Aviva Insurance Ireland said today it paid out €340m in general insurance claims in 2025, a 24% increase on the previous year.
Aviva said that property claims jumped by 65% last year, due to the severity of Storm Éowyn, which caused widespread damage to homes and businesses across Ireland, as well as the settlement of Storm Darragh claims in December 2024 during 2025.
Aviva noted that while weather-related events were a major factor, broader cost pressures also contributed across key claims categories.
Motor damage payments increased by 23% last year. Aviva said that combined with the 13% increase in 2024, this means repair and write off costs are now 39% higher than in 2023.
The insurance company said that rising costs for vehicle parts, repair labour, paint and on-board technology drive higher repair costs across the market.
These pressures are compounded by delays, a shortage of skilled repairers, EV repair complexity and increased collision volumes, it added.
Meanwhile, spending on injury claims last year remained broadly in line with 2024.
But Aviva said that litigation levels remain high, with just 50% of Injuries Resolution Board (IRB) assessments accepted in 2025.
"This means a significant proportion of claimants pursued their cases through the courts, resulting in longer settlement times and higher legal costs," it stated.
Aviva noted that, as shown in the National Claims Information Database, savings delivered under the Personal Injuries Guidelines continue to be eroded by rising legal fees.
Lisa Dennehy, Chief Claims Officer at Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC, said the figures demonstrate the company's commitment to supporting customers when things go wrong.
"Our focus is on delivering a fair and timely resolution of claims. Our claims team is supported by a nationwide network of motor repairers and property loss adjusters who provide an excellent service to our customers," she said.
Aviva also said today that insurance fraud continues to add unnecessary costs for honest policyholders and remains a key focus for the business.
It said it is investing in specialist expertise, enhanced fraud detection technology, and closer collaboration with law enforcement.
Aviva said it continues to strongly advocate for a Central Insurance Industry Fraud Hub, modelled on the UK's Insurance Fraud Bureau, to enable real time intelligence sharing between insurers and law enforcement under robust consumer data safeguards.
"Despite Aviva submitting 100 criminal disclosures to An Garda Síochána in 2025, limitations on data sharing restrict the industry's ability to identify patterns, detect repeat offenders, and accurately assess the scale of fraud," Lisa Dennehy said.
"Relying solely on Gardaí to connect information across multiple insurers does not lead to optimal outcomes, and fraudulent activity remains undetected for longer than necessary," she added.
