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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 27 Mar 1980

Vol. 319 No. 5

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Motor Insurance.

5.

andMr. O'Toole asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism if he will outline full details of the type of motor insurance or alleged motor insurance referred to in advertisements in national newspapers of 27 February 1980 by the Secretary of his Department, if he has investigated the credentials of the people involved, their financial status, their financial reserves and underwriting facilities and their ability to meet claims in the event of claims arising, if he will further outline the different parts of the country where this insurance is being sold, if he intends to take any action against the people involved and if there has been any application to his Department by persons or bodies to obtain licences to carry on insurance cover and business.

The advertisement referred to developed out of an earlier one, published by my Department in the national daily papers on 9 and 11 February 1980, and in certain provincial papers in the week ending 16 February.

Both advertisements arose out of the activities, in relation to offers of motor insurance, of a particular individual. Since the matter is at present the subject of court proceedings, initiated by the Garda, I regret that I cannot go into detail on this. However, arising from more recent information a further notice is being inserted in the press making it clear that the individual in question is not authorised to issue insurance under the Insurance Acts and Regulations.

I am sure that the Deputies and the House generally would wish me to repeat in the strongest terms that members of the public need to treat with caution any offers of insurance cover from sources not already known to them or whose bona fides cannot readily be verified. I might point out that the ous is on the drivers of vehicles to make sure they are properly insured.

Is the Minister saying that this company, despite pending litigation, is still persisting in offering this facility?

Certain further advertisements appeared in the newspaper. Beyond that I do not want to go because the man concerned has been charged in the District Court with 66 offences of obtaining money by false pretences.

He has problems.

Since the case has not been finalised it is not right that I should say any more.

I accept what the Minister says, but is he satisfied that he and his Department are giving adequate information to people seeking motor insurance?

There is a public register of those who are licensed under the 1936 Act to carry on motor business. During recent months we have published in the newspapers advertisements pointing out that certain companies who hold themselves out as being licensed to transact motor business are not in fact so licensed. A further advertisement appeared this morning. This is the first time this problem has arisen in a long period because up to now only reputable licensed companies have endeavoured to transact motor business here.

I appreciate that this may be the first instance which has come to the Minister's attention but I have been aware of another person who has been caught with another company. I can furnish the details to the Minister's Department. Does the Minister not consider it necessary to publish a list of the companies registered under the 1936 Act?

I can do that but there is no difficulty in obtaining the information at present. Most people do not deal directly with a company but rather through a broker, except in the case of one large company. The brokers are certainly well aware of who is licensed and who is not. In this case no reputable broker was involved.

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