Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I support the motion. I generally support the tenor of the debate this evening. For three years now, we know that premiums have gone up very high by more than 50%. We know that more people are being forced into driving without insurance because they cannot afford the insurance as it is so high. I want to take the opportunity to deal with some of the issues that have been raised already about car insurance.

I was recently contacted by a constituent. Like many stories we have heard, my constituent has seen an almost 400% increase in the cost of basic third-party fire and theft insurance in two years. In 2015, he was able to get insurance for €400. In 2016, it went up to almost €700. This year, he was quoted €1,472. He tried ringing around. He got one quote for more than €2,000 but most refused to even offer him a quote. Was this person some sort of dangerous maniac? Has he been guilty of drink-driving or dangerous driving? He has not. Does he have penalty points? No. Does he have a full licence? Yes, since 1974. Does he have a medical condition that makes it unsafe for him to drive? No. Is the car roadworthy? Yes, it passed the NCT. Therefore, what was the problem? He was over 65. There was no other reason. I note that a recommendation of the report states that the insurance companies must advise and tell somebody why he or she is being refused. However, that is no use if one cannot get insurance anywhere else. It good to have a bit of transparency, but it is not going to make the fundamental difference.

Insurance companies are penalising older drivers. It is a major issue for Age Action. Older people have taken up this issue themselves and are pushing for it. The companies are also penalising young drivers. USI has come out with many instances of its members facing huge premiums. A young woman called into my office whose car was 13 or 14 years old. She obviously needed the car. She was travelling around with an old car. If one is on a low wage, one is not going to be going out spending big money on big cars. One is using the car to get around. She was quoted nearly €2,500. It is just unbelievable. As has been said, car insurance is mandatory. If a person has a full licence with no convictions, no penalty points and a roadworthy car that has passed the NCT, he or she should be entitled to affordable insurance.

This situation is forcing people off the road, or even worse, to drive without insurance. The Government must act. As had been said by Deputies Pringle, Boyd Barrett and O'Sullivan, there must be a neutral not-for-profit company that would provide affordable basic insurance to people like those constituents who are facing those basic third-party insurance costs. That has to be the case. If we do not do that, nothing is going to change because, as has been said, the insurance companies know that they have a captive audience, they know that people cannot go anywhere else and they know that people have to drive.

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