News & Insights
Insurers in Ireland maintain high profit margins
Recent reports from the Central Bank and the Injuries Resolution Board suggest that insurers in Ireland are maintaining high profit margins, as personal injury claims fall and award levels decline, MSN reported. According to the Central Bank’s latest National Claims Information Database (NCID) report, insurers recorded a 13% profit margin in 2023—more than twice the […]
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The Irish Independent’s Love Letter to the Injuries Resolution Board Ignores the Grim Reality for Claimants
In a world where headlines are increasingly crafted to pacify rather than provoke, the Irish Independent’s recent ode to the Injuries Resolution Board (IRB) reads less like journalism and more like institutional flattery. Titled “Injuries Resolution Board is a cheap and effective way to settle claims – here’s how it works”, the article is an airy, […]
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Personal injury claims down by more than a third on five years ago
Personal injury claims have declined by more than a third in five years, according to new figures from the Injuries Resolution Board. The Board’s award values report for 2024 highlights key trends from over 20,000 personal injury claim applications and more than 8,000 awards. Claim numbers were 35 per cent lower in 2024 than in 2019, with […]
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Why the Injuries Resolution Board Is Not in Claimants’ Best Interests — A Response to the Alliance for Insurance Reform
We recently came across a blog post from the Alliance for Insurance Reform titled “Public unaware Injuries Resolution Board is cheaper than court”, and the bias was, frankly, astonishing. It reads like a promotional piece for insurers dressed up as public interest commentary. The idea being sold is that the Injuries Resolution Board (IRB) — […]
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Revenue fee arrangement with solicitor not champertous
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal concerning an allegedly champertous contingency fee arrangement between Revenue and its solicitors. Delivering judgment for the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Donald Binchy agreed with the respondent that its fee arrangements were not champertous, that costs do not form part of the “proceeds” of litigation and that […]
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UK Supreme Court Narrows Bank Liability in Fraud Cases – Implications for Irish Financial Institutions
The UK Supreme Court has delivered a significant judgment narrowing the scope of the so-called Quincecare duty, a legal doctrine that has been at the centre of banking liability in cases involving fraud. This development, while emerging from a UK context, carries important considerations for Irish banks and financial professionals. In its ruling, the Court clarified that […]
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£1m payout by Paddy Power after failing to integrate terms and conditions effectively
On 5 March 2025, the High Court in England and Wales held that a consumer was entitled to her £1m ‘Monster Jackpot’ due to inconsistencies created by a multi-document contract. Background In October 2020, Corrine Durber played the Wild Hatter online slot game on Paddy Power’s platform. The game displayed a “Monster Jackpot” win totalling […]
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68% of settlements in 2023 through litigation
A Central Bank report has highlighted that a significant number of injury claims are being settled through litigation rather than the State’s Injuries Resolution Board. According to the report, 68% of settlements in 2023 were made through litigation, despite higher legal costs. Key findings include: The Alliance for Insurance Reform lobby group expressed concerns that the excessive […]
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Aviva Chief ‘Dismayed’ by Plan to Raise Personal Injury Payout Levels
The head of Aviva Insurance Ireland has urged the Government to reject a draft proposal to the Judicial Council that would raise the guidelines for personal injury award payouts, claiming it would undo a decade of reforms. Aviva Insurance Ireland CEO Declan O’Rourke states that Aviva’s average prices for motor insurance in Ireland are lower […]
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High Court: Judge handing legislation to barrister during hearing not evidence of bias
The High Court has refused to grant leave for judicial review of a judge’s refusal to recuse herself due to allegations of bias and of an order lifting the in camera rule. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty explained: “At its height, this is a case in which, as the Supreme Court […]
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Damages of over €83,500 awarded for rear-ending collision
The High Court has awarded damages of €83,563.97 to a man who suffered lumbar and leg injuries in a rear-ending collision in 2020. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Ms Justice Emily Egan found that the plaintiff’s refusal to undergo an epidural injection due to his fear of needles would not be considered a failure […]
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‘Price-fixing’ arrangement alleged between plant hire firms
Manager claims he was ordered to sign off on ‘inflated’ prices and demoted, Workplace Relations Commission hears. A plant hire manager has alleged he was ordered to sign off on “inflated” machinery hire prices as part of an alleged “price-fixing” arrangement – and suffered demotion for raising concerns about it with his bosses. Declan Culliton […]
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