Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 4 April 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach

Insurance Costs for Small and Medium Businesses: Discussion

Mr. Jackie McMahon:

I will put the profits in context. Some €50 million, or €43 million after tax, sounds like a great deal of money. Our investors are taking a risk because we target low double-digit returns on equity. The €50 million figure equates to a 15% return. That was a little above what we targeted in 2018. We need our profits for the providers of capital, who demand and are entitled to a return on their capital. They are investors in the company. For the type of risk they are taking, low double-digit returns are not exorbitant. It is what the markets expect and it is what we are expected to deliver on their behalf. It is a highly competitive industry and there is no question of FBD making any kind of supernormal profit. We are making an adequate return, which we need to pay our future claims, remain financially sound and stable, continue investing in the customer, and give stability to our customers through the cycles. From FBD's perspective, the profits are not exorbitant.

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