NEARLY 80 per cent of insurance claims against North Yorkshire County council are lost or withdrawn - although in the past five years more than £1.56m has still been paid out for damage caused.

One of the major issues is damage by potholes with over 2,000 claims made since 2012, members of the scrutiny committee have been told.

These soared in 2012/13 following bad weather and the authority had 713 pothole claims. Last year there were 375, although nearly 80 per cent were defended.

Cllr John Blackie said they had to be ready to stand up to unwarranted insurance claims because there was a culture that people could claim because it was a public authority.

He told committee members he knew of one claimant who was the only individual out of 16 on a mini bus to be involved in a minor bump who claimed for whiplash.

He added:“Believe it or not that person got £4,000. He said he got it out of the county council, although it came from the insurance, but there is that culture about claiming against public authorities. You have to be ready to stand up to it - it does exist.”

Insurance manager Fiona Sowerby said the highest number of claims were made against the business and environmental services department which was responsible for roads and paths.

She told the committee: “It is an issue we do defend robustly. Where there is a valid claim we feel we should pay, but there are many things that come into it. There is a vigorous defence of any claim where it is thought that NYCC are not liable.”

In 2012 out of 849 insurance claims, the authority conceded 157; in 2013/14 the council lost 66 out of 440 claims; 2014/15, 66 out of 333 claims were lost and last year of 203 claims the authority lost 44, although some claims could still be outstanding.