Whiplash Reforms

In 2021, the UK government introduced the Whiplash Reforms as part of a sweeping overhaul of how people injured in road traffic accidents can seek compensation. The reforms promised to reduce fraudulent claims, speed up the process, and lower insurance premiums. What’s happened since has been the exact opposite — and it’s people like you, injured through no fault of your own, who are paying the price.

As a solicitor with nearly 15 years of personal injury experience, I’ve seen firsthand how broken this system has become.

What Were the Whiplash Reforms Meant to Do?

The government’s intention was to clamp down on so-called “compensation culture” by reducing payouts for soft tissue injuries and encouraging people to represent themselves. They created a new online system — the Official Injury Claim (OIC) portal — which was supposed to make it easy for individuals to bring claims without needing a lawyer.

The logic? Less money spent on legal costs = cheaper car insurance.

But it hasn’t worked.

According to the Law Society’s official response to the government’s post-implementation review, 89% of injured people still feel the need to seek help from a professional, despite the portal being designed for “litigants in person.” Why? Because it’s not simple, it’s not fair, and it’s not working. (Law Society response)

A Fall in Claims — But Not Because Roads Are Safer

Legal Futures reported that motor injury claims have dropped to the lowest level ever recorded. Not because fewer people are being hurt — but because the system now discourages people from claiming at all. Many give up entirely. (Legal Futures article)

Others contact me after struggling to navigate the portal, only to be told I can’t help — because I simply cannot run claims that involve only whiplash injuries anymore. They’re not financially viable, due to the reforms capping legal costs and slashing damages to arbitrary, fixed figures. It breaks my heart turning these people away. They’ve done nothing wrong, but the law is now stacked against them.

At Inson Legal, I still run mixed injury claims — for example, whiplash plus a concussion, wrist fracture, or knee injury — and I run them within the OIC portal. But let me be honest: even with my experience, the system is far from straightforward. If I find it complex as a solicitor who’s been doing this for over a decade, how is a layperson meant to manage it on their own?

So Where Did the Savings Go?

Here’s the kicker: insurance companies were predicted to save £2.2 billion from the reforms. They’ve made record profits. But have premiums gone down?

No. In fact, car insurance premiums have gone up by 69% since the reforms came in, as reported by Legal Futures. (Legal Futures)

You’re getting less justice, more complexity, and still paying more for your policy.

A System That Shames the Injured

Let’s not forget how the media often paints claimants — the headlines still suggest that if you’re making a claim, you’re gaming the system. It’s false. There are hundreds of barristers, solicitors, judges and medical experts across the country working hard to help genuinely injured people navigate the legal system.

And yes — there are genuine injuries from low-speed crashes. I’ve represented countless people left in pain for months or even years after being rear-ended in traffic.

A Better Way Forward?

The Law Society, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, and countless others are now urging the government to reconsider these failed reforms. Because right now, the only real winners are the insurers.

The rest of us? We’re stuck with a system that lets people suffer in silence. That’s not justice — that’s policy failure.

At Inson Legal, I believe that nobody should suffer an injury in silence just to protect insurance company profits. Whiplash only claims are just not viable to run anymore.

If you’ve got whiplash injuries and other injuries (wrist, knee, head etc) and are unsure about your rights, it’s worth seeking proper legal advice.

You shouldn't have to go it alone — but sadly, under the current system, far too many are being forced to.