Young Kildare driver: 'I'll have to emigrate if I don't get cover'

A young Co Kildare student says he may emigrate to London because he can't afford insurance to drive to college or work.

The student needs his 2004 Toyota Yaris 1L hatchback to drive Carlow Institute of Further Education as well as his part-time job in Harvey Norman in Naas. 

Declan said: "Axa rang me and said they are reviewing whether they want to renew my policy or not because I didn't meet the terms and conditions.

"I'm telling my story to put pressure on insurance companies to stop screwing over young people like me because if my policy gets cancelled, I can't go to work, I can't go to college.

"The best case scenario for me would be to emigrate to London if it gets cancelled!" 

He added: "All I want is for insurance companies to stop ruining young people's lives? If I don't get an affordable quote I will have to sell the car for a loss and move somewhere with public transport!"

An Oireachtas working group tasked with examining the cost of car insurance recently called for increased transparency in how premiums are calculated for motorists. 

The TDs and Senators called for insurers to give motorists reasons for any increases on their yearly premiums.

Chaired by minister of state at the Department of Finance, Eoghan Murphy, the group said insurance companies should be permitted and compelled to require proof of NCT before offering car insurance.

Other recommendations include the proposed establishment of a fully functioning integrated insurance fraud database for industry to detect patterns of fraud and the phase-out use of paper-based insurance discs.

The CEO of Insurance Ireland, Kevin Thompson, claimed spiralling legal fees and whiplash awards which are three times the amounts awarded in comparable cases in the UK are issues that need to be addressed to bring down the cost of insurance. 

ENDS