OFT to Probe NI Car Insurance Market

revpeachy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-14731015

I think we can all relate to the not available in Northern Ireland remark so often applied by insurers.

The consumer council is also launching a petition for consumers on its website and is inviting members of the public to detail their experiences of getting car insurance in Northern Ireland.

lazer

Good news!

D.A.

The petition is here:

http://www.consumercouncil.org.uk/lower-car-insurance-petition/

absoluteutopia

TBH in 20 years of driving the highest mine ever has been is £223, We're our own worst enemy here. If a bird shat on our window we would nearly put a claim in

wifeforlife

My insurance is now £400 a year however when I started driving 8 years ago it was £1800 a year.

My better half is driving longer than me with no claims, points or anything although is male and younger than me, his insurance is always a lot higher than mine!

It's about time this was looked into.

NAR

What needs looked into is the bogus claims that go in to the companies in their hundreds each year, not just the ones from the paramilitaries, that cause our premiums to be so high.

Problem is no-one has the b***s to challenge these parasites and disallow/limit their claims.

getzls

cathy2702 wrote: »

My better half is driving longer than me with no claims, points or anything although is male and younger than me,

Toyboy alert.:D

36square

Everyone knows the reason already: excessive awards for personal injuries along with bloated legal costs. On top of that, probably a higher level of fraudulent claims and the fact that people here drive far more than they do in the rest of the UK (parked cars don't often cause accidents).

absoluteutopia

Seems they are going to Probe

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has said it will seek to gather evidence on the cost of car insurance premiums in Northern Ireland.
It said that as well as establishing the reasons for rising premiums across the UK, it would also aim to examine higher costs in Northern Ireland.

Last month, the NI Consumer Council said premiums were on average 84% higher than elsewhere in the UK.
The OFT said it would publish its findings in December.
Its move has been welcomed by the Consumer Council which is running a 'Lower Car Insurance' campaign

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-14837338

sheerdelight

And what will be the outcome other than to substantiate that insurers outgoings are higher here than in GB. THE OFT has no powers to reduce prices.

Look at their probe into airline charges. Nothing has changed. If not it has got worse. If airlines need to charge more just put it on the price of the ticket and not by means of spurious credit/debit card for every passenger and every leg of a journey! The overall price will be the same but at least it would take the bad taste off it.