Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Almost everybody concerned, ranging from road hauliers to legal personnel, has appeared before this committee. Nobody seems to accept responsibility as to who is the cause of insurance claims going up. The witnesses have put it quite firmly in the court of the legal people, saying they are the biggest factor in the cost of claims rising. They said that the legal people get exactly or almost the same as whatever the claimant gets. When the company receives a claim, whether it is an ankle injury, a soft tissue injury or whatever, who determines what the level of claim is in Ireland? Is it the blue book or the book of quantum? What does the company use? We have been increasingly frustrated with all the insurance companies settling claims rather than letting them go to court. We heard people from the marts and other people who have appeared before the committee say that they would love to have gone to court to fight the case but the insurance companies settled. They settle regardless of what type of injury is involved and because so much is allowed for an ankle, leg or soft tissue injury. Who decides what the level will be?