Mr. Kevin Thompson:

In response to the charge that we are settling too easily and are not fighting enough, I would refer the Deputy to the private motor insurance statistics on settlement rates. Between 2009 and 2013, the first-year settlement rates, that is, the speed at which we settle a claim, reduced by 13% for comprehensive policies and by 17% for third party insurance. Settlement rates have been slowing down, and that is reflected in the statistics from the Central Bank. That indicates to me that the sector investigates every claim.

Let us be clear, though. Our job is to pay claims. Our job is to settle claims. We cannot treat every claimant as a potential fraudster. When people have a genuine claim and are entitled to financial compensation, they expect insurers to settle those claims quickly and diligently. We are also mandated by the consumer protection code to do that and to do it fairly. There is a balance to be struck between paying claims quickly in respect of genuine claimants and giving them a fair level of compensation while also having proper systems in place to make sure that where there is a suspicion of a fraudulent claim, we follow it through. I urge the Deputy to look at the latest statistics from the Central Bank which show that our settlement rates in the first year have been reducing. That says to me that we are taking more of an active role as an industry in investigating claims, but it is a fine balance. We cannot treat every claimant as a criminal.