A blazing row over rights to the name `PMI’ is close to resolution as York-based intermediary Private Medical Insurance Consultancy agreed to relaunch as PMIC subject to receiving compensation.
Private Medicine Intermediaries had threatened legal action against the York company on grounds of misrepresentation. The Northwich-based intermediary claimed to have a national reputation as `PMI’ and accused the other organisation of “passing itself off’ as Private Medicine Intermediaries by using the same trading style.
However, Private Medical Insurance Consultancy company director Graham Storey maintained that although the logos were similar, his company trades under its full title.
Solicitors for Private Medicine Intermediaries initially requested that the other company stop using the trading style `PMI’ and compensate their client for this infringement of rights.
But Private Medical Insurance Consultancy’s legal representatives replied that there was no evidence that the Northwich company had lost anything because of the similar names and, in any case, PMI was an industry-wide accepted acronym for private medical insurance rather than for Private Medicine Intermediaries.
However, Storey has offered to change his company’s logo, on receipt of suitable compensation. Private Medicine Intermediaries Director Liz Hammond said: “Private Medical Insurance Consultancy has now agreed not to use PMI as its trading style. I am delighted that we have been able to resolve the matter amicably.”