Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will speak on the section first before responding on Deputy Pearse Doherty's point. I propose to delete the whole of the section as it is considered superfluous due to the provisions of the consumer protection code, the Life Assurance (Provision of Information) Regulations 2001 and the Non-Life (Provision of Information) (Renewal of Policy of Insurance) Regulations 2007. In advance of this hearing, my officials circulated a background note on this provision. Among other matters, it indicated that the Central Bank has recently amended the Non-Life Insurance (Provision of Information) (Renewal of Policy of Insurance) Regulations 2007, following a recommendation of the report of the working group on motor insurance. The timeframe will be 20 days from 1 November 2019. It also indicated that life insurance provisions broadly similar to those found in this section are set out in regulation 6, in respect of life assurance policies, and regulation 9, in respect of industrial assurance policies, of SI 15 of 2004.

Turning to the point made by the Deputy, it was very difficult to get the previous year's quotation added to the current year's quotation. It is now possible to have a quick look on the same page at the previous year's premium for the insurance policy being renewed. I would be willing to consider on Report Stage a requirement to include the previous year's premium for all renewals and a list of claims for the previous three years, rather than five years.