A report by Gocompare.com found that despite nearly two thirds of motorists feeling that personal injury claims were pushing up the cost of insurance for everyone, almost the same number (63%) still believe it’s fine for people to try to get compensation if they have been seriously injured in a road accident which wasn’t their fault,

The findings come as the Association of British Insurers (ABI) released new proposals today to curb the UK’s whiplash epidemic.

Under the new plans anyone claiming whiplash injury would be required to undergo examination by an accredited medical expert.

Everyday 1,500 people claim whiplash injury, with the total number of claimants a year now able to fill Old Trafford more than seven times over, the ABI said.

Reported whiplash has risen by nearly a quarter in the last four years, despite the number of road accidents falling, with whiplash claims costing £2bn a year, adding an extra £90 a year to the average motor insurance premium.

Scott Kelly, head of motor services at Gocompare.com, said: “Unfortunately, it’s increasingly inevitable that a road accident will be swiftly followed by a claim for some sort of personal injury. And while genuine claims should be encouraged, inflated or false claims, which result in higher premiums for everyone as insurers pass the bill on to all drivers, must be addressed.

“Part of the blame lies with the claims companies which target people by telling them they can make thousands of pounds by claiming for injuries sustained in an accident on the road. New laws being introduced this April to ban referral fees and the use of incentives by claims management companies will hopefully go some way towards reducing the number of fake and exaggerated personal injury claims being made.

“We hope that Government and industry-led initiatives will result in a more effective way of distinguishing between genuine claimants and have-a-go compensation chasers. If insurers are able to make sure they are only paying out for genuine claims, this will hopefully be reflected in all of our car insurance premiums.”