Claiming made easier in Ireland
Personal injury claimants now have the luxury of being able to apply online to the statutory body set up by the Government to handle claims rather than using the courts.
The Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) has launched a new website which is called InjuriesBoard.ie. This site aims to make claiming accessible for a wider range of people ,operating alongside the existing phone and postal services.
The website benefits from a handy claims estimator which can give users a rough guess as to the compensation values they could be entitled to according to the nature of their claim and the severity of their injuries.
Chief executive Patricia Byron has said that the new brand “aims to increase public awareness and to widen the focus to both compensation and effective recovery.”
“By accommodating online applications from the comfort of a claimant’s home, our online service enables injured parties or anyone requiring information to do so within a sensitive and confidential environment,” she said.
The website will be supported by a national advertising campaign on television and in the press.
PIAB says the website will mean that claims are processed up to four times faster and at one fifth of the price of the previous set up.
“In addition to the direct savings of €40 million, the Board estimates that the non-adversarial model delivers a further €40 million in indirect cost savings to insurers," Ms Byron said.
“Taken together with the increased focus on safety, accident prevention and enforcement initiatives, insurers are benefitting to the tune of well over €100 million annually. In this context, recent soundings from the insurance industry regarding premium hikes seem somewhat surprising,” she said.
Speaking at the launch, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan stressed that the Board has delivered substantial savings for customers as well as providing wider benefits to society.
“This new initiative will enhance their delivery capabilities and add genuine value for consumers,” she said.
Updated on 6/23/2008