Engineer Inspections

Many of you will be aware of the outcome of the recent (April 2021) case of Mhammad Murtada Hodroje v Storm of London Ltd & Ageas Insurance in respect of which a Summary of has been published by Weightmans Solicitors and can be viewed here.

In our view, this case further demonstrates the continuing need for rigour and due diligence in the conduct of all aspects of the claims process, including but not limited to inspecting engineers.

Members may recall that the required qualifications to carry out inspections were diluted in 2019, and the lead trade body, the Institute Of Automotive Engineer Assessors (IAEA) warned at the time that this would lead to a reduction in quality control.

The impact of reducing the quality of inspections is not just an issue for CHCs, but for the industry as a whole.

It is likely that Weightmans and other defendant firms will seek to make capital from this case, which will encourage insurers to redouble their scrutiny of engineer’s reports, and may lead to negative publicity for our sector.

The CHO will be discussing how best to respond and we will ensure members are updated on our response as the issue plays out.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of this including engineer options, please contact matt.rowland@thecho.co.uk.