Abbey Legal secures sole right to manage Accident Line scheme

Specialist legal underwriting agency, Abbey Legal Protection, has won the contract to run the only Law Society-endorsed personal injury referral insurance scheme.Accident Line was formed in 1994 by the Society to introduce personal injury clients to local solicitors.

The scheme was insured through Accident Line Protect, administered by Abbey with the Law Society's insurance brokers Marsh.From October, Abbey will run the new scheme in its totality, inviting the 2,250 solicitors who currently subscribe to join the relaunched scheme.

Abbey will then control the sourcing of lawyers for clients.Abbey will offer insurance to clients against their opponents' costs for cases taken on a conditional fee basis, and also loan clients the money to pay for the insurance.

It will run a high-profile marketing campaign to relaunch Accident Line in October.Abbey's managing director, Chris Ward, said: 'The Law Society's endorsement will give claimants comfort that their case is being handled professionally and economically, from assessment through to settlement.'

Jeremy Fleming