I would like to press the Law Society to consider a return to the Solicitors Indemnity Fund (see ‘Insurance rethink’ [2008] Gazette, 27 November, 3). That may have been a little more expensive than competitive tendering in the open market, but at least we all knew where we stood - and so did the Law Society for the purposes of record keeping.

I have managed to secure insurance after some shopping around, but it was not a pleasant time. I have no experience of the assigned risks pool and have no particular reason to join it, as I have not had many claims thanks to very loyal, hardworking staff. Nevertheless, my existing insurer increased my premium by 50% from the previous year and I could not find any other insurer to quote for me. I had no choice therefore but to pay the increased premium, even though there was not a single claim in the year 2007/08.

The ‘myriad problems and difficulties’ alluded to by Law Society President Paul Marsh amounted to an understatement in describing the tension and frustrations that seeking open market quotes bring to the smaller practice.

Chris Nicholls Chris Nicholls Solicitors, Bodmin