Mr. Vincent Jennings:

It is infuriating that when we do business with an insurance company, the company effectively takes hold of all matters relating to the claim. You might feel that you have a defendable case - perhaps something happened as a result of a set-up, or the person who is claiming is doing so as part of a strategy - but when you tell the insurance company or the insurance broker that you do not want them to settle the claim, they will say the only way they will deal with it is on their terms. They will do the quick numbers and calculate that to settle it now would cost, say, €8,000 whereas if it went to court and followed that whole route, it would cost €30,000. They make the economic decision on that basis. There are only a few people who do not take this approach. Pat McDonagh is a classic example because he fights every last thing. Dunnes Stores is similar because it fights every last thing. Most independent retailers do not have the ability to dictate to our insurance companies what to do or fight it ourselves.