Reform, claims data and reports in 2025

Injuries Resolution Board

• The most recent data from the IRB report in 2025 shows that in 2024, 20,837 claims were submitted to the Board, down 33% on the level of 2019 but up 3% on the figure in 2023. The data from the last number of years seems to indicate that claims volumes are stabilising between 20,000 – 21,000.
• In respect of quantum, it is noted there was an overall 19% decrease in general damages valuations between 2020 and 2024 but a 5% increase in general damages valuations between 2023 and 2024. The average award across all categories of claims stood at €19,482 in 2024.
• The consent rate for assessments from respondents stood at 70% in 2024 as against 55% in 2020.
• The acceptance rate for assessments was 50% in 2024 as against 51% in 2020 indicating the proportional acceptance rate has not altered in the context of the reform program.
• Special damages assessments by the IRB have increased 31% since 2020 with the impact of inflation being felt across the economy.
• The total value of awards made by the IRB last year was €168 million, which was down by €2 million on 2023 levels and 39% lower than the 2019 figure.

National Claims Information Database

Insurers writing risk in Ireland are now required to submit specific claims data to the Central Bank to facilitate transparent reporting in the form of the National Claims Information Database.

The latest mid-year data release for Employer's and Public Liability Claims revealed some key statistical takeaways:

• The total cost of claims settled in the first half of 2024 was €144m. This was a 10% decrease on the prior 6 months and 12% lower than the pre-COVID 2015-2019 average.
• For injury claims that settled below €150k in the first half of 2024, the average compensation was down 12% compared to 2020, however the average total cost increased by 3% compared to the preceding 6 months. The average total cost of sub €150k claims settling directly with an insurer (€23,739), or through the Injuries Resolution Board (€27,912) have both increased by 11% in the first half of 2024 compared to 2023.
• Considering all claims (including those above €150k) the average cost of claims settling directly with an insurer was 3% lower in the first half 2024 compared to 2020. Claims settling via the Injuries Board are 15% lower in the first half 2024.
• For all litigated claims the average total cost (including damages and legal costs) decreased by 12% from €86,899 in 2023 to €76,715 in the first half 2024.
• Claims settling through litigation still incur by far the largest proportion of total claims costs, being 87% of all injury claim costs in the first half of 2024.
• Overall legal costs in litigation continue to show an upward trend reaching 43% of total costs (or 78% of the compensation award) in the first half 2024. This compares with direct settlements where legal costs were 21% of total cost and the Injuries Resolution Board where legal costs were 2% of total costs.
• Although plaintiff costs have increased since 2019 defence costs have decreased by 8%. As such any inflation in party-party legal costs lies strictly with plaintiffs.

The 2025 Private Motor Insurance Report tells us

• The total cost of claims settled in 2024 was €792m across 166,000 claims. Both the number (+6%) and average cost (+18%) of damage claims increased in 2024 relative to 2023.
• The number of injury claims settled in 2024 increased by 16% relative to 2023. This was still 23% lower than the pre-COVID average.
• Claims frequency has been reducing for all claim types and overall is down 37% from 2010 to 2024. Injury claim frequency in 2024 was 19% lower than the average over 2017 to 2019. Damage claim frequency was 2% higher than the 2017 to 2019 average, driven primarily by accidental damage claims.
• Overall, the average cost of a claim (injury and damage claims combined) increased by 75% between 2010 and 2024, from €2,498 to €4,369.
• The average cost of an injury claim in 2024 was €39,537. This was a 1% increase from the 2023 figure, which was the lowest figure since 2019. The introduction of the Personal Injuries Guidelines in April 2021 has also had an impact on the average cost of injury claims in this period, and in particular can be seen in the reduction to the average cost of injury claims for those less than €250,000 since 2020.
• The average cost of a damage claim increased by 116% overall between 2010 and 2024, from €1,033 to €2,236. The high inflationary environment in recent years has affected the average cost of damage claims across all claim types.

Courts Service Report 2024

The annual Courts Service Report revealed the following

• In terms of volume, there were 12,989 new personal injury cases issued including medical negligence (made of up of 4,612 in the High Court, 7,228 in the Circuit Court and 1,149 in the District Court). This is down on the 13,434 cases issued in 2023 and represents an overall a 41% reduction from the numbers in 2019.
• When it comes to damages awards, there is a corresponding deduction in the volume of awards being made in all courts with a total of 1,235 awards made in 2024 compared to 1,610 in 2023.
• The total amount awarded across all courts fell dramatically, most markedly in the High Court where total damages were awarded €135,598,424 in 2024 compared to €256,515,241 in 2023.

Comment

There is now a wealth of data for insurers to consider in respect of anaylsing risk profile in Ireland and project indemnity spends. The political and societal pressure to reduce insurance premiums together with the impetus of government's reform programme will ensure a greater element of transparency for both underwriters and consumers in the Irish market going forward.