Well , yeah , this is a large part of the issue really . In the UK accident claims all follow set amount of payouts . If you get whiplash its x amount , broken arm , x amount , etc . It allows for insurers to better calculate possible claim payouts and plan accordingly without , hopefully , affecting premiums . Here in Ireland you could get someone who suffers a broken arm in a crash , but depending on what story or situation is presented to the judge the payouts can vary wildly . Coupled with insurance scams and questionable claims it makes risk mitigation for insurers largely a guessing game . This obviously isn ' t the sole issue in the seemingly endless elevation of car insurance cover , but it accounts for a significant portion of it .