Accident Advice Helpline

The company was founded on 1 June 2000 by Lawrence Beck and Darren Werth as a claims management company (CMC) and was originally based in the West End of London, before moving to Golders Green.'Accident Advice Helpline Company Handbook

The company started out offering accident management services for people involved in non-fault road traffic accidents. This involved arranging hire cars and crash repairs to victims of road traffic accidents and referring them to solicitors to pursue compensation for injuries sustained. The company then became more focused on offering services to victims of all types of personal injuries, including accidents at work and injuries sustained whilst in public places.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}} By 2004 it had a staff of over 150 people.

CMCs gained prominence after legal aid was abolished for "most personal injury claims" in 2000. They acted as middle men between claimants and solicitors, advertising heavily to attract victims, and charging solicitors fees for investigative work done during the referral process. In 2004 courts found that some CMC fees were actually illegal referral fees, and CMCs began facing regulatory scrutiny and competition from solicitors groups.{{cite web|url=https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/analysis/staking-claims/2427.article |title=Staking claims |publisher=The Law Gazette |author=Nigel Hanson}} AAH founder Lawrence Beck defended the industry claiming the lawyers charged exorbitant fees, did not have the skill set required for advertising/marketing, and were rarely available to small claims clients after business hours.

From 2000 to 2004 there was a rise in false claims across the industry, and many CMCs were derided as ambulance chasers.

The company went into administration in 2004; a director of the parent group Accident Advice Holdings said that this was because First National Bank- one of its financial backers- withdrew from the no-win-no-fee market following the collapse of another firm they had backed, The Accident Group.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2886747/Fourth-personal-injury-claims-firm-fails.html|title=Fourth personal injury claims firm fails|first=Philip|last=Aldrick|publisher=}} A new company, Accident Advice Helpline Direct Group Ltd, was set up.{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}}

AAH was credited by a government report for helping set up the Claims Standards Council and pushing for regulation in the industry. Referral fees were permitted by solicitors in 2004 and further regulation began in 2007.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tvFwe5ZM1wsC|title=The cost of motor insurance: fourth report of session 2010-11, Volume 1 |date = March 11, 2011 |publisher=Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee, Louise Ellman |page=87|isbn=9780215556776 }}{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/best-law-firms/profile-legal/article/a-ban-on-referral-fees-may-be-too-late-for-lawyers-wxn7snxgs85 |title=A Ban on referral fees may be too late for lawyers|last1=Rose|first1=Neil}}

Since 2004 the company has run the AAH Liberty Scheme. This scheme works on a no win no fee basis.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

AAH was sold to Quindell in 2013 after regulatory changes again made referral fees illegal. Under Quindell the company vertically integrated with solicitors to manage the entire claim.{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/d8d27914-3d46-11e2-9e13-00144feabdc0 |title=Accident Advice founders set to sell out |date=December 4, 2012 |author=Alistair Gray |publisher=Financial Times}}{{cite web|url=https://www.insidermedia.com/news/south-east/88050-quindell-acquires-accident-advice-helpline |title=Quindell completes Accident Advice Helpline deal |date= April 9, 2013 |publisher=Insider Media Limited}}{{cite web|url=https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/law/referral-fees-a-true-picture/71086.article |title=Referral fees - a true picture |author1=Andrew Hopper QC |author2=Gregory Treverton-Jones QC |date=June 3, 2013}}

Accident Advice's managing director, Darren Werth, is the Chairman of the Claims Standards Council,{{cite web|url=https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/quindell-buy-top-claims-management-company-third-law-firm-70m |title=Quindell to buy top claims management company and third law firm for £70m |date= December 3, 2012|author=Neil Rose |publisher=Legal Futures}} a trade body representing the industry.{{cite web|url=http://www.claimscouncil.org/about |title=About the Claims Standards Council |publisher=Claims Standards Council |accessdate=2010-06-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327230759/http://www.claimscouncil.org/about |archivedate=2010-03-27 }}

The company is endorsed by journalist and tv presenter Esther Rantzen, former host of That's Life!. Rantzen faced criticism from MP Claire Ward for the ad's format, which was very similar to her daytime chat show Esther.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1448112/Esther-Rantzen-is-condemned-for-backing-no-win-no-fee-company.html|title=Esther Rantzen is condemned for backing 'no win, no fee' company|first=Rajeev|last=Syal|publisher=The Telegraph|date=November 30, 2003}}

In 2011 almost one in three mobile customers in the UK were receiving spam texts promoting accident claims, debt management and insurance companies including AAH. This furthered calls to again ban referral payments.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8599121/Spam-texts-the-firms-behind-the-nuisance-text-messages-about-your-accident.html |title=Spam texts: the firms behind the nuisance text messages about 'your accident' |publisher=The Telegraph |author=Jason Lewis |date=June 25, 2011}}

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• [http://www.accidentadvicehelpline.co.uk/ Accident Advice Helpline website]

Category:British companies established in 2000

Category:Companies based in the London Borough of Harrow

Category:Advice organizations