The number of motor insurance claims settled in the UK in 2020 was down by 19%, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI).
The organisation said the falls was not surprising due to periods of lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic meaning that significantly fewer vehicle journeys were made.
Total payments also fell, but by only 6%, while the average personal injury claim was in fact up by 13%, to £12,100, and the overall average, also including vehicle repair claims, was up by 17% to £4,000.
The average price paid for private comprehensive insurance during the year was £465, which according to the ABI maintained a four-year low.
ABI manager for general insurance Laura Hughes said: “The pandemic has forced many motorists to change their driving habits. Predictably, lockdowns have led to far fewer vehicles on the roads, reflected in the fall in the number of motor claims.
“As we edge back to some form of normality, cost pressures remain, such as increasing vehicle repair costs, reflecting ever more complex vehicle technology.
“With the average personal injury claim rising last year, the advent of the whiplash claims portal in May should help control whiplash costs, while ensuring that proportionate compensation is paid to genuinely injured claimants.”