economy. Not so long ago, car buyers had to choose between the two because fuel-efficient cars tended to be smaller and lighter. Now, consumers have more options than ever when it comes to picking an environmentally friendly — and crashworthy — vehicle.
"Saving at the pump no longer means you have to skimp on crash protection," Moore says.
In the study, HLDI estimated the odds that a crash would result in injuries if people were riding in a hybrid versus the conventional version of the same vehicle. The analysis included more than 25 hybrid-conventional vehicle pairs, all 2003-2011 models, with at least 1 collision claim and at least 1 related injury claim filed under personal injury protection or medical payment coverage in 2002-10.

Read more - http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/blog/index.php/2011/11/17/hybrid-cars-are-safer-concludes-report/

Motor market fights back, declare experts

Ernst & Young has predicted a significant improvement in the motor insurance industry’s 2011 results following analysis of the UK market’s Q3 statements.

According to the accountants, the market suffered losses of more than £5bn across 2009 and 2010, but premium rate increases and a stemming of inflation on non-injury claims could lead to the results improving this year by 20%.
Ernst & Young highlighted that in 2010 a market ratio of nearly 121% was the worst set of results for the industry since 1988.
It added that the price increases of that year and early 2011 were the key driver in the expected 20% improvement along with greater control of claim costs.
Catherine Barton, partner and actuary in the financial services division at Ernst & Young, commented: "Insurers were caught in a perfect storm in 2009 and 2010 - referral fees led to more costs creeping into the system, individuals' awareness of the ability to claim - legitimately or otherwise - led to smaller injury claims spiralling upwards, while at the same time price competition continued unabated.
"The losses were unsustainable - by 2009 the market had either run out of reserves to prop up performance or accepted that there were fundamental problems within the market that needed to be addressed. Insurers have now responded with price rises and more focus on claims cost control, which we believe will see the tide being turned."
Bodily injury costs
However the company also noted that whereas a decade ago bodily injury costs were around a third of total claims cost, they are now rapidly approaching two thirds and that the uncertainty this causes for insurers in anticipating their underlying performance is posing increasing challenges to their business model.
"As injury claims stay open for longer, exposed to the ever-present threats of legislative and economic changes, the ability for insurers to understand their true performance and to price appropriately for it becomes ever more difficult," said Ms Barton.
"We suspect that bodily injury inflation will continue to be a problem, but insurers now appear to be more focused on the risks; they have turned to claims transformation programs to help detect fraud and manage claims, they have taken corrective rating action and also turned their attention to using extra external data to improve their current rating and underwriting methods. As their new programmes bed-in, we expect to see much improved performance in 2011 and 2012."
However Ms Barton warned that increased competition from new entrants and current insurers looking to grow their books of business meant there was no guarantee the improvement in the cycle would be sustained.


Read more: http://www.insuranceage.co.uk/insurance-age/news/2130342/motor-market-fights-declare-experts#ixzz1g1nXtbu2

Don't Let Your Bonfire Night Fizzle Into an Insurance Nightmare

Ensure your home insurance policy covers personal liability against damage and accidents
Look out for your canine and feline friends too, says MoneySupermarket.com

With households across the country gearing up for this year's Bonfire Night celebrations, MoneySupermarket.com urges people to make sure their home insurance policy includes adequate personal liability protection to insure them for any accidents, as otherwise the evening could go off with a costly bang.

Britain's number one comparison site warns homeowners to check the small print of their home insurance policy for personal liability protection. Most insurers will provide cover for personal liability of £2,000,000, however this does vary across providers.[1] According to statistics from BIS, over 6,600 people are injured in firework accidents each year, with half of these injuries happening to children under 16 [2]. If any accidents occur on your property, you could be liable for a personal injury claim, and not having enough personal liability cover in place, could leave you severely out of pocket.

http://www.injuryclaim-specialist.co.uk
Read More - http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dont-let-your-bonfire-night-fizzle-into-an-insurance-nightmare-2011-11-01