Letter: claims – sting in the tail

I write to draw your attention to recent difficulties I have had with our insurers, both to ascertain whether other people have had similar problems and also to seek advice in general regarding what I think is a serious issue.

My practice unit, as I believe they are now called, is a two partner firm which has been on the go since the year 2000. In that period two claims have been intimated against the firm. The first did not proceed at all but the second, intimated in 2013, went the whole hog in the sense that there was an action raised by the complainer and proof took place. The outcome was that the complainer lost the case and expenses were awarded against him.

I thought, perhaps naively, that I need not concern myself further. However when I came to renew the firm's insurance policy with RSA my premium was more than double. The reasons for this advanced by the insurers are long and convoluted. I cannot imagine this is the correct outcome and I wondered if other members have had similar problems and how they were resolved.

I am still arguing with the insurers but obviously to renew practising certificates we have had to pay the new premiums.