Head of claims John Sheehy leaves Liberty Insurance

Liberty Insurance's head of claims John Sheehy has left the role after two years with the company.

Staff were informed of his departure and told that a replacement would be appointed within the next few weeks. Employees were told Mr Sheehy had left the business with immediate effect.

In a statement issued to The Irish Times, the insurer said: "Liberty Insurance can confirm that its head of claims recently decided to leave the business. The company has identified a replacement and is currently going through the external approval processes and hopes to be in a position to confirm the appointment shortly."

Mr Sheehy is the latest senior executive to leave Liberty in recent months. In December, chief executive Patrick O'Brien departed and Liberty is awaiting approval from the Central Bank of Ireland to appoint Tom McIlduff as his replacement. Mr McIlduff is a former managing director of Europa General Underwriters Ltd in Northern Ireland and also held senior roles with Bank of Ireland in the UK.

Seán Quinn

A native of Co Down, his most recent work with

Boston

Consulting Group focused on the London insurance practice. Liberty was formerly known as Quinn Insurance, having been founded by bankrupt

Northern Ireland

businessman Seán Quinn. It is now owned by Boston-based insurer

Liberty Mutual

.

Liberty took control of the business in 2011 and bought out the 49 per cent stake held by Irish Bank Resolution Corporation in December 2013.

IBRC had been a lender to Mr Quinn. Liberty made a loss of €12 million in 2013 while its US parent injected €25 million to strengthen its capital and solvency position.

Like other insurers in Ireland, Liberty has encountered difficulties on the motor side due to a rising number of claims.