Lawyers in Western Australia are angling for a new professional indemnity regime, saying the current system is inflexible and unnecessarily expensive.

Law Society of WA President Wayne Martin wants the State Government to create a statutory insurance provider similar to Victoria’s Legal Practitioners Liability Committee. At present the Law Society deals directly with commercial underwriters to negotiate the compulsory cover for its members.

“It’s not a very flexible model,” Mr Martin told Sunrise Exchange News.

He says the society’s relatively small membership is unable to negotiate effectively with the major PI insurers. A single, dedicated and non-profit underwriter would be able to offer more effective cover at cheaper rates.

“Obviously there are economies of scale present,” Mr Martin said. “We’re not the biggest game in town.”

The Law Society is also hoping to shed its insurance negotiation responsibility, saying finding cover for barristers and solicitors is not part of its core business. It has spent several months lobbying for change.

Mr Martin says reform of PI arrangements is now the group’s top agenda item.

A spokesman for WA Attorney-General Jim McGinty did not return calls from Sunrise Exchange News yesterday.