Seanad debates
Wednesday, 14 May 2003
Road Safety: Motion.
As regards motor insurance, I am still unhappy with the level of response from the insurance companies. I received a letter dated 8 May from the Irish Insurance Federation in response to my request that, in return for loading motorists with penalty points, it would give a specific reduction to those without penalty points. It stated that whatever money it received as a result of loading motorists with penalty points would be passed on to those without penalty points. That is not what I asked it to do. One does not need to be a mathematician to figure out that the amount of money taken in on extra premiums as a result of loading a small number will not pay for the cuts which the large number without penalty points will get. I want the insurance companies to realise that the reduction in the number of road deaths and injuries has already saved them hundreds of millions of euros in six months. At the end of another six months, if we keep the pressure on, it will result in another few hundred million for them. I want them to pass this money on to those without penalty points because it rightly belongs to them. They should agree to do this.
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