For many years, insurers have issued press release after press release heaping the blame for rising motor insurance premiums on personal injury solicitors. At the same time, they have ignored their own dubious practices, which are now the subject of a referral to the Competition Commission.

In its latest piece of spin, Aviva has announced that taking solicitors out of personal injury claims would reduce insurance premiums by £60 per annum.

Given that the average motor insurance premium now stands at £789, how can the insurance industry blame solicitors for everything that is wrong in their world when solicitors’ costs would seem to account for only 8% of premiums?

A cynic might think that, having promised much in the past, Aviva is now being more realistic about the impact of solicitors’ costs on premiums, because it now finds itself pushing against an open door when it comes to reforms. Indeed, it seems that Mr Grayling’s door is always wide open for his insurer friends/party donors.

Martyn Brown, Integrum Law, Birkenhead