Jack Straw cracking whip on accident claims in East Lancashire (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Jack Straw cracking whip on accident claims in East Lancashire
6:00pm Wednesday 12th December 2012 in News
By Bill Jacobs, Local government reporter
Jack Straw crackingwhip on accident claims in East Lancashire
CAMPAIGNING Blackburn MP Jack Straw has welcomed new government plans to reduce the soaring growth of whiplash claims which have caused rocketing car insurance premiums in East Lancashire.
His endorsement of the move announced yesterday by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling was backed by Burnley Liberal Democrat Gordon Birtwistle and Rossendale and Darwen Tory Jake Berry.
The minister launched a consultation on making it easier for insurers to challenge such claims.
Independent medical panels could assess the validity of whiplash cases and allow insurers to use the small claims court for cases worth less than £5,000, rather than just £1,000.
Mr Grayling said honest drivers had been paying for a system open to abuse for too long. Under gover- nment plans, panels would try to ensure genuine cases went ahead.
But he said fraudulent, exaggerated or misrepresented ones would be robustly challenged.
The government said there had been a 60 per cent increase in personal injury claims relating to road accidents since 2006, despite a 20 per cent fall in reported accidents, leading to 1,500 whiplash claims in the UK every day.
Insurers say that whiplash claims cost them £2bn a year, which is equivalent to £90 per policy with premiums in East Lancashire, especially in Blackburn, being among the highest in the country.
Mr Straw said: “I have been campaigning about this for 18 months and these moves should help bring down unnecessarily high insurance premiums in East Lancashire by bringing to an end ludicrous and fraudulent claims.”
Mr Berry said he was deluged by texts and calls from claims companies after a recent accident to make a whiplash claim. Bogus and fraudulent claims must be stopped.”
Mr Birtwistle said: “Bogus whiplash claims put up the cost of everybody’s insurance.”
Comments are closed on this article.
Comments (38)
6:38pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Info-warrior says...
with a special guest appearance by Georgie Osborne (submissive) being whipped to an inch of creating some growth...
6:47pm Wed 12 Dec 12
warren2007 says...
6:49pm Wed 12 Dec 12
ghanto says...
cheers
6:57pm Wed 12 Dec 12
GIBUCK says...
7:11pm Wed 12 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
That includes your mother your sister your daughter and anyone else I have failed to mention in your household.
8:19pm Wed 12 Dec 12
GIBUCK says...
8:36pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Rimbus says...
8:40pm Wed 12 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
Not a dishonest tmat like you!
8:46pm Wed 12 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
8:53pm Wed 12 Dec 12
DEO VOLENTE says...
Deus Vobiscum
8:57pm Wed 12 Dec 12
ste.g says...
9:05pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Rimbus says...
10:04pm Wed 12 Dec 12
GIBUCK says...
10:09pm Wed 12 Dec 12
juanbbien says...
11:13pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Reality50 says...
11:56pm Wed 12 Dec 12
George White Bread says...
I have friends who take collision statements on behalf of insurance companies and the vast majority of their work takes them to the Blackburn, Burnley, Bradford and
Oldham areas. The fact Is that this type of crime is on the whole committed by certain sections of "the community" for whatever reason that may be. It is a huge costly problem that needs addressing. Although old Sen C Ble will no doubt disagree.
11:03am Thu 13 Dec 12
prince of darkness says...
11:54am Thu 13 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
Now deny it you bunch of porkies, and Gifuk, next time I ram you i'll ensure your exhaust is well shafted,
Northing new from troll Rimpuss, I see, and who the **** is George brown bread?
12:04pm Thu 13 Dec 12
GIBUCK says...
12:14pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
You ancient old rottin chub.
1:00pm Thu 13 Dec 12
GIBUCK says...
1:02pm Thu 13 Dec 12
GIBUCK says...
2:00pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
When you off next?
2:06pm Thu 13 Dec 12
superfly agaric says...
Utter rubbish. Just because you, your family and your neighbours are all at it doesn't mean the rest of Europe is. I would bet that the higher the percentage of asians, the higher the number of claims there are. As we are lucky enough to have the most asians then we are lucky enough to have the most cash-for-crash claims in the UK.
Switzerland, Slovakia, Czech Rep, Sweden - I wonder how many of their towns have had massive insurance increases? Not many.
2:24pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
Haven't you got domestic violence at christmas or even test drive car theft to comment on, rather than appearing as a superidiot! If statistics were ever produced showing the intense of insurance claims by the indegenous, I would gladly plaster your ugly pea brained skull with rottin egg.
Merry CVhristmas!
2:37pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
Now shove that into your insurance claim statistics. Superidiot!
3:37pm Thu 13 Dec 12
GIBUCK says...
3:40pm Thu 13 Dec 12
GIBUCK says...
4:22pm Thu 13 Dec 12
George White Bread says...
I really don't know why you're so bitter all the time.
5:16pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
5:23pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
5:30pm Thu 13 Dec 12
GIBUCK says...
5:50pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
8l00dy tongue fu.
6:13pm Thu 13 Dec 12
George White Bread says...
6:59pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
12:59am Fri 14 Dec 12
Rimbus says...
10:49am Fri 14 Dec 12
Caspar the ghost says...
11:04am Fri 14 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
I'll continue to lead and you follow, on a lead as a mutt you are. What actually makes you believe that i'll be wishing to speak to you soon? Kindly refer to all replies to your post. Each one regards you as a troll. My power and my strength is a reason for you to envy. Rimpu55!