Despite Britain’s roads becoming safer, 2012/2013 recorded a record 477,000 claims for whiplash injuries, according to the Association of British Insurers.
The cost of these claims is estimated to add £90 to the premium of every motor insurance policy.
The Transport Select Committee has produced a report calling for changes in the way such claims are handled by insurers, aimed at reducing the cost of fraudulent claims on the average motorist.
Among the proposed changes are the creation of an accreditation scheme for medical practitioners that provide medical reports in support of whiplash claims and a tightening up of claims handling procedures to exclude accepting claims in the absence of proper medical evidence.
In addition, the report calls for the Government to consider applying a shorter limitation period for the commencement of a whiplash claim.