• Report states approximately 80% of motor personal injury claims are whiplash & there is an indication ‘less severe injuries in Ireland tend to attract higher levels of damages’
• Commission’s first report recommends standardised approach for assessment and reporting of soft tissue injuries

Issued 7 December 2017. Insurance Ireland has welcomed the first report of the Personal Injures Commission as an important step in tackling the cost of claims in the Irish insurance market.

Since it was establishment earlier this year as part of the Cost of Insurance Working Group Report, the Personal Injuries Commission has been evaluating claims settlement processes in other jurisdictions which could enhance the claims process in Ireland.  

The first report of the Commission recommends a standardised approach for the assessment and reporting of soft tissue injuries, the promotion of training and accreditation for medical professionals who complete personal injury medical reports and the linking of future editions of the Book of Quantum to the new injury categories.

Kevin Thompson, CEO of Insurance Ireland stated, “The recommendations in today’s first report are welcome, however, the next stage of the Commission’s work involves the benchmarking of our awards with other jurisdictions and this is critically important for the cost of claims.”

“Today’s report cites the Personal Injuries Assessment Board’s estimate that approximately 80% of motor personal injury claims are ‘whiplash’ related and states that less severe injuries in Ireland tend to attract higher levels of damages. This underscores the need for new means to inform assessments of appropriate soft tissue awards and the proposals on standardised scales and reporting are welcome first steps.”

Kevin concluded, “Insurance Ireland would have liked to have seen the adoption of independent medical panels for assessing injuries as they are commonplace across Europe and can assist the assessment of awards in a non-adversarial manner. A similar system exists for the Department of Social Protection’s Disablement Benefit Scheme and Insurance Ireland believes independent medical panels would have significant benefits for the claims settlement process in Ireland.”

Ends

Media contact:

John Byrne

Communications Manager, Insurance Ireland

Tel: (+353) 01 644 7781 / 087 938 3852

Nuala Buttner

Q4 Public Relations

Tel: 01 475 1444 / 085 174 4275