A new automated digital tool that enables fleet managers to dispute liability in the Official Injury Claim (OIC) portal has launched.

The new tool helps fleets dispute liability in the Official Injury Claim (OIC) portal

The ACE solution has been developed by international law firm DAC Beachcroft and insurtech Automated Insurance Solutions (AIS) and supports fleets with gathering evidence and preparing compliant witness statements quickly.

The OIC portal launched in May 2021, providing a free and official service for people who suffer road traffic accident related minor injuries, such as whiplash, to claim compensation without the need for legal representation. It’s been developed on behalf of the Ministry of Justice and is run by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB).

Under the new claims process, fleet managers have only 30 working days to upload a compliant witness statement to the OIC portal on behalf of their defendant driver, accompanied by a signed Statement of Truth, if they wish to dispute liability for the accident.

If no liability dispute is raised within the 30 working days, fleet managers cannot after that time defend the claim on the issue of liability.

Peter Allchorne, partner and head of DAC Beachcroft’s Innovations Lab, explained: “This short timescale presents a significant challenge to fleet and transport managers, who must ensure that their drivers prepare and sign witness statements in relation to collisions within the 30-working day period, if they are challenging liability for the claim.

“Obtaining the necessary evidence and a signed Statement of Truth from a defendant driver might previously have taken several weeks, but under the new OIC process fleet managers don’t have the luxury of that time.

“Our new ACE tool provides them with a simple, low-cost, automated digital solution to enable them to safeguard against the risk of claims with reasonable prospects of being successfully defended from being compromised,” he said.

The jointly developed tool is powered by insurtech AIS’s BAIL platform, while DACB’s specialist motor lawyers developed the question set that defendant drivers must answer, helping to compile statements that comply with the new OIC requirements.

“We are constantly looking for ways to introduce further automation and efficiencies that benefit our clients,” said Craig Dickson, CEO of DACB’s Claims Solutions Group. “By collaborating with AIS, we have been able to develop yet another innovative solution that makes life easier for our commercial fleet clients.”