Freedom to instruct Bolt Burdon Kemp when using your Legal Expenses Insurance
September 02, 2010
Posted by:Lynne Burdon
I am pleased to read this morning that the Financial Services Authority has ordered legal expenses insurers to prove that they comply with European law that gives policy holders rights to choose their own solicitor. It has long been the practice of legal expense insurers to require their policy holders to use their own ‘panel’ solicitor. Panel solicitors often have a financial relationship with the insurance company. The ECJ ruled in Eschig in September 2009 that a legal expenses insurer cannot insist its policyholders use a panel solicitor. I await developments with interest.