David Cameron pledges action to cut car whiplash claims

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) February 14, 2012 -- As he hosts a meeting in Downing Street with insurance, consumer and business groups, the prime minister will say he wants to stop "trivial claims".

Insurers say whiplash claims cost their industry £2 billion a year and add £90 to the average annual bill.

They want to see a minimum speed below which a whiplash claim can be rejected.

Number 10 said Britain had become "the whiplash capital of Europe", with 1,500 claims a day for even the most minor accidents.

The meeting follows a recommendation last month by the Commons Transport Select Committee that the government should bring forward primary legislation to require objective evidence - both of a whiplash injury and of it having a significant effect on the claimant's life - before compensation is paid.

The MPs said there had been a 70% rise in motor insurance injury claims in the past six years - despite a 23% drop in the number of casualties actually caused by road accidents - and whiplash accounted for 70% of the total.

That amounted to roughly 554,000 whiplash claims in 2010-11.

'Stranglehold'

Mr Cameron is expected to say later that he is "determined to tackle this damaging compensation culture which has been pushing up premiums".

www.injuryclaim-specialist.co.uk

Article source - www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17025155

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