Brokers have strongly rejected many findings of the Competition Authority's preliminary report on the non-life insurance industry and accused the authority of ignoring insurance company practices.
The Irish Brokers' Association (IBA) said the report contained no evidence to substantiate allegations made about brokers.
Mr Paul Lynch, chief executive of the IBA, said the finding that consumers did not always know which insurers that brokers were seeking quotes from, and what incentives they were receiving for recommending certain products, was inaccurate.
He said there was a regulatory obligation on brokers to outline this information to clients in terms of business letters.
But small business body ISME said the authority's findings supported its belief that brokers were charging undisclosed fees and ignoring disclosure regulations.
The Irish Insurance Federation welcomed the Competition Authority's finding that there was no evidence of price-fixing cartels or collusion in the industry.
The authority also found no evidence of market segmentation (where firms are prevented from competing - or do not bother to compete - for the business where one insurer dominates).
Mr Diarmuid Kelly, chief executive of the Professional Insurance Brokers' Association (PIBA), said reports from its members suggested that this was not the case, however.
"We certainly feel there is market segmentation and areas where companies are acting as virtual monopolies or duopolies."
Mr Kelly welcomed the authority's concerns regarding quantity bonuses and minimum threshold requirements, saying they favoured larger brokers.
But PIBA said the report's focus was far too narrow, with insufficient attention paid to the role of insurance firms. Mr Kelly did not believe it made sense to concentrate on the 5 per cent of the motor insurance premiums that brokers receive in commission rather than the other 95 per cent charged by insurers.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael spokesman for enterprise, trade and employment Mr Phil Hogan was "amazed" the Competition Authority had found no evidence of anti-competitive practices in the wider insurance market.
The Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority (IFSRA) disputed the finding that regulation of insurance brokers was excessive but not buyer-focused.
