Tort reforms introduced to ensure medical indemnity insurance remains available and affordable have seen the average premium fall by 3% in 2005/06, according to a new report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

The report is the third to be produced, and confirms that all five medical indemnity insurers’ premiums are “actuarially and commercially justified”.

Assistant Treasurer Peter Dutton says it’s further evidence that the tort reforms have had a positive impact on the availability and affordability of medical indemnity insurance.