PII increases

Increases in professional indemnity insurance (PII) premiums are driving independent legal practitioners to consultancy for larger firms, according to Taylor Rose MW. The law firm said the number of sole practitioners has dropped five per cent in six months. A LexisNexis report revealed the cost of PII has increased by an average of 30 per cent for SME firms and two-thirds of respondents said PII cost was among the biggest threats to their firm. Research by Mazars suggested firm closures due to failure to obtain insurance have increased sixfold in five years.