Lawyers specialising in personal injury claims have called for the profession to be licensed to counter the rising trend in cowboy operators.

The number of rogue and unqualified claims specialists has increased by 25% in the last five years, according to a survey of insurers carried out for the industry body Letselschaderaad.

Lawyers, who are authorised to bring cases to court, must have professional qualifications, but no certificates are needed to set up an advice agency.

Lawyer Chris van Dijk said rogue agencies targeted people who had been involved in road accidents and other incidents. “You can’t see on the internet if someone is good or not. That’s a problem,” he told NOS Radio 1 Journaal.

Many agencies deduct a percentage from the settlement in addition to the fees of €200 an hour, leaving the victims with less than they would have received if they went to a lawyer, Van Dijk said.

“People can’t complain if things go wrong because there are no disciplinary bodies,” he said. “Where can people go if they’re disadvantaged? It’s really bad.”

He called for the sector to be given protected status so that practitioners can be licensed and properly regulated. “It’s madness that it’s not a protected profession already,” he said.