Written answers

Tuesday, 17 September 2019

Department of Finance

Motor Insurance Data

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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112. To ask the Minister for Finance the estimated date for publication of the national claims information database by the Central Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37005/19]

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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113. To ask the Minister for Finance if information published on the national claims information database will be disaggregated by insurance undertakings to which each claim relates. [37006/19]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together.

As the Deputy is aware, the National Claims Information Database (NCID) is intended to facilitate a more in-depth analysis of annual trends in motor insurance claims.  This was seen as key to developing an understanding of how claims costs are impacting premiums, in particular understanding the relationship between the price paid by a customer for motor insurance and the cost to insurance undertakings.

To do this, the NCID will produce an annual statistical analysis of the factors related to the cost of motor insurance, including the underlying trends in the market such as where claims are settled, the various costs associated with the claims process, etc.  It is this bigger picture perspective that needs to be obtained, if we are to develop a greater clarity on how the market operates, in order to provide us with the evidence necessary for an appropriate policy response.  Arising from this, the majority of information collected will be at an aggregate level only, i.e. not split at firm-level or on a claim-by-claim basis.  Some claim–by-claim level information will be collected on very large claims, but no personally identifiable information, as defined by GDPR regulations, will be collected.

The Deputy will recall that an important point that the Oireachtas considered during deliberations on the NCID legislation was on the need for the database to be established in the short-to-medium term.  The aggregate nature of the data collected has meant that there are fewer legal and technical complexities involved, and that is why it has been possibly to have the NCID established already.  To that end, the NCID came into operation earlier this year, with the enactment and commencement of the Central Bank (National Claims Information Database) Act 2018.  

To conclude, I understand that the Central Bank has collected the required data under the NCID from motor insurers and is in the process of validating and analysing the data submitted.  I look forward to its first report on motor insurance claims later this year.  I am also expecting it to report to me soon on the feasibility of adding employer and public liability insurance, to the scope of the NCID.

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