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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Dec 2001

Vol. 546 No. 1

Adjournment Debate. - Motor Insurance Reports.

I am grateful for the opportunity to again raise the question of the whereabouts of the Motor Insurance Advisory Board report on motor insurance costs. I do not think there is any subject on which there is so much confusion as to where the truth lies in the contending arguments about the undisputed very high cost of insurance in this economy. It impacts most negatively on young drivers. Young drivers have to bear an intolerable burden in terms of securing insurance cover, which in some cases is extremely difficult, but in no case is feasible without paying an inordinately high premium. As we and the Minister of State are aware, the business of getting insurance these days is the difference between being able to go to work and not being able to go to work.

Young people driving some distance, not least because of the very high price of housing, need insurance cover and yet they are frequently confronted with premiums that seem outrageous, on the face of it. We do not seem to be able to get to the bottom of it. The industry contends one thing, the consumer organisations and others representing young drivers contend the opposite. Every single Member of the House has young people to his or her advice centres and clinics explaining to them that after the cost of purchas ing a car the business of securing insurance cover is beyond their reach.

The Minister has replied in terms of criticism of the suitability of the MIAB to do the job. That criticism only emerged as a result of the MIAB's interim report which seemed to be critical of the industry and accused it of withholding documents and so on. At the time, I argued for an investigation based on powers to compel the production of documentary evidence and the attendance of witnesses and the Minister said: "no, the MIAB is still on the job". In the House on 3 May 2001, he said: "I am confident we will produce a good report before the end of the year".

Has the Minister of State taken that report from the MIAB, because this has gone on an unconscionably long time? Young drivers are hurting. I am aware of the record of young male drivers and that the rate of claims is disproportionate to the neighbouring island and other countries but it still seems unfair that for the many thousands of conscientious careful young drivers who need a car to get to their place of work that they cannot afford insurance cover. Is there any remedy for these people in the report, if he has taken it? If he has not taken it, what is the delay and when will he take it? Another PR campaign mounted by the industry recently would seem to suggest, in one reading, that all insurance cover for all kinds of motorists is inherently unprofitable. I do not know and I cannot understand if it is that serious. Certainly no modern economy can function without a system of reasonably priced insurance cover for people who are engaged in the use of motor vehicles for work and pleasure purposes. We have to address this issue. I am using this opportunity to ask the Minister to tell the House where the report is and whether he can offer any hope to young drivers in particular.

I appointed the Motor Insurance Advisory Board in September 1998 with a wide membership that is representative of the various groups interested in and affected by motor insurance, including representatives of consumers, commercial motorists, young drivers, the Garda, the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Environment and Local Government and our own Department, driver trainers, accident victims, the motor industry and the insurance industry. The board is chaired by Ms Dorothea Dowling, claims manager of Córas Iompair Éireann and one of the board members. One of the board members is a professional statistician.

The board is in the course of preparing its final report to me on motor insurance issues generally and on the relationship between premiums charged to each category of driver and the claims experience for that category.

Because of the ongoing difficulties with receiving and validating data from the industry, I decided to extend the remit of the board until the end of this year to permit it to complete the analysis of the data. There were delays in receipt of data, which in turn delayed the process of validation and analysis of the data. It will be appreciated that validation and analysis of the millions of pieces of data submitted by the industry takes time. I understand progress is being made and that the board's final report and recommendations should be presented to me early in the New Year. When the report is presented to me I will give urgent consideration to the board's recommendations and make appropriate proposals to the Government.

It is premature to speculate as to the impact the report and the recommendations may have on the cost of insurance for young drivers. European Union law prevents us from intervening in matters of pricing or underwriting of insurance. However, apart from the work of the MIAB, I look forward to progress on addressing the underlying costs of insurance, with a view to improving the cost of motor insurance. In particular, the establishment of the personal injuries assessment board will make a substantial contribution to reducing the delivery costs of personal injury compensation, which now account for up to 40% of the total cost of paying claims.

I look forward to presenting the report as soon as I receive it and doing an analysis thereon thereafter.

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