MK Uri Maklev during a joint meeting of the Knesset Finance and Law Committees suggested a new parameter towards determining the premium of one’s compulsory car insurance. He explained to his colleagues that just like advanced safety features earn one a discount in the premium, the same should apply for those drivers who do not use their vehicles one day a week since this significantly reduces one’s chance of involvement in an accident since the vehicle is not driven.

Maklev raised the matter as relevant agencies are discussing the amount of a discount one receives for the various hi-tech safety innovations available including electronic motion detection, safety warnings and systems that detect if one dozes off or veers out of one’s lane. Other factors determining one’s annual premium include how many kilometers one drives annually and if one attended a driver improvement training program.

The premium in the case of the compulsory policies is determined by the Finance Ministry. Seeking to introduce additional parameters that would impact the cost require the approval of these committees and other agencies.

Maklev pointed out that drivers receive a reduction in the premium on collision insurance if they attest to not driving on Shabbos, questioning why the same is not applied to the compulsory insurance. Maklev argued that one cannot deny the fact that if a vehicle is not driven on a specific day, that vehicle will not be involved in an accident to this lowers accident risk at least as much as the hi-tech devices, if not more.

The ‘changes’ discussed during the meeting were not approved but the matter will be introduced in the future, when the details are provided regarding the price of the policy.

In the meantime, Maklev and MK Moshe Gafne introduced a bill to Knesset that would compel giving a discount to one who does not drive on Shabbos and Yomim Tovim.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)