An official website of the Government of Ireland. About ireland.ie

Dublin skyline lit up at night

Insurance

Ireland is a leading European hub for insurance and reinsurance, providing firms with access to EU and global markets from a stable, innovative and internationally connected financial services centre. Irish insurers are among the largest underwriters of cross-border business in the EU, writing approximately €40 billion in international premiums annually.

Figures on Insurers in Ireland.

The Ireland for Finance Strategy: Vision 2030 – Renewed and Refocussed for a Digital Age and the Action Plan for Insurance Reform 2025-2029: A Stronger Market, A Fairer Future recognise the significant opportunities for further growth in Ireland's international and specialty insurance sectors. Together, these initiatives provide a framework to support industry development, innovation, competitiveness and consumer confidence, while ensuring a resilient and sustainable insurance market.

As part of the Government's commitment to fostering a dynamic and competitive insurance market, the role of the Office to Promote Competition in the Insurance Market has been expanded to support greater engagement with industry stakeholders, identify barriers to market entry and expansion, and promote conditions that encourage competition, innovation and increased consumer choice. This work complements broader reforms under the Action Plan for Insurance Reform and supports Ireland's attractiveness as a location for international insurance business.

The Government also continues to engage closely with the Central Bank of Ireland, while fully respecting its independent regulatory mandate, regarding the operation of the insurance authorisation framework. Recent enhancements to the authorisation process, including greater transparency, clearer expectations and timelines, improved responsiveness, and increased use of technology, are helping to create a more predictable and efficient experience for new market entrants while maintaining the robust regulatory standards that underpin Ireland's reputation as a trusted international financial services centre.

Ireland is increasingly recognised as a centre of excellence for specialty insurance, including cyber, climate and catastrophe risk, marine and aviation, and political risk insurance. To support continued growth in these high-value segments, the Department of Finance has established a Specialty Insurance Forum in partnership with industry stakeholders to deepen engagement with the sector and identify opportunities to strengthen Ireland's position in global insurance markets.

Ireland is also strengthening its reputation as a hub for Insurtech innovation. Through collaboration between Government, industry and enterprise agencies, initiatives such as the Lloyd's Lab Accelerator are helping Irish firms develop innovative solutions for emerging risks and connect with international insurance markets.

Supported by a highly skilled workforce, a strong business environment and a well-established regulatory framework, Ireland continues to attract internationally focused insurance and reinsurance firms seeking a gateway to European and global markets.