Minister signs with MIBI for new claims protocol
The Minister for Transport, Seamus Brennan has signed a revised agreement with the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) that provides for new protocol arrangements for the making of claims by victims of road accidents involving uninsured or stolen vehicles and unidentified or untraced drivers.
Minister Brennan said the new arrangements are being introduced to streamline claims handling, improve the safeguards against fraudulent claims and to more readily identify claim exploitation.
He said the arrangements were revised to bring about savings for the MIBI and insurers, and reduce insurance costs for the consumer.
In 2002, the MIBI received 3,650 claims and paid out almost €50m in settlements.
The average settled claim cost was €47,000. All motor insurers in Ireland fund MIBI, in proportion to their share of the motor insurance business.
As the new Agreement has been signed in order to assist the MIBI in dealing with fraudulent claims, the procedures for making a claim are more explicitly set out.
Claimants must co-operate with gardaí regarding prompt reporting of accidents (within two days or as soon as reasonably possible.
Express cooperation with the MIBI and the gardaí in the investigation of an accident will be required.
A new requirement is included for the claimant to make himself/herself available for interview by the MIBI for claims arising from an accident caused by an untraced motorist.
Under a separate protocol, claimants to the Bureau with their own comprehensive insurance cover who elect to have their claims dealt with under their own policies will not have their No Claims Discount cancelled or reduced on account of such claims.
Brennan said: "This new Agreement will make a significant contribution to tightening up regulations and ensuring that genuine accident claims are compensated while at the same time more readily identifying dubious or fraudulent claims."
The Minister said the introduction of penalty points and other road safety measures had resulted in a significant reduction in deaths and serious injury and consumers were now reaping the benefits of that through lower motor insurance premiums.
