PERSONAL INJURY: 21 firms sign up to major marketing network in the south-west

A renewed effort to raise standards in the claims management industry began last week with the merger of the Personal Injury Federation and the Claims Standards Association to form a single self-regulating body, the Gazette's sister publication, Litigation Funding, has discovered.

The news comes as one of the largest law firm personal injury marketing networks was launched in the south-west with 21 firms signed up, including many of the region's biggest names.

The Claims Industry Federation has now been created with Ray Clewer, chief executive of the Personal Injury Federation, taking on the same role at the new body.

In addition, a separate independent monitoring body is to be created to monitor and enforce the rules and regulations that are currently being developed for the industry.

A working party facilitated by the Law Society is close to agreeing a code of conduct for the claims management industry.

The working party includes representatives of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, the General Insurance Standards Council, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), after-the-event insurers and the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureau.

Once this is agreed, it will be mapped against OFT standards for a self-regulating body before the federation takes 'ownership' of it.

Mr Clewer said: 'I would hope to have firmly established self-regulation within six months.'

Law Society chief executive Janet Paraskeva welcomed the merger, adding: 'The Society wants to see an effective and comprehensive scheme to guarantee that customers of claims management companies will get proper service that is in their best interests, and be able to seek redress when they do not.'

The Clementi review of the regulation of legal services is considering the position of unregulated providers such as claims management companies.

Meanwhile, the South West Accident Network - known as SWAN - broadcast its first television advertisement this week.

The firms are: Agnew Vos, Bartlett Gooding & Weelen, Beers, Bevan Ashford, Burroughs Day, Cartridges, Crosse & Crosse, Eastleys, Kirby Simcox, Kitson Hutchings, Michelmores, Mogers, Over Taylor Biggs, Pardoes, Pattinson & Brewer, Stephens & Scown, Stones, Tozers, Veale Wasbrough, Wolferstans, and Woollcombe Beer Watts.

Neil Rose