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Motor insurance & Vnuk: accidents do happen

21 April 2021 / Sarah Prager , Chris Deacon
Issue: 7929 / Categories: Features , Insurance / reinsurance , Personal injury , EU
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Adding insult to injury: Sarah Prager & Chris Deacon outline why the government’s recent Vnuk policy decision is worrying news for serious injury victims
  • The decision in Vnuk.
  • The effect of the Vnuk decision on UK law.
  • The response of the UK government.

On 21 February 2021, the government announced its plans to ‘bin the EU’s Vnuk motor insurance law’, which, it said, would ‘ensure every British driver is spared an estimated £50 annual increase in insurance premiums’ and ‘reiterate the benefits of leaving the EU, as we take back control of our own laws and regulations’.

According to the government, had the law been implemented the insurance industry would have been liable for almost £2bn a year in extra costs, and these costs would probably have been passed onto their policyholders. Furthermore, the policy decision would protect the UK motorsports industry, saving it £458m a year in additional insurance costs. The announcement described the move as ‘a clear win for motorists

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Tech companies will be legally required to prevent material that encourages or assists serious self-harm appearing on their platforms, under Online Safety Act 2023 regulations due to come into force in the autumn
Commercial leasehold, the defence of insanity and ‘consent’ in the criminal law are among the next tranche of projects for the Law Commission
The Bar has a culture of ‘impunity’ and ‘collusive bystanding’ in which making a complaint is deemed career-ending due to a ‘cohort of untouchables’ at the top, Baroness Harriet Harman KC has found
Lawyers have broadly welcomed plans to electronically tag up to 22,000 more offenders, scrap most prison terms below a year and make prisoners ‘earn’ early release
David Lammy, Ellie Reeves and Baroness Levitt have taken up office at the Ministry of Justice, following the cabinet reshuffle
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