The UK becomes the whiplash capital of the world
A new study carried out by insurance company LV=, suggests that the UK is one of the worst countries in the world for whiplash claims made by motorists and passengers.
The UK is now being dubbed the whiplash capital of the world, as the new report shows that the percentage of whiplash claims made in the UK is higher than in the US; the statistics claim that whiplash accounted for a staggering 78 per cent of all injury claims made in the UK in 2014.
This figure is significantly ahead of any other European country and even the US, where the percentage is 65. The following list details the percentage of whiplash claims made in other EU countries against the overall number of injury claims:
- Italy 68%
- Sweden 61%
- Holland 35%
- Spain 31%
- France 30%
- Denmark 30%
The UK government has already introduced measures in an effort to crackdown on the number of claims made for minor injuries received during road collisions by increasing the personal injury claims in small claims court from £1,000 up to £5,000 and banning claims for soft tissue injuries.
Figures suggest that whiplash claims cost the insurance industry and the UK economy £2.2billion per year, resulting in insurance companies reclaiming their costs by increasing the insurance premiums of all motorists across the country.
Martin Milliner, a director at LV=insurance, commented: “Government makes one change to the system and the fraudsters find a way around it – meaning further action is needed and fraud persists.”
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