Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 June 2019
51. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Finance his plans to address the difficulties being faced by businesses nationally experiencing rising insurance costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25611/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra54. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Finance the steps he is taking to support local businesses in County Wicklow with increasing insurance costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25356/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra55. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Finance the actions he is taking to assist small businesses nationally which are struggling to renew their insurance policies and facing rising insurance costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25610/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra60. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Finance the steps he is taking to reduce the cost of public liability insurance for community groups and community events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25568/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra68. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Finance his plans to address the rising cost of insurance for street performers and other artists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24329/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra71. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Finance his plans to address the rising cost of mart insurance premiums; if he has commissioned research or reports on the impact of high insurance costs on rural business and community development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22796/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 51, 54, 55, 60, 68 and 71 together.
I acknowledge the general problems across the country as a whole faced by many small businesses (including marts), community and voluntary groups, as well as other sectors such as street performers in relation to the cost and availability of insurance. I also appreciate that there is some frustration about the perceived pace of reform. Unfortunately, there is no single policy or legislative “silver bullet” to immediately stem or reverse premium price rises. This is because there are many constraints faced by the Government in trying to address this issue in particular the fact that for constitutional reasons, it cannot direct the courts as to the award levels that should be applied and for legal reasons it cannot direct insurance companies as to the pricing level which they should apply in respect of businesses seeking insurance.
However, I wish to re-emphasise how important this issue is for the Government. Consequently, following the publication of its Report on the Cost of Motor Insurance in 2017, the Cost of Insurance Working Group (CIWG) undertook an examination of the employer liability and public liability insurance sectors. This second phase culminated in the publication in January 2018 of the Report on the Cost of Employer and Public Liability Insurance. I believe there has been significant progress in the implementation of the two CIWG Reports. Examples include the following:
- the establishment of the Personal Injuries Commission, and its subsequent recommendations relating to addressing award levels for soft tissue injuries – this has provided the objective evidence we need to be able to address award levels;
- the establishment of the National Claims Information Database in the Central Bank to increase transparency around the future cost of private motor insurance; the Central Bank is currently reviewing the possibility of expanding is scope to cover business insurance;
- reforms to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board through the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Act 2019;
- amendments to Sections 8 and 14 of the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 to make it easier for businesses and insurers to challenge cases where fraud or exaggeration is suspected;
- the reform of the Insurance Compensation Fund to provide certainty to policyholders and insurers; and,
- various reforms of how fraud is reported to and dealt with by An Garda Síochána, including increased co-ordination with the insurance industry, as well as the recent decision by the Garda Commissioner to develop a divisional focus on insurance fraud which will be guided by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) which will also train Gardaí all over the country on investigating insurance fraud, and the recent success under Operation Coatee, which targets insurance-related criminality.
I believe that these reforms are having a significant impact with regard to private motor insurance (CSO figures from May 2019 show that the price of motor insurance is now 24.5% lower than the July 2016 peak). The Government is determined to continue working to ensure that these positive pricing trends can be extended to other forms of insurance, including those relevant to businesses.
Undoubtedly the single most essential challenge which must be overcome if there is to be a sustainable reduction in insurance costs particularly for small businesses is to bring the levels of personal injury damages awarded in this country more in line with those awarded in other jurisdictions. In this regard, the Personal Injuries Commission has highlighted the significant differential between award levels in Ireland and other jurisdictions, and has made a number of recommendations to address this issue, in particular the establishment of a Judicial Council to compile guidelines for appropriate general damages for various types of personal injury. Both I and Minister of State D’Arcy believe that this awards gap needs to be significantly closed and we are working with the Minister for Justice and Equality, Mr Charlie Flanagan TD, to ensure that this happens at the earliest opportunity. In this regard, work is progressing as a matter of priority on the Judicial Council Bill, and it is due to complete Report and Final Stages in the Seanad this week, prior to being submitted to Dáil Éireann shortly thereafter. I would hope that members of both Houses of the Oireachtas can collectively work together to ensure that the Judicial Council Bill is enacted by the summer.
Finally, I would like to assure the Deputy that the Cost of Insurance Working Group will continue to focus on implementing the recommendations of the Report on the Cost of Employer and Public Liability Insurance in parallel with implementing those from the Report on the Cost of Motor Insurance. I am hopeful that the cumulative effects of the completion of the two Reports’ recommendations will include increased stability in the pricing of insurance for businesses and a more competitive insurance market.
