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Data for the number of claims reported to the CRU has been published since 2000/2001, which roughly correlates to when CFAs came in, and much of the noise about 'amoral no win-no fee solicitors' started. Referral fees were banned until about 2004 if I remember rightly. CMCs were pretty much unheard of.

For RTAs, there were 401,757 claims in 2000/2001, and 650,019 in 2017/2018, an increase of 62%. There were 402,924 claims in 2004/2005 but numbers increased after that.

For EL, there were 219,183 claims in 2000/2001, and 69,230 in 2017/2018, a decrease of 68%. I believe EL claims in the early 2000s were supplemented by the coal miners' compensation scheme, and the figures show EL claims sharply down after 2005/6 and staying fairly flat ever since.

For PL, there were 95,183 claims in 2000/2001, and 96,067 in 2017/2018, an increase of 1%.

I am no expert on motor insurance, but the availability of compensation, of recoverable costs, of no win-no fee agreements, of solicitor advertising and of cosy arrangements between solicitors and CMCs appears to have made no difference to EL or PL claims over the years. These reforms aim to reduce RTA claims by targeting the level of damages and recoverable costs, but these have apparently not contributed to increased claims in other areas.

It seems to me the increase in RTAs is probably much more down to data farming when accident victims' details are given to insurers, crash repairers, care hire companies, and from there to CMCs. Yet "cold calling" (actually not exactly cold calling, as usually consent to data sharing is given) has not been addressed by this bill.

The data doesn't suggest the 'compensation culture' is driven by greedy claimants or pushy lawyers, who would be just as likely to push for claims in EL and PL (where in fact fees are higher). It is something about how RTAs are dealt with differently to other claims.

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