National Accident Helpline welcomes CMC cold calling ban

National Accident Helpline has lent its voice to calls for the UK government to ban claims management companies (CMCs) from cold calling.

A CMC ban was added the Financial Guidance and Claims Bill late last year, and a second reading of the legislation this week saw MPs speak out in support for personal injury claimants and other consumers to be protected.

Simon Trott, managing director of National Accident Helpline, the founder of both the Ethical Marketing Charter and Stop Nuisance Calls campaign, said: “For many years cold calling has been a blight on the personal injury sector, causing stress and inconvenience to the public.”

“National Accident Helpline has been leading the charge on industry calls for a blanket ban on cold calling, and the government’s action to put an end to this unethical practice is long overdue.”

Trott said National Accident Helpline would continue to work with the government “to ensure the effective implementation of the ban, with enforcement carefully considered and properly resourced”.

The Financial Guidance and Claims Bill initially only included a ban on pension cold calling, but an amendment widening its scope to CMCs and personal injury claims was introduced in the House of Lords.

The legislation would also transfer the regulation of CMCs to the Financial Conduct Authority.

National Accident Helpline’s support for the ban comes after insurer Aviva reported that consumers were bombarded with 2.2 billion nuisance calls and texts relating to an injury-related claim, pension, payment protection insurance or other insurance-related matter last year.

Mark Dugdale