Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 18 December 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed)

Mr. Gerry Hassett:

A company does not have to be a member to access the data. That is very clear. Each speciality market has its own characteristics. The UK, with Lloyds etc., is clearly the centre of insurance risk in Europe. That may not be the case for much longer, but it certainly is at the moment. Regarding the overall liability market, my understanding is that about 70% of it is underwritten in Ireland and about 30% internationally. We find, however, that some of those speciality type cases, such as crèches, have their own particular requirements and underwriting needs. Those are the ones that tend to be more often underwritten by somebody outside. My understanding regarding crèches is that up to some months ago there were two providers, one of which was an international business based in Ireland and the other a speciality business based out of the UK.