1. Basis of Insurance and Reinsurance Law
1.1 Sources of Insurance and Reinsurance
Law
Ireland has a common law legal system. The law in relation to
insurance contracts is primarily governed by common law principles,
the origins of which can be found in case law.
Following the enactment of the Consumer Insurance Contracts Act
2019 (CICA), the Marine Insurance Act 1906 (MIA) only applies to
non-consumer contracts. There are some forms of insurance that are
compulsory under statute in Ireland – for example,
third-party motor insurance and professional indemnity cover for
certain professionals.
There is no Irish equivalent to the UK Insurance Act 2015.
However, CICA was signed into law in 2019, reforming the area of
consumer insurance law. It commenced in two stages (on 1 September
2020 and 1 September 2021), following industry pressure to allow
sufficient time for the insurance industry to account for the
far-reaching changes imposed. In the case of consumer
