BOLTON law firm Keoghs has been given a bigger role in dealing with Axa Insurance's litigation claims.

The French insurance giant, which has a claims and underwriting operation at two sites in Bolton and employs 385 people, has reduced its litigation panel of 12 solicitors' offices to six. Two of those are Keoghs.

As well as the Bolton office, the Keoghs site in Coventry will also retain its place when the new panel comes into effect on October 1.

David Tyson, head of litigation at Keoghs, said: "Naturally we are delighted to have been selected and we will continue to serve their requirements through what is a mutually beneficial partnership for AXA, their customers and us."

The reduction in panel members is mainly due to a large fall in the volume of litigated claims because of improved performance in AXA's claims handling offices.

Matthew Scott, head of liability claims and professional services for AXA, said: "A reduction in the number of our contracted solicitors offices was vital in order to sustain effective and efficient business operations.

"It has been a difficult decision given that all of the offices on our previous panel provided us with good level of service."

Mr Scott said that the company was confident that the selection process had resulted in a panel that was "very well suited to our future requirements".

As well as Keoghs in Bolton and Coventry, the revised panel will comprise Beachcroft Wansboroughs (Birmingham), Capital Law (Cardiff), Cartwrights (Bristol) and Morgan Cole (Reading).

Mr Scott added that the AXA catastrophic claim legal panel and the arrangements for Scottish solicitor firms remain unchanged by the review.