Wawa-news.com You can't hear the 'big picture'!
Tom Rakocevic, Ontario NDP Auto Insurance critic, is calling on the Ford government to stop letting auto insurers gouge Ontarians, as drivers get handed huge rate increases mid-pandemic.
The Ford government has refused to require auto insurers to provide discounts during the pandemic as accidents and driving plunged. Now the quarterly update on auto insurance rates is overdue and Rakocevic is hearing from people like Barry, from Oakville, whose premiums are set to soar — in Barry’s case, by 28 per cent.
“Instead of getting a discount on auto insurance that reflected the decrease in driving and accidents, Ontario drivers got tossed a few bucks or told to downgrade their coverage, and be grateful,” said Rakocevic. “Now it looks like the Ford government is quietly allowing auto insurers to rev back up to the business as usual of never-ending rate hikes.
“Doug Ford promised to bring auto insurance rates down, but premiums have only gone in one direction: up. The Conservatives are carrying on like the Liberals, letting auto insurers gouge drivers and unfairly charge people higher rates based on where they live.”
The NDP has put forward bills that would cap the profit margins of auto insurers and end postal code discrimination, and continues to call for a three-month, 50-per-cent discount on auto insurance amid the pandemic.
“Ontario drivers deserve better than to be gouged by auto insurers in good times and bad,” said Rakocevic. “We should be delivering the discounts Ontario drivers are entitled to while accidents and driving are down, not helping insurance companies pad their profits even more and pile on rate hikes.”
