Public liability claims drop 40% but business groups say premiums are still crippling firms

The median value of public liability awards has fallen from €20,645 in 2020 to €12,414 in 2023

New personal injury guidelines were introduced in 2021 which lead to a reduction in the awards that can be given for certain injuries. 

The number of public liability claims taken to the Injuries Resolution Board (IRB) dropped by 40% between 2019 and 2023, with the median award value also falling significantly, a report has found.

Despite these reductions, the small business representative association, Isme, has said its members are not seeing an impact on their premiums as there is still a limited number of options for insurance along with many people still opting to litigate their case.