Vol. 566 No. 2
10 Mr. P. Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount by which the cost of motor, employers and public liability insurance has fallen since the last election; the measures being taken to ensure that reductions in costs are passed on to consumers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12244/03]
18 Mr. Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress made to date with regard to the implementation of her action plan for the insurance industry; the timetable for the implementation of the different elements of the plan; if she intends to take steps in the meantime to deal with the escalating cost of insurance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12260/03]
22 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if and when she expects to see reductions in insurance premia; and her views on whether the enormous increases in recent years are justified. [12237/03]
24 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she has in mind to bring about a reduction in insurance premiums, for public liability, motor and other forms of cover; the expected impact of such steps; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12258/03]
43 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress made to reduce the cost of insurance to business, householders and motorists; her further plans and proposed timescale in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12297/03]
44 Mr. Hayes asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress which has been made in relation to dealing with the crippling insurance costs that small and medium sized businesses are facing annually; if she has read the recent survey issued by ISME which states that some insurance premiums have seen a cumulative increase of 290% since 2000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12242/03]
67 Mr. J. Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action she intends to take to help small firms which cannot afford high insurance premiums, which is costing people jobs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12254/03]
78 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent of the action she has taken to address the problem of ever increasing insurance costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12547/03]
79 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which her Department has interceded with insurance companies with the objective of bringing about a reduction in insurance costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12548/03]
80 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the plans she has to bring insurance costs here into line with those in other European Union states; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12549/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 18, 22, 24, 43, 44, 67 and 78 to 80, inclusive, together.
On 25 October last, I announced my programme for fundamental insurance reform. The programme reflects the commitments given in the Agreed Programme for Government and comprises a comprehensive set of inter-related measures designed to improve the functioning of the Irish insurance market. The key measures include: the establishment of a ministerial committee, chaired by myself, to oversee implementation of the reform programme, including the 67 recommendations in the Motor Insurance Advisory Board report; the publication, last October, of the action plan to give effect to the MIAB recommendations within a target timeframe – a number of the recommendations have already been implemented, some by the insurance industry and some by the relevant Departments and progress on the other recommendations is continuing – the publication, last October, of the report of the implementation group on the Personal Injuries Assessment Board; and the establishment of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, PIAB, on an interim basis. The chairperson and ordinary members of the interim PIAB board were appointed on 27 Nov 2002. I intend to bring the general scheme of the Bill to establish the PIAB on a statutory basis, to Government shortly for approval to draft.
11 Mr. Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her attention has been drawn to the recent survey produced by the Irish Consumers Association showing major variations in prices for car insurance charged to different categories of driver, apparently based on age and gender; the steps she is taking to ensure a fairer system of motor insurance cover; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12281/03]
The results of the survey referred to by the Deputy have been brought to my attention.
Insurers make decisions about whether they are prepared to quote for a particular risk, and, if so, at what premium level, based on their underwriting experience or assessment of that risk.
The pricing and underwriting of insurance is a matter for each insurance company. EU law prevents Governments from intervening in relation to premium levels or risks that insurers are prepared to underwrite.
Notwithstanding this, several of the recommendations in the report from the Motor Insurance Advisory Board relate to equal status, whether in the general context of compliance with the Equal Status Act 2000, or in a more specifically targeted sense, in terms of, for instance, the prohibition on discriminatory action in relation to age and gender. As a core function of the Equality Authority is the elimination of prohibited discrimination in the areas covered by the Equal Status Act 2000, the MIAB report was referred to the authority for appropriate action.
The Irish Insurance Federation has incorporated a number of the MIAB recommendations in relation to insurance providers in their code of practice. These matters concern equality, transparency and information issues for consumers.
