Talk the talk

Gerard McCaughey of the Alliance for Insurance Reform talks to Ian Guider

There have been suggestions that insurance reform, particularly the personal injuries assessment board, might be under threat, do you believe the changes could be undermined?

The legal profession have been trying to scupper the PIAB and we are not going to let them. We have waited too long for the PIAB, it is vital that it is not stopped or slowed down.

Motor insurance is profitable again but employers liability insurance is still making a loss, so can you see why the industry claims it can't reduce premiums?

I do not accept that. The Irish insurance industry have entirely wiped out their losses for the past three years and while they have gone for the PR impact of making a small reduction in car insurance our members are not getting anything back.

Are there any other immediate issues other than the PIAB where action is needed?

I hope the PIAB works. But the other side of the coin is the Civil Liabilities and Courts Bill which would allow for jailing of people making fraudulent claims.

What do you think is holding up the Civil Liabilities and Courts Bill?

The Bill has to be introduced by Minister McDowell but he has been quiet in recent months about this. There can be no real reform of the insurance market without both pieces of legislation being enacted.

So is there anything more you will be doing in the coming months to push your case forward?

We are letting the vested interests know that we will not let them derail insurance reform and our new ad campaign highlights that the legal profession and insurance industry stop reforms.

There is a Competition Authority probe into the insurance industry, is this enough?

No, I think there needs to be an inquiry of some sorts, even a Dáil committee investigation if necessary to find out exactly how the insurance market in Ireland works.

When the PIAB gets up and running in January, will the Alliance disband?

I would hope that by the middle of next year we can go away.