Royal & Sun grows by 16.9%

Royal & Sun Alliance wrote Irish business worth £154 million (€196 million) in the first six months of this year, an increase of 16.9 per cent on the corresponding period last year, the company announced yesterday.

There was growth across all lines of personal and commercial business, particularly in household and property classes, a spokesman said yesterday.

Royal & Sun Alliance is the fourth-largest non-life insurer in the Republic and the largest insurer of homes.

The spokesman said yesterday that claims inflation continues to be a cause of concern for the Irish operation, noting that double-digit claims inflation was negating much of the benefit of rate increases for the insurer. "We are continually monitoring such areas as spiralling construction, legal and medical costs and their resulting impact on the cost of claims," the spokesman said.

Royal & Sun Alliance also called for full implementation of the Government's road safety strategy, striking out at the "unacceptable tolerance attached to our Royal & Sun Alliance has operated in Ireland since 1721 and currently employs 550 people in the State.