PIAB launches online claims procedure

Personal injury claimants can now apply online to the statutory body set up by the Government to handle claims instead of the courts.

The Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) today launched a new website - InjuriesBoard.ie – which aims to increase accessibility to the claims process and to complement the existing phone and postal services.

The website also contains a claims estimator which gives a rough guide to the compensation values associated with each claim dependent on the nature and extent of an injury.

The Board’s chief executive Patricia Byron said 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 Board plans to run a national advertising campaign on television and in the press to support the new website.

PIAB says claims are being processed four times faster and at one fifth of the overhead of the prior adversarial model since its inception in 2004.

The Board claims its work saves the industry up €100 million per annum, leading to significant reductions in insurance premiums.

“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 today’s launch, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan said the Board has delivered significant savings for their customers as well as providing wider societal benefits.

“This new initiative will enhance their delivery capabilities and add genuine value for consumers,” she said.