A whiplash claim is a personal injury claim for a neck, back or shoulder soft-tissue injury caused by a road accident that was someone else’s fault; for drivers and passengers in England and Wales it is valued under a fixed government tariff through the Official Injury Claim service, it needs a medical report before it can settle, and National Accident Support Line assesses the claim, handles your replacement vehicle and repair where the accident wasn’t your fault, and refers the injury to a specialist solicitor with a callback within 2 minutes.
Whiplash is the injury most people get and most people play down. A shunt at the lights, a stiff neck the next morning, and a week of not being able to look over your shoulder to reverse. It rarely shows on a scan, it usually settles in weeks, and insurers treat it with suspicion, which is why the rules for claiming it changed in 2021. What has not changed is that a driver who was not at fault is entitled to be put back where they were, and that includes the car, the excess and the days off work, not just the neck.
No excess to pay if the accident wasn’t your fault. Fill in our form and we’ll call you back within 2 minutes.
What whiplash is and how it happens
Whiplash is a soft-tissue injury to the neck caused by the head being thrown forward and back, or side to side, faster than the muscles and ligaments can control. Rear-end collisions are the usual cause, at any speed; a 10mph shunt is enough. Symptoms often appear hours later: neck pain and stiffness, headaches at the base of the skull, shoulder and upper back pain, dizziness, pins and needles in the arms. Most cases recover within a few weeks to a few months. Some do not, and a whiplash injury that lasts beyond six months is a different claim from one that settles in three weeks.
How a whiplash claim works since 2021
For drivers and passengers injured in England and Wales, whiplash claims worth under £5,000 are made through the Official Injury Claim service, a government portal, and the injury itself is valued under a fixed tariff that depends on how long the symptoms last. A medical report from an independent expert is required before any settlement; insurers cannot settle a whiplash claim without one. Motorcyclists, cyclists, pedestrians and children are outside the tariff and claim in the usual way. The tariff covers the whiplash injury only. Everything else the accident cost you sits outside it and is claimed separately: lost earnings, treatment and physiotherapy, travel, care from family, your excess, and a replacement vehicle while yours was off the road.
| Part of the claim | How it’s valued | Who handles it |
|---|---|---|
| The whiplash injury (driver or passenger) | Fixed tariff by duration of symptoms, medical report required | Specialist solicitor, through the Official Injury Claim service |
| Other injuries in the same accident | Outside the tariff, valued on the evidence | Specialist solicitor |
| Lost earnings, treatment, travel, care | Outside the tariff, claimed on receipts and evidence | Specialist solicitor |
| Replacement vehicle and repair | Recovered from the at-fault insurer | NASL, through credit hire |
| Motorcyclist, cyclist, pedestrian, child | Not subject to the tariff | Specialist solicitor |
What National Accident Support Line does on a whiplash claim
Two things. Where the accident wasn’t your fault, we handle the vehicle side directly: a like-for-like replacement while yours is repaired, the repair or write-off value, and the recovery of those costs from the at-fault driver’s insurer, so you pay no excess and do not use your own policy. And we refer the injury to a specialist solicitor who runs it through the Official Injury Claim process on a no win no fee basis. Both start from one call. If the accident was your fault, we tell you straight and point you to your own insurer.
No excess to pay if the accident wasn’t your fault. Fill in our form and we’ll call you back within 2 minutes.
The situations people describe to us
“The insurer offered me a few hundred pounds on the phone”
Early offers are common and are usually made before any medical report exists. Under the 2021 rules a whiplash claim cannot be settled without one, and an early offer rarely includes the rest of what the accident cost you. Get it checked before you accept.
“It didn’t hurt until the next day”
Normal. Whiplash symptoms often appear hours later as the adrenaline goes. See a GP as soon as symptoms start, so the injury is on your medical record with a date close to the accident.
“My neck’s fine now but my car is still off the road”
Then the vehicle side is the claim that matters, and it is the part NASL handles directly: like-for-like replacement, repair, and the costs recovered from the at-fault insurer. See claiming after a non-fault car accident.
“I was a passenger, can I claim?”
Yes, against whichever driver was at fault, including the driver of the car you were in. The claim is against the insurer, not the person.
What to do after a whiplash injury
See a GP or A&E as soon as you have symptoms, and follow the advice on movement and pain relief. Report the accident to your own insurer even if you are not claiming through them. Keep the other driver’s details, photos of both vehicles and any dashcam footage. Keep receipts for treatment, travel and anything else the injury has cost you, and a note of every day off work. Don’t accept an early offer without advice. Then get in touch.
How a whiplash claim works with National Accident Support Line
Tell us what happened, by the form, WhatsApp or a call to 0333 212 2730, and web enquiries are called back within 2 minutes during opening hours. We confirm the accident wasn’t your fault, arrange your replacement vehicle and repair, and refer the injury to a specialist solicitor who runs it on a no win no fee basis. NASL is an FCA-regulated claims management company, not a law firm. Serious injuries after a road accident are covered on our road traffic accident claims page, and the personal injury claims in the UK page explains what every injury claim involves.
Frequently asked questions
Can I claim for whiplash?
Yes, if the accident was someone else’s fault and you saw a doctor. Drivers and passengers claim under the Official Injury Claim tariff; riders, cyclists, pedestrians and children claim in the usual way.
How long do I have to make a whiplash claim?
Three years from the date of the accident in England and Wales.
Do I need a medical report?
Yes. Since 2021 a whiplash claim cannot be settled without a report from an independent medical expert.
Does the tariff cover everything?
No. It covers the whiplash injury itself. Lost earnings, treatment, travel, care, your excess and a replacement vehicle are claimed separately.
Can I get a replacement car while my whiplash claim is running?
Yes, if the accident wasn’t your fault. A like-for-like replacement is arranged through credit hire, with the cost recovered from the at-fault driver’s insurer.
Will a whiplash claim affect my insurance?
The claim is against the at-fault driver’s insurer, so your no-claims discount is not used. You should still tell your own insurer the accident happened.
What if my symptoms last longer than expected?
The claim is valued when the medical picture is clear. A whiplash injury that lasts beyond the expected recovery is valued accordingly, and a claim is not settled until the prognosis is known.
No excess to pay if the accident wasn’t your fault. Fill in our form and we’ll call you back within 2 minutes.
National Accident Support Line Ltd is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of regulated claims management activities, registration number 829991.