The number of motorists making insurance claims against whiplash injuries continued to rise sharply in 2012.
A new study conducted by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) showed that 90 per cent of all third party claims in England and Wales were for minor neck injuries.
There was a five per cent upturn in the number of whiplash cases last year, with the average person receiving £9,512 by way of compensation.
David Brown, one of the authors of the IFoA report, said the results are baffling, as the number of road collisions has dipped in the past few years.
“The other conclusion that you can draw is that claims farming is on the increase,” he remarked.
A number of organisations have bemoaned the apparent “whiplash epidemic” that is sweeping across the UK, with the Association of British Insurers recently calling on the government to bring the matter under control.
Indeed, the body revealed that whiplash payouts cost the insurance industry a staggering £2 billion in 2012 and the problem looks likely to get even worse unless action is taken to stamp out rogue claims.