asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the extent to which insurance companies have complied with the conditions laid down by him in 1973 for increases in motor car insurance rates.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Motor Insurance Rates.
23.
Mr. Kitt
The conditions, as modified in September, 1973, attaching to the increase of 10 per cent in basic premiums which I approved in March of that year were accepted by all the insurance companies. They were, in fact, superseded by later conditions recommended by the Motor Premiums Advisory Committee. These later conditions referred to schemes for reduction of loadings.
The conditions as so amended have been complied with by all companies in so far as they relate to loadings on premiums or to the giving of a breakdown of premium to new customers. As far as they relate to giving a breakdown of premiums on renewal of policy to existing customers, the condition has also been fulfilled by companies doing the greater part of motor insurance business, but some companies report that they have found great practical difficulty in doing this. I am keeping up the pressure on these latter companies.
Mr. Kitt
Can the Parliamentary Secretary tell the House what the difficulties are?
The situation varies, depending on the other companies. Two of the other companies say they will be in a position to comply with the request when a new computer system which they are in the process of developing is operative and they hope this will be in the not-too-distant future. Other companies say that for reasons of economics and practicality they have not implemented the request. It appears to be their present intention not to do so in the immediate future. One company with its head office in the United Kingdom has advised that the implementation of the condition would involve the writing and running of a separate computer programme by their head office and this would be prohibitively expensive. However, I can assure the Deputy that the Department propose to continue in negotations with all these companies with a view to having the recommendations of the National Prices Commission complied with at the earliest possible date in full.
Mr. Kitt
Is the Parliamentary Secretary satisfied that insurance companies are taking steps to reduce the loadings on premiums to first-time drivers, particularly to young drivers?
Substantially this is a separate question. The question refers to the requirements laid down in 1973 and those, as amended subsequently by the Motor Premiums Advisory Committee, have been implemented. The Deputy is introducing another question of further reduction in loadings.
Mr. Kitt
I am concerned that motor car insurance premiums over the last two years increased by something more than 70 per cent. I would hope that the Parliamentary Secretary would see to it that loadings would be reduced, especially to first-time drivers and young drivers.
I can assure the Deputy that I share his concern in the matter. It is the case that in some instances loadings quoted by particular companies to young drivers are so prohibitive as to indicate that the company is not interested in taking on new business. This is most unsatisfactory. I have repeatedly said when speaking to the companies and the public that I want to see a motor insurance market which is truly competitive, one in which there is vigorous competition for business, particularly for first-time insurers. In order to achieve that, I requested last April the Examiner of Restrictive Practices to carry out a study into the level of competition in the motor insurance market in general and into certain particular matters of an anti-competitive nature. I hope to have his report either towards the end of this year or early next year.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary like to elaborate on some of these restrictive practices?
To do so would be to depart very far from the subject matter of the original question. I should be glad to do so in response to a specific question.