The Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) is to begin investigating motor accident and public liability claims several weeks ahead of schedule, it was revealed yesterday, writes Joe Humphreys
From next Thursday, all personal injury claims must be referred to the PIAB - the new statutory body for independently assessing claims - before any legal proceedings are initiated.
The PIAB has been dealing with employer liability cases since June 1st, and was not due to extend its remit until as late as September.
However, Ms Patricia Byron, chief executive of the board, said there was "no reason to hold back" any further given the PIAB's aim of rolling out its service as quickly as possible.
She rejected any suggestion that the change in date had been to stave off a possible rush of claims being lodged by solicitors in the courts - as happened prior to the employer liability deadline last month.
"I am not focused on them (solicitors), and never have been. We are offering a service to claimants."
She also rejected suggestions that the PIAB would be hostile to claimants, describing the organisation as a "wrap-around, arms-around, service to consumers".
"Our attitude is that there is a consumer who is in pain through an injury and loss of wages - it is very hard for someone to put an accident behind them - and they should be put at the centre of all discussions."
The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney, who signed a commencement order extending the PIAB's remit, said the move was "good news for consumers, businesses and society as a whole".
She said that following her meeting in London on Tuesday with several major international insurance companies, "I believe that we may get some new players into the Irish insurance market, and I expect further reductions in insurance premiums will follow as result of greater competition".
Latest figures indicate that motor insurance premiums are already down 22 per cent, and employers' liability 25 per cent.
Ms Harney said she expected a further cut of up to 10 per cent if another major player joined the Irish insurance market.
Ms Byron added that the PIAB should contribute to a decline in premiums "in the double digits", adding that "the mere fact that the PIAB was in the offing I think is having an effect".
However, Mr Ken Murphy, director general of Law Society, said the PIAB could not be credited with any role in the recent fall in insurance premiums, about which his members were delighted given "solicitors buy insurance too".
He added: "Whatever cyclical and other factors have given rise to this fall, it cannot logically have been caused by the PIAB which only came into force on the June 1st, and, in so far as we know, has not yet decided a single case."
The PIAB is not due to make its first decision on claims for another few months.