For immediate release - Klein breaks promise to deliver comparable rates

[Xpnsve]

June 22, 2004
For immediate release

Klein breaks promise to deliver comparable rates
Tory scheme fails young Albertans with good driving records

EDMONTON - New Democrat MLA Brian Mason released research today showing
that the Tories new grid for basic auto insurance still leaves young
Alberta drivers with good records paying significantly more than young
drivers in provinces with public auto insurance.

The New Democrat Opposition used online rate calculators for the other
three western provinces to determine what an 18 year-old driver with two
years experience driving a 1998 Dodge Neon would pay in Alberta compared
to provinces with public auto insurance systems.

The results show the 18 year-old would pay $2,120 per year to insure
their vehicle in Edmonton. By contrast, the same driver would pay only
$865 per year in Regina, $1,147 per year in Winnipeg and $1,900 per year
in Vancouver. "In other words, this young Edmonton driver will pay
140 per cent more than the same driver in Regina, 85 per cent more than
the same driver in Winnipeg, and 12 per cent more than the same driver
in congested Vancouver," Mason noted.

Mason noted that the grid the government made public yesterday shows
misleadingly low rates for young drivers because it only includes basic
coverage, mainly third party liability. Most young drivers also insure
for damage to their own vehicles (collision) and for other perils like
fire and theft (comprehensive). This optional coverage can add 30 to
40 per cent to the cost of insurance and will not be regulated by the
government. Provinces with public auto also regulate costs for
non-basic coverage.

"This data clearly shows that the Tory government broke their promise
to deliver comparable rates at least when it comes to young drivers with
good records," Mason emphasized.

"Albertans are being asked to pay too steep a price for the dubious
privilege of staying with the profit-driven private insurance model,
despite the fact that two recent opinion polls show a solid majority of
Albertans favour a move to public insurance," Mason concluded.

[Lennon]

Where did you take this article from?

[Ben]

wow...here's how much I care: -----><-----

Paid high rates for years, things change, people still bitch, cant please everyone.

[5.9 R/T]

I wonder if the tories will lose a seat or two because of this in the upcoming election. Oh well 70 out of 84 still aint bad. hahaha.

[davidI]

Originally posted by Ben
wow...here's how much I care: -----&gt;&lt;-----

Paid high rates for years, things change, people still bitch, cant please everyone.

I've been paying high rates for the last 4 years as well. The reason people still bitch is because it still isn't right. Are Albertan drivers that bad in comparison to other provinces? Or are Albertan insurance companies raking in the money compared to similar private/public companies in other provinces / states. I think it's a pretty shitty attitude to not care and give up. We live in a democracy for a reason and it's to protect society from being ripped off by a few greedy, powerful people.