MOTOR INSURANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25216, 31 May 1945, Page 6

MOTOR INSURANCE

SOME PKEMIIJMS LOWEE | - TAXIS AND BUSES HIGHER (P.A) WELLINGTON, Wednesday The introduction of new third party insurance premiums for motor vehicles for the coming licensing year was announced by the Minister of Transport, Mr O'Brien, today.

The Minister stated that as a result of negotiations with insurance companies the following changes would take place in premiums:— The annual premium for motor-cycles would be reduced from 165.t0 15s; for business cars, from 45s to 40s; and for hearses, ambulances and other miscellaneous classes, from 15s to 12s. On the other hand, it was regrettable that the accident claims record for taxis and omnibuses required an increase for taxis from £lO to £l2 10s, and omnibuses from £5 (with a maximum of £6 12s) to £6 (with a maximum of £7 12s). The premium payable by private motorists, which was reduced last year from 16s to 15s, remained unaltered. The Minister added that, while it was regretted that the premiums had to be increased in any class, this served only to emphasise that operators had the amount of the premiums, to a great extent, in their own hands, namely, by tlie exercise of greater care in avoiding accidents. The Minister also advised that a new insurance class had been created for workers' contract cars, for which the premium was 255. This class would apply to cars owned by workers who used them for carriage, at a small charge, of their fellow workers employed at the same place in taking them to or from their place of employment. Formerly, although the compulsory insurance cover extended to all paying passengers who were injured due to'tlie negligence of a driver, the insurance company could, if the premium had been paid only as for a private car, have made a claim on the car owner for any insurance paid out on his behalf. I'lider the new class an owner might protect himself against this by paying the 10s additional premium due for the new class, provided he definitely nominated his car in that class.