Carpenters Group Host Industry Roundtable on OIC Portal Reform

Last week, Carpenters Group hosted a first-of-its-kind roundtable discussion concerning the operation of the Official Injury Claims Portal (OICP), and wider issues around motor claims.

This cross-industry discussion was keenly welcomed, given that the Portal has been live for more than four years.  It is vital that users across the industry collaborate to ensure that the Portal delivers the best possible service for consumers.

What was clear from our experience, and the lively discussions, is that there is much work that can be done to improve the process.  The Portal is currently falling between two stools.  It delivers a sub-par service for professional users, because it has been designed to cater for litigants in person (LIP), but it is not widely used by LIPs - with less than 10% of users being “unrepresented”. This leaves the experience for both LIPs and professional users cumbersome, inefficient and dissatisfying.

It now takes longer to run a claim on the OICP, than it did on the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) portal. This delay is despite the introduction of the tariff,  which simplifies the injury valuation on many claims.

The roundtable provided a valuable opportunity for a frank exchange of views.  We firmly believe that the industry is united in wanting to see genuine claims progressed and settled as quickly as possible.  It is important that there is an industry dialogue to help achieve that objective, and to enable each side to understand the obstacles faced by the other - and how they can be overcome for the benefit of consumers.

Where improvements can be identified, we can encourage MIB and MOJ to make the required changes.

At the same time, there are bound to be elements of the market that look to exploit the process for their own benefit. If the industry can collaborate and share experience, that should make it easier to identify bad behaviour and target the bad actors.

There also remains an element of concern that some users are “gaming” the system.  An open dialogue will help to establish where these concerns are genuine, and where there is some element of the process that is fuelling suspicion.

The twin aims of the reforms were clear: to reduce the cost of motor insurance for consumers and to create a straightforward, user-friendly platform that would allow injured parties to pursue a claim without the need for legal representation.

​Nearly four years on, the OIC Portal, at a cost of around £50m, has proven to be a source of frustration for both sides of the claims process though for very different reasons.  We all experienced the post launch pain, and while it is now much better than previously, there are undoubtedly further improvements that can be made.

At Carpenters, we have a unique view of the market having both a Claimant and Defendant practice. The hosting of last week’s roundtable at London’s St Pancras Hotel brought together, for the first time, experts from across the industry representing the interests of Claimants, Defendants and, most importantly, the Consumer to debate the need for reform.

The meeting was held in a constructive and collaborative manner and whilst all stakeholders had differing views on the procedural functionality of the Portal, from the get-go, the consensus from the room was that the technological constraints of the OIC have been significant.

The fact that the number of releases/updates to the platform is into double figures despite the relative infancy of the technology is, perhaps, a clear indicator of the reactive nature of the responses to the challenges presented.

For a claimant, the promise of a straightforward, lawyer-free process has largely fallen flat with the statistics telling a stark story; 9 out of 10 Claimants are still legally represented.

Despite the OIC’s aim, the Portal design can be difficult to navigate, and, with an unwieldy 64-page user guide, it is no wonder that for someone without any legal training, it can be a daunting task to undertake.

While the MOJ has largely rejected calls for major overhauls, the persistent issues for both claimants and defendants mean the debate on reform is far from over.

We at Carpenters are grateful for the support of insurers and claimant organisations in commencing this dialogue, with a view to improving the process and easing the pain of the OIC for all concerned.

If you would like to be involved in our next forum, please contact Donna Scully via Comms@carpentersgroup.co.uk