Steve Tolan, professional advisor for The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), said: "If you've got a doctor who has never carried out physiotherapy and does not really know the detail of what a physiotherapist does, then it's a little bit odd to have them deciding how many physio treatments a patient should have. It doesn't make sense that a doctor decides how many physio treatments are given because a doctor isn't a physiotherapist.

"What we'd like to do is be in the position to take part in the insurance assessments so that we can really make the best and most cost-effective decisions for the patients and wider-population."

A report by the Institute & Faculty of Actuaries last month revealed the average third party insurance claim for a Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD) is £8,400. Speaking on the thousands of claims management firms, Mr Tolan said the 'No Win, No Fee' culture that has spread across the Atlantic to Britain 'can be perceived as an incentive for people to make spurious claims'.

Injuries reportedly cost the insurance industry £400m, with Birmingham proving to be the whiplash capital of Britain. Claims management firms are frequently criticised for prompting accident victims - even if they are not injured - to claim compensation. The high number of claims for the Birmingham area is reflective of the huge concentration of claims management firms in the West Midlands.

Most whiplash associated disorders can not be detected by x-rays or MRI scans as many are 'soft muscle tissue' injuries, which most doctors can not pick up on, Mr Tolan explained.

Many genuine whiplash claimants could be missing out on important treatment by doctors suspecting they are fine. However, many doctors are still cautious and send whiplash claimants to be checked-up by physiotherapists.

"When we're looking at patients, because the physios aren't normally involved with the assessment in relation to an insurance claim, whilst we take that into account as a possible factor to consider in terms of what the likely end result will be, the physio is looking at them purely as the patient who has turned up on that day with a particular problem," Mr Tolan added.

He suggested that possible increases in the number of whiplash claimants could be attributed to the tough economic times, with more people buddying up in cars because of the costs of fuel, meaning there are often more occupants for every car that is involved in an accident.