Whiplash claimants should face medical examination, say insurers
Insurers have stepped up their efforts to curb a 'whiplash' claims culture in the UK.
As reported in Drive last week, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) reckons a fifth of all car insurance premiums go towards paying for whiplash claims.
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Whiplash claims account for a fifth of car insurance premium costs
Now the ABI says anyone claiming whiplash injury should be required to undergo examination by an accredited medical expert who has financial independence from the claimant's solicitors.
The ABI says 1,500 people claim whiplash injury each day, inflating the average motor insurance premium by £90 a year.
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The ABi is also proposing the small claims track threshold would rise from £1,000 to £5,000, and that any claimant whose whiplash claim is in part exaggerated or made up should automatically have their entire claim dismissed.
James Dalton, the ABI's Assistant Director of Motor and Liability, said: "We believe our proposals offer the best cure for the UK's whiplash epidemic. Insurers want to make it simpler and quicker for genuine whiplash claimants to get fair compensation. But whiplash is notoriously difficult to diagnose, which means that for too many people it has become the fraud of choice."
6 Comments
by OutsideView
Friday, March 15 2013, 9:42AM
“Just remember we all pay for this in one form or another!”
by OutsideView
Thursday, March 14 2013, 8:20PM
“What has happened to the principle of " He Who Claims Must Prove" ?”
by josdave
Thursday, March 14 2013, 7:06PM
“It is a fact that the number of false and overstated claims are the reason insurance premiums go up year on year and the false claims for whiplash are the largest number. Claiming for whiplash is bit like saying you've got a bad back it's very difficult to disprove which is the reason so many people try it on and get away with it. Add solicitors costs to the compensation and these people are costing us money.”
by josdave
Thursday, March 14 2013, 7:03PM
“It is a fact that the number of false and overstated claims are the reason insurance premiums go up year on year and the false claims for whiplash are the largest number. Claiming for whiplash is bit like saying you've got a bad back it's very difficult to disprove which is the reason so many people try it on and get away with it. Add solicitors costs to the compensation and these people are costing us money.”
by m_dalston
Thursday, March 14 2013, 5:31PM
“Of course ABI - blame your customers. Why don't you report the fact that say (pick one at random) Direct Line, makes £100 million pounds profit a quarter from motor insurance policies? Please also include in your report how after a claim, you sell on your customer details to personal injury lawyer scvm who then bombard you with cold calls for years to come?
The one claim I ever made after years of paying premiums was when my car got stolen - according to the insurance company it was worth £3500 less then what I had paid 3 months earlier.
Next time I shall claim for everything I can.”
by evs72
Thursday, March 14 2013, 5:28PM
“I had someone clip the back of my car 2 weeks ago pulling past me at a junction and just leave a scrape,contacted insurers to get sorted and have had calls every day since from companies asking me about my injuries....that happened as a car went past me at 3 miles an hour!!!
the whole thing is being pushed by the insurers.the same ones that state their policicies are getting dearer due to all the whiplash claims.
maybe the insurers should get their act together before they blame the people that they insure”