Insurance experts yesterday demanded the government stamp out sky-high claims for minor injuries just weeks after swing fall TD Maria Bailey faced a backlash.
The Fine Gael politician was heavily criticised last month after it emerged she was suing the owners of the Dean Hotel on Harcourt Street in Dublin after she fell off a swing in the hotel bar, Sophie’s, on a night out.
She later dropped her personal injuries case.
And CFM Insurance Group, who act as insurance brokers for hundreds of small businesses, insisted on Friday that the impact of a minor injury on a claimant’s daily life ‘should absolutely be considered’.
They stressed that people who are back exercising or playing sport two-to-three weeks after injury should be paid “proportionate” compenation levels – just enough to cover medical costs and loss of earnings.
CFM Group Managing Director Jonathan Hehir said: “We all bruise, cut or scrape ourselves over the course of our daily lives – most of the time we don’t even give it a second thought – unless perhaps we have to bandage a cut or perhaps put an ice pack on a leg.”
However, once the opportunity to apportion blame comes into the equation, these minor injuries can take on a much larger form and the lure of “easy” financial compensation can prove too tempting for some people.
Mr Hehir insisted as it stands it is recommended someone with a minor finger sprain be awarded as much as €19,100 and he said awards like these are at the root of the problems faced by small business owners.
Richard Boyd Barrett, People Before Profit (PBP) TD said the suggestion of linking the impact of the injuries and the medical costs is a ‘reasonable proposal’, but he stressed he was a little bit cautious.
He added: “I would go on to say we also need to be a little bit careful about the insurance companies saying that facetious claims are the only thing driving high premiums when clearly there has been profiteering in my opinion.
“There’s been profiteering by the insurance industry as well.
“And the other factor is too many of these things are being caught up with very big legal costs and we need to do something about that as well.
“Insurance at many levels is really hurting people, excessive health insurance costs, insurance for small business, high premiums for drivers, particularly young people, there really is a problem that needs to be addressed.”
