The world's biggest insurer - AIG - wants Ireland to consider banning whiplash claims to help counter increasing motor insurance charges.

It is understood the average award for whiplash in France and Germany is between 2,000 -3,000 euro while the average award in Ireland is around €15,000.

In an interview with the Irish Times, AIG general manager Declan O'Rourke, said whiplash awards here were out of kilter with the rest of Europe.

It comes as car insurance premiums have seen an increase in excess of 30% in policies being renewed in the first two months of this year.

Kevin Thompson is the CEO of the Irish Insurance Federation: “I think as a society we need to decide as to what is the level of compensation we want to give to people at the point of a claim.

“If we want high levels of awards well then it is going to factor through to premiums.

“If we want to have reasonable awards because people in accidents should be compensated, but it is our belief they should be compensated at a reasonable level.”