Insurance cover is pricing us out of fun

SINCE 2021 a stunning and unusual tree has brought a smile to the faces of the people in Kinsale.

Eamonn O’Neill’s fabulous ‘lobster pot tree’ has become a quirky addition to the town’s Christmas decorations and has caught the attention of people all over the world since he started the tradition, beside the harbour master’s office. The idea was to use the old pots, about 170 in total, stacked up to 20ft high, to raise funds for local charities.

But this year, Cork County Council appear to be putting a stop to it all. They have asked to be indemnified to the tune of €6.5m cover and so Eamonn has said that he regretted he would not be able to do the Lobster Pot Christmas tree this year.

This is the same local authority which had asked the owner of the famous and much-loved Piper’s Caravan, a colourful and very cheerful landmark in the seaside town, to provide a bond before he could bring it back into town.

The owner of the iconic green Showman’s Wagon, Brendan Piper, said last April that he was ‘totally shocked, upset and annoyed’ when Council officials informed him that he would need to provide a €60,000 bond before he could set up in the newly-resurfaced car park on Pier Road.

‘This was a bolt out of the blue and it’s a huge sum of money that I will not be able to come up with. They told me that the bond has to be in place in case the surface gets damaged by the building up and dismantling of the funfair for the summer season,’ said Brendan.

These are just two examples of the threats of insurance claims taking a lot of the fun out of communities, at a time when we need it most.

We cannot blame the County Council solely for these strategies – they are trying to protect taxpayers’ money, and already know the huge dent that insurance claims are making in their budget. But accepting such claims as inevitable, and the possibility of more, without actively pursuing other options and solutions, is surely playing into the hands of any dubious claimants – and the insurance firms seeking massive fees to provide cover.

Nobody is denying that anyone who would suffer serious injuries – should there be any issues with mishaps on Council or State property – is entitled to seek recompense. But the cost of insurance is, as we know, being forced up by many spurious claims, not the genuine ones.

Despite many promises to tackle our ‘compo culture’ by various politicians, the problem seems to be getting worse – with more and more events being cancelled. There has been some success tackling compensation culture regarding spurious claims over car crashes, partly because certain members of the judiciary have taken a more hardline approach, and also because of mediation options now available.

But when it comes to the everyday items that bring us joy – a colourful showman’s caravan, a funfair, and now a simple lobster pot tree – they are in danger of becoming obsolete entirely.

Add to that the hike in insurance cover for adventure companies, outdoor pursuit firms and other tourist attractions that may have some risks attached –we are fast becoming a joyless nation, pricing ourselves out of fun.

At times like these, when the world is in chaos, the little things that bring smiles to our faces are, in fact, priceless.