asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce what percentage of motor insurances are (a) third party, and (b) comprehensive.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Motor Insurance.
66.
The insurance companies are not required to show separate figures in their statutory returns for third party and comprehensive insurance. I understand, however, that approximately two-thirds of the companies' motor insurance premiums relates to third party policies and one-third to comprehensive policies which, of course, cover third party risks in addition to "own damage".
Are we to understand from what the Minister told me last week, when he expressed his view that the comprehensive insurance policy holders should pay for the others, that he thinks it is right that one-third of the insurance holders should pay for the other two-thirds?
I did not, of course, as the Deputy knows, say that last week.
That is a fair paraphrase.
I do not think it is. What I did say was that in dealing with the increase here I endeavoured to reduce the impact of the increase on the people who could less afford to pay than the remainder.