AXA may leave over motorcycle training

THE sole Irish provider of motorcycle cover has threatened to leave the market if the Government fails to introduce compulsory basic training for bikers.

Vice-president of the Irish Insurance Federation and chief executive of AXA Ireland, John O’Neill, said they got involved in the business because of a government commitment to introduce compulsory basic training.

“If the Government doesn’t meet its commitment, we won’t be underwriting this business in three years’ time. Our shareholders won’t allow it,” Mr O’Neill warned.

“It is cheaper for the Government to pay for compulsory training for young motorcyclists than to scrape them off the road and bury them,” he said at the launch of a new TV motorcycle safety advertisement in Dublin yesterday.

AXA provides insurance cover through broker Aon and is now the only Irish insurer providing motorcycle cover.

Hibernian no longer offers motorcycle cover because claims from this element of its business resulted in it losing money.

The insurance company stopped taking on new policies on July 1 and ceased renewing existing policies from the start of this month.

British-based Carole Nash continues to provide motorcycle cover to Irish bikers through its Dublin office.

Transport Minister Martin Cullen said a bill was before the Dáil that would provide the basis for a “robust” motorcycle training system.

The minister intends meeting with motorcycling representative groups and the National Safety Council in the autumn to discuss additional reforms to improve motorcycle safety.

“We would prefer to engage with people in this matter in a pro-active way rather than throwing out comments just for the sake of it,” the minister’s spokesperson commented yesterday.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the motor-cycle fatality rate in Ireland is the highest in Europe with an average of 20 bikers killed or injured each week.

National Safety Council chairman Eddie Shaw said the new TV advertisement was aimed at getting motorcyclists to recognise the responsibilities they have to themselves and others.

He said compulsory motorbike training was urgently needed: “We do not have compulsory training for motorcyclists and that’s killing people.”

He said the need for initial practical training before being permitted to drive on a public road was identified in the Government’s first strategy for road safety in 1998.

“Eight years later we are still waiting for this life-saving initiative to be introduced while an average of 20 bikers continue to be killed or injured each week,” he said.