Insurers urged to give refunds to drivers to lessen Covid impact

Motorists should be given refunds on their insurance policies because of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, says Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe.
Insurers urged to give refunds to drivers to lessen Covid impact
The failure to pay out in some cases has reinforced the minister’s view “that some insurers were doing the industry significant damage and were not treating customers fairly”.

Motorists should be given refunds on their insurance policies because of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, says Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe.

There has been a dramatic drop in the numbers driving during the coronavirus pandemic, leading to fewer crashes and fewer payouts.

As a result, insurance companies have saved millions, leading to calls for it to issue refunds to customers.

The failure to pay out in some cases has reinforced the minister’s view “that some insurers were doing the industry significant damage and were not treating customers fairly”.

The call for refunds comes as the Department of Health confirmed 44 more people have died from Covid-19 in Ireland, bringing the overall death toll to 530.

A further 597 cases of the coronavirus have also been diagnosed in the Republic.

Following a conference call meeting with insurance bodies yesterday, Mr Donohoe appealed to the companies to be “proactive and generous” in their treatment of policyholders.

Mr Donohoe told insurers there is a strong case that motor insurance customers should see refunds on their premiums due to what is expected to be a significant reduction in the number of claims.

It comes just days after it was confirmed that health insurance policyholders are in line for refunds and rebates following the Government’s effective takeover of 19 private hospitals.

Now, the minister is putting pressure on the motor insurance industry to follow suit.

Mr Donohoe also raised concerns that some insurers have adopted a “blanket rejection of all business interruption claims”.

Health officials said that a “blitz” of 30,000 nursing home patients and workers will take place over the next seven to 10 days to address a high number of clusters of cases of Covid-19.

Health officials yesterday said it is planning to expand testing capacity to 100,000 tests per week, operating on a seven-day week basis for a minimum of six months, to bring about a situation of real-time turnaround.

Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said such an increase of testing is crucial as we move into the next phase of dealing with the virus.

A summary of all 530 deaths provided by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre shows 308 (58%) of those who died were male and 222 (42%) were female.

The age range of those who have died is 23 to 105, while 316 of these cases were admitted to hospital with 45 admitted to intensive care units.

Bodies of those who have died of suspected or confirmed Covid-19 will be kept in a bodybag inside their coffin, after new guidelines announced yesterday.

New guidance and advice for grieving families has been published by the Government, with a number of new processes for dealing with the deceased and funeral arrangements.

The measures for funerals issued by the Government in the Guide of the Bereaved, have “not been taken lightly”, according to the document.

“Due to its contagious nature, in all confirmed or suspected cases of Covid-19, the body may be placed in a bodybag before being placed in a coffin, and practices and ceremonies which take place, such as washing the body, kissing the deceased, a wake in the home, and other practices that may be important to families and loved ones, are all prohibited.”

In cases where it is unclear if Covid-19 was the cause of death, a Covid-19 test may be required on the body.

The latest restrictions in operation since Friday, March 27 mandate that everyone should stay at home, only leaving to:

  • Shop for essential food and household goods;
  • Attend medical appointments, collect medicine or other health products;
  • Care for children, older people or other vulnerable people - this excludes social family visits;
  • Exercise outdoors - within 2kms of your home and only with members of your own household, keeping 2 metres distance between you and other people
  • Travel to work if you provide an essential service - be sure to practice social distancing

more articles

Leo Varadkar still has ‘some’ texts from pandemic period Leo Varadkar still has ‘some’ texts from pandemic period
Taoiseach visit to the US Leo Varadkar still has ‘some’ texts from covid pandemic period
Nolan says lessons need to be learned from Covid inquiry Nolan says lessons need to be learned from Covid inquiry

More in this section

Irish homelessness Government criticised for missing social and affordable housing targets
National Risk Assessment for Ireland Tánaiste urges Israel ‘to show humanity’ and allow more aid into Gaza
Lego set based on RNLI lifeboat could soon become a reality Lego set based on RNLI lifeboat could soon become a reality
War_map
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited