Whiplash claims increase despite fall in road accidents

Date: 13/3/2012

Despite a fall in the number of road accidents in the UK, whiplash claims are increasing.

Nick Starling of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) explained there is the equivalent of one claim every minute in Britain - and this is having a serious effect on the country's insurance industry.

It costs the sector £2 billion a year and is increasing the price of the average premium by £90 annually.

"The problem is that if someone presents themselves with a medical certificate saying they have got whiplash, the insurance company would have to prove that they don't have whiplash," Mr Starling noted.

He stated this is difficult and costly for cover providers to do, meaning they have to pay out.

The ABI recently called for a reduction of the high level fees people face when making a personal injury claims following a road accident, as consumers collectively pay £2.4 million a day at present.

Posted by Sarah Bailey