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AA doubtful National's car insurance policy fixes anything

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 10 Aug 2020, 5:58PM
Judith Collins. (Photo / NZ Herald)
Judith Collins. (Photo / NZ Herald)

AA doubtful National's car insurance policy fixes anything

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 10 Aug 2020, 5:58PM

A plan to push Kiwis into buying car insurance might not pay off.

National Party leader Judith Collins wants to label uninsured cars to make them more easily identifiable.

Collins announced this morning National would require car insurer details to be displayed on registration labels stuck to vehicles' windscreen.

And if a car is not insured with at least third party cover, the word "uninsured" would be on the label instead.

A Ministry of Transport survey in 2019 found about 7.6 per cent of car owners either had an uninsured vehicle or did not know whether their vehicle was insured. This was a level similar to countries that have compulsory vehicle insurance.

National would also link the Motor Vehicle Database with insurer details to help assist in the smooth exchange of insurer details in the event they are required.

Collins said the policy would make life easier for Kiwis to sort out damage claims.

"This will solve the problem of some drivers who lie about their insurance status to protect their excess," Collins says.

"If anyone was involved in an accident with you, you could literally walk over and see who their insurer was."

However, AA's Principal Advisor says many drivers aren't covered, despite third party insurance only costing a few hundred dollars a year.

Mark Stockdale says the price can't be the barrier.

I think it would be useful to understand what exactly the problem is and then how you actually solve that problem, and it’s the not clear to us what this proposal is exactly trying to solve.”

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