The website hosting the new portal for low value road traffic accident claims has been launched, with confirmation that it will be called 'Official Injury Claim'. Those representatives and organisations requiring access to the portal have now been given the opportunity to start their registration. The portal will handle road traffic claims where the Claimant's injury claim is valued up to £5,000 with a maximum total claim value of up to £10,000.

The launch of the portal is consistent with assurances from the Ministry of Justice and Motor Insurers Bureau that the portal and associated reforms will be implemented in April 2020 as planned. Testing will continue on the new portal system ahead of April.

The necessary changes to the Civil Procedure Rules increasing the small claims track limit for RTA claims to £5,000, as well as the introduction of a formal Pre-Action Protocol setting out the rules of the new portal, have yet to be completed.

There remains a lack of clarity on the specific handling of credit-based claims, which are set to be handled outside the new portal, as well as details of the independent liability evaluation available to unrepresented claimants should liability not be admitted by the insurer.

The Official Injury Claim website can be found here.

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