Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 3 Apr 2001

Vol. 533 No. 6

Written Answers. - Insurance Costs.

Brian O'Shea

Question:

97 Mr. O'Shea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the proposals she has regarding insurance premiums for young drivers (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9714/01]

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Mr. Treacy):

Motor insurance premia are normally based on underwriting experience including trends in the level, frequency and cost of claims, for particular risks and classes of risk and are a matter of judgment by individual private insurance companies.

EU law prevents us or our Department from intervening directly with the insurance companies in the matter of premium levels, or in respect of the risks they are prepared to underwrite.

The work of the motor insurance advisory board, which I established in 1998, is aimed at providing me with information and advice on trends in motor insurance costs and with policy recommendations for addressing those costs. The issue of the high cost of insurance for young drivers is especially being examined by the board. The recent release of the board's interim report, under the Freedom of Information Act, has provoked an interesting debate on the statistical basis for the argument put forward by the industry that young drivers in general are a very high risk category. However, it is important to note that at the time the report was prepared, the board recognised that the data available to it was incomplete. It emphasised that the indications in its interim report could not be regarded as conclusions.

Discussions between the board and the Irish Insurance Federation have taken place since then and it has recently been agreed that verified data will be provided to the board's statistician very shortly who will undertake a detailed analysis. The board's final report is expected by the end of this year. Both I and the Government await the board's recommendations with great interest. In the light of those recommendations we will consider what further action is appropriate to reduce the cost of motor insurance.

The Deputy will be aware that the Government recently decided to proceed with the main recommendation of the report of the special working group on personal injury compensation. The proposal is to establish on a statutory basis a personal injuries assessment board, commencing its first stage early in 2002, with an initial mandate to address personal injury claims arising from employers' liability insurance and later those relating to motor accidents.