Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would like the Minister of State to indicate who would not agree to provide for this on a non-legislative basis in order that policyholders might be told of claims made against their policies. That is so dispiriting. This recommendation dates back to January 2017 and Insurance Ireland was to have had a general protocol in place by the end of that year. This did not happen and then the next report referred to legislative change. If we cannot get to a point where insurance companies tell policyholders that claims have been made against them and ask them whether they have anything to say in that regard or any defence to put forward - and whether the company can see the evidence - then in what direction are we moving?

Policyholders are still not even told in their renewal notices what premiums they paid in the previous year. I got my car insurance quote recently and there was no information on what I paid last year. I had to contact the insurance company to check. That is a joke. We are talking about data and transparency, yet simple information that would allow consumers to make more informed and better decisions continues to be withheld from them. That is not good enough.

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