Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me raise this matter and I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, to the House.

I am raising the issue of why policy numbers are displayed on insurance discs. I received a note from the Financial Regulator stating that regulations requiring the display of an insurance disc were introduced on 1 July 1986 and were signed by Liam Kavanagh, the then Minister for the Environment, at the end of 1984. The Financial Regulator gave me all the details contained on these discs, including the name of the vehicle insured, the registration number, the commencement date of the insurance policy and the expiry date. At the top of the disc is the policy number.

Although the Minister might not believe this, a number of people have contacted me stating that policy numbers are being copied off windscreens in broad daylight and people are abusing the system by quoting these numbers when they are involved in insurance claims, for example, following an accident. This should not be allowed. I suggest to the Minister that if there is a need to include the policy number on the disc, it should be put on the reverse of the disc. A number of people have approached me stating that assessors have rung them about accidents in which they were not involved and people have had increases in their premia on renewal. Nowadays insurance companies can pay up quickly in the case of small claims. There is a scam involved here and the simple answer is to put the number of the policy on the back of the insurance disc.

The Minister of State may not be able to give me all of the answers on this tonight because it has been going on for 20 years. It comes as a major shock to people when they are told by assessors that they must pay an insurance claim following an accident which did not involve them. This is wrong. It is appalling that this should continue 20 years after the insurance disc was introduced. While the idea of an insurance disc is good, I fail to understand why it must contain so much information.

I thank the Minister of State for attending the House. Perhaps he will be able to give me information on the matter.