More than €76 million in legal costs were saved by the Injuries Resolution Board in 2024.

According to the board's 2024 annual report, insurers and respondents in 70 per cent of cases consented to the board resolving their claims.

Also, half of the board's claim assessments last year were accepted by both the claimant and respondent, up slightly from 48 per cent in 2023.

The state body was established in 2004 to help improve the process of resolving personal injuries claims, in order to avoid "unnecessary litigation".

Overall claims handled by the IRB rose slightly last year (+3 per cent to 20,837), however, the figure remains a third (33 per cent) lower than 2019 claim volumes.

Last year's increase in claims was driven by the introduction of the new garda compensation scheme, which added to the overall portfolio of claims dealt with by the board.

The board considers 2019 the most relevant year for comparison with 2024, as it was before the Covid pandemic, during which claim numbers were distorted by the impact of lockdowns and reduced business and personal activity.

The total value of awards made by the IRB last year was €168m, which was down by €2m on the previous year, but was 39 per cent lower than the 2019 figure. The highest award approved was €634,875, with the lowest award amounting to €69.

The 2024 report also shows the average timeline to assess a claim was 11.2 months, and subsequently over half of all compensation awards were made within nine months.

Motor liability accounted for nearly seven out of ten claims (69 per cent), with a median motor award value of €12,541 last year (down 30 per cent on 2020 figures).

Public liability (down 34 per cent since 2020 to €13,660) and employer liability (-31 per cent to €16,255 since 2020) median claim awards have also fallen between 2020 and last year.

The median award across all categories for 2024 was €13,100, which was up 12 per cent on the previous year but down 29 per cent on 2020.

Since 2004 the state body has dealt with over half a million personal injury claims, making 200,000 assessments that resulted in over €4 billion in awards.

Over that time it says an estimated €1.2bn has been saved in avoided legal costs by claims not going through litigation.

Ivan Cooper, a board member of the Alliance for Insurance Reform said that the report "makes clear that significant savings are being generated due to avoided legal costs and the volume of claims coming down by a third.

"These facts alone warrant meaningful and sustained reductions in insurance premiums, but instead we continue to see insurance companies prioritise profits over their policyholders.

"There is no justification for liability premiums for businesses, sports, community and voluntary groups to be increasing and yet they continue to do so.”

He added: “In the face of ever-rising insurance premiums we urge the government not to increase personal injury awards by 17% – something they are actively considering.

"To do so now will guarantee the cost of insurance goes up even further.

"Given the cost of living and cost of business challenges at present, does the government not know people simply can’t afford for this to happen?”

Both ISME and Allianz Ireland have warned increased personal injury awards would have an impact on costs for the consumer.

(Pic: Getty Images)