If insurers expect us to be honest, we deserve same
THE insurance industry is ripping us off while the number of claims is falling according to official Central Bank findings.
The industry expects honesty, or what is known as utmost good faith, from its policyholders, while unethically cutting their throats with over-the-top premiums; in some cases, doubling the cost of insurance.
The cost of transferring insurance to another vehicle is the latest insurance industry racket for rip-off policyholders. There was a time when it cost nothing to transfer insurance to another vehicle, but now it is getting close to €100 and past it for some vehicles.
Gross premiums are also adjusted upwards to allow for huge loyalty discounts, forcing clients to stay with one company in anti-competitive practices.
Policy administration fees are another tax the insurance industry has decided to add to people’s premiums. The insurance industry has become nothing but a greedy price-fixing cartel where shareholders interests matter most.
It is time for the Government to break up our monopolised insurance industry and end ripoff Ireland and our soaring service costs. It makes us one of the most expensive and unattractive places for investment anywhere in the world – something which we cannot afford in the post-Brexit world.
Maurice Fitzgerald, Shanbally, Co. Cork
Strange bedfellows
A NUMBER of friends and acquaintances have commented on the strange and worrying relationship between RTÉ and Sinn Féin.
It seems likely that, if a cockfight took place in Maam Cross on a wet Sunday in November, the Shinners would get a platform on RTÉ to lecture us about animal rights.
It is curious then to note the silence from that party on the barbarism visited on Kevin
Lunney in Ballyconnell and the threats to other directors of QIH.
Surely, with their connections and their knowledge of the area, they would have something helpful to offer if they were so disposed.
At the time of the last presidential election and during a debate between candidates on RTÉ, the Sinn Féin candidate declared that she was not ashamed of, nor embarrassed by, anything that was done by the IRA.
This lady was seeking the top post in the State, a State which her party tried to subvert while members of our gardaí and our army were murdered by the IRA.
If, for instance, any of the other candidates were to declare that they were not ashamed of anything that was done by the Catholic Church, we can imagine the uproar and the blanket coverage on various RTÉ programmes.
Predictably, hardly an eyebrow raised by the comment of the Sinn Féin candidate.
Pat O’Mahony, Dalkey, Co. Dublin.
A woman wronged
Wexford by-election candidate Verona Murphy is an intelligent, capable, hard-working, successful woman. She’s running a demanding, responsible company, and giving employment to many.
I believe that under health and safety regulations risk assessments are a necessity.
Due to her commitment as the responsible head of a haulage organisation, Ms Murphy made herself aware of the pitfalls and risks. And she spoke openly about them. I think she was treated shamefully for doing so.
Freedom of speech is the foundation stone of democracy.
But it seems these days in Ireland – and indeed in some other western countries – freedom of speech is being stifled – killed off, in fact.
It’s a case of whatever you say, say nothing. It’s worrying. And it’s wrong.
Verona Murphy should be valued not punished. I wish her a lovely Christmas and every success, health and happiness in 2020.
Margaret Walshe, Dublin 15. …The way in which Fine Gael have U-turned on loose cannon Verona Murphy is, yet again, evidence of the poor judgement of party leader Leo Varadkar who selected her in the first place. It seems Verona’s straight-talking style was going down well in Wexford and An Taoiseach saw another bandwagon to jump on. Has he ever paused for thought?
D O’Leary, Naas, Co. Kildare.
In step with trends
FR BRIAN D’ARCY’S name was changed by Dermot Morgan to Fr Trendy because of his love of appearing on television.
However, Fr D’Arcy has a new rival on TV in Fr Ray Kelly, the singing priest, who will soon appear on RTÉ’s Dancing With The Stars.
So watch your back Fr D’Arcy!
Tony Moriarty, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6W
Safe to visit, John
Having read ‘Letters to the
Editor’ (MoS, December 15), it’s a pity John Fair of Castlebar, who stated that he ‘will never visit Kenmare while the Healy-Rae dynasty is there’ doesn’t know that the Healy-Raes are not from Kenmare and don’t live there.
They are from a village, six miles from Kenmare, named Kilgarvan, and they all live there.
Siobhán Tangney, Kenmare, Co. Kerry.