Ambulance Chasing Insurance (edited)

You may have noticed that today's posting is late, I blame the Indian Summer that has invaded our normally autumnal October, so at 11.43 in the evening in the UK, which is the next day in mainland Europe; I broach a subject that may be slightly controversial. I am grateful to Paddy for his thoughts on this piece.

Have you had an accident in your car recently? Tell us how many solicitors, car hire forms and accident repairers contacted you It seems that a few insurance companies appear to be involved in, what can only be described as, ambulance chasing rackets. Is that your experience in the UK? Is this the same on mainland Europe?

I heard of a person fell off a ladder last year. As Paddy said above, this person has been constantly bombarded by quotations and "Can we help you claim from who was at fault?" in their text box on their phone and "Was there a blame?" in their inbox of their email account. Have their details been sold as part of a luxury package of data collection from a hospital or an insurance company? For those, who were worried this person has now recovered and has since been back up a ladder.

Would you join a campaign to make insurance for whiplash an extra cost and so car insurance costs can be seriously reduced? An article in the Daily Telegraph from June of 2011 described the situation that motor insurance companies are selling people's details to "no win, no fee" claims companies.

"The Labour MP for Blackburn," Jack Straw, "said the cost of personal injury claims has doubled to £14 billion in 10 years."


What other grievances have farmers, be they from the South of England or from the continent, had? I certainly know that if I am sitting down to a bit of cheese and an apple, what is the French equivalent of a ploughman's lunch(?), I know that if the phone rings at midday, it will be a very kind man from India asking me if I am happy with my computer, electricity, gas, sewerage (delete where applicable) services. I do try to be very polite if they ring at another time, but I find that they get very upset if I ask them if they can see tigers. They reply that they state they are unable to say where there are calling from due to company policy - ironically, leopards are now patrolling the streets of Mumbai due to a conflict of the shanty towns and the local nature reserve (named Sanjay Gandi).

I would be glad to hear of your problems (within reason) that stem from your agricultural employment, have a good week.