Ministers set to clamp down on whiplash injury claims
Whiplash injury claims cost insurers more than £2 billion last year, adding around £90 to the cost of a typical car insurance policy, according to research by the AA.
The insurer’s findings come as Transport Secretary Justine Greening and Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke get set to unveil whiplash injury reforms at a second insurance summit in Whitehall.
Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, said there has now been enough talking and hopes that the summit is the last talking shop.
The insurer said that over the past two years, claims for whiplash injury have contributed to the biggest car insurance premium increases ever recorded by its index.
In the past two years, the average Shoparound quote for a comprehensive policy rose by nearly 50 per cent, the AA added.
Mr Douglas said: “I hope that Wednesday’s announcement will see a tight timescale applied to reform of the civil litigation which at present, encourages people to make a claim regardless of how serious their injury is or even if they have not suffered injury at all.
“Importantly, we need reforms that clamp down on cold-call claims management and personally injury firms who have contributed to the growth of claims.”
He added: “Reform can’t come soon enough.
“It is wrong that injury claims are rising while the number of accidents on Britain’s roads is falling.”
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