The Alliance for Insurance Reform has said too many personal injuries claims are still going to court. 

The organisation has welcomed a report showing an increase in the number of cases resolved by the Injuries Resolution Board last year - but said more should be handled that way.  

Alliance CEO Brian Hanley is calling on the Government to help get the message across that the IRB is the fairest and fastest way to settle claims - while bringing down the cost of premiums overall.

“It provides for a much more effective and efficient way of resolving personal injury claims and does so in less than half the time than settling a claim via litigation or through the courts,” he said. 

“It also can do it with greatly reduced legal expenses; we know from the recent reports of the Central Bank that legal fees associated with the case settled with the injuries board are just €1,000.

“Whereas they’re up to €23,000 for a case that’s settled in litigation.” 

The Four Courts in Dublin. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Mr Hanley said the cheaper disputes are to resolve, the more affordable insurance is to purchase. 

“We need far more cases being settled [with the Injuries Resolution Board] because there is simply no value in claimants settling in other channels and it will take far longer for them to do so,” he said. 

“Essentially a 60% increase in the overall cost of settling claims when it goes to litigation in the courts is all picked up by policyholders, be they motorists, business owners or sports clubs.” 

In 2024, there were 20,318 personal injury claim applications submitted to the Injuries Resolution Board following road traffic accidents, workplace accidents and public-setting accidents - just 1% more than there were in 2023. 

Main image: A barrister at the Four Courts, Dublin. Picture by: Photocall Ireland.