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"Simply appalling": Criticism of 20% car insurance hike for first responders

Aviva: “The question is: who is responsible in the event of a first responder volunteer having an accident with a tragic outcome?”

FIRST RESPONDERS WHO have taken out a car insurance policy with Aviva, face a 20% loading on their premium because of the nature of their work.

Community first responders (CFR) are locally-based volunteers dispatched by the National Ambulance Service. They respond to medical emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes and there are 150 such schemes across the country.

Aviva have admitted that the cost is in place, because their line of work “is over and above the risk associated with the regular domestic/social use of a car”.

It is, in fact the same loading we apply to, for example: a service technician, a doctor, a company director etc – anyone whose work involves the use of their car.

However, Conor Faughnan of The AA told TheJournal.ie that of the three insurance companies that underwrite the policies offered to their customers, only one of them considers the work of first responders as outside the definition of “social, domestic and personal use”.

This has been the subject of some interaction between us, but they are the ones who provide the insurance ultimately and we can’t change their minds on it.

Fianna Fáil’s finance spokesperson Michael McGrath has said that “every minute is crucial” in cases of heart attacks and strokes.

It is simply appalling that people that community volunteers who provide such an amazing service are penalised in this way.

He said that this was further evidence of “a highly dysfunctional motor insurance market”, and that the penalty loading on first responders premiums must be dropped immediately.

Finding a solution

According to Aviva, one solution might be an advanced driver training course to reduce costs – similar to the Emergency Service Driving Standard which is required of ambulance drivers.

If that were to happen, not only would we drop the 20% loading, we would also give a discount.

“We are working with CFR Ireland through their national co-chair, John Fitzgerald, in an effort to come up with a workable solution – in fact a meeting was scheduled for this week but they needed to change the date.”

The reason for the 20%

Aviva say that while this may seem “overly bureaucratic”, there is actually a serious public policy issue at play.

As first responders get the same 999 calls as the ambulance service in the locations in which they operate their work is similar to any other emergency services – except they don’t have a blue light and they don’t get any specific training.

Aviva say that while they use the services of first responders, they don’t provide them with the same training as ambulance services – and say that the HSE require CFR to tell their insurance companies of their role.

“In the event of an accident, the HSE are not responsible and while they provide training (required by law) for ambulance drivers, they are happy to use the services of this very laudable group without equipping them with any of the quite specialist driving skills needed to respond to a medical emergency call.”

But co-chair Fitzgerald argues that CFR schemes have been in operation with the National Ambulance Service for over 10 years in Ireland and they are “not aware of any incidents where there has been a collision involving a CFR en route to a call”.

Aviva meanwhile, want someone to take responsibility:

“As it stands, the question is: who is responsible in the event of a first responder volunteer having an accident with a tragic outcome?”

The HSE have been asked for a response.

Read: Irish citizen whose father and brother were killed by Islamic State denied permission to bring mother to Ireland

Read: Children who own mobile phones are doing worse in maths and reading

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38 Comments
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    Mute Science of beer
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:37 PM

    2FM has gone to shite on the Mornings. Seems to be the lowest common denominator for the morning crew, cringe worthy shite

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    Mute O-'Seán
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:42 PM

    @Science of beer: thats not just the case in the mornings

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    Mute Sinead Hanley
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:46 PM

    You are right Science. Its brutal.

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:56 PM

    @Science of beer: Gone to shite all day.

    46
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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Oct 26th 2016, 7:06 PM

    2fm ignored their loyal listeners in the hope of becoming ‘trendy’. I’m delighted it’s tanking how long will they keep the idiot the sent 2fm from being a decent station to one that’s crap.

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    Mute John S
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    Oct 26th 2016, 7:11 PM

    Newstalk is gone even worse. They need Ivan and Chris back. The new show is brutal altogether.

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    Mute Mick Tope
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    Oct 26th 2016, 7:27 PM

    Totally agree

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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Oct 26th 2016, 7:28 PM

    I know he wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea but Gerry Ryan was by far their best broadcaster and 2FM hasn’t been the same since he died

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    Mute michael o brien
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    Oct 26th 2016, 8:50 PM

    If they don’t get garda Williams off the morning show they will end up with no listeners.Alan Quinlan seems like a nice enough guy but his voice would do your head in,

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    Mute Tim Brennan
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    Oct 26th 2016, 10:01 PM

    Switched to Ian Dempsey Coleman and Williams are an unmitigated disaster

    43
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    Mute Patrick James Walsh
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    Oct 26th 2016, 11:55 PM

    @Tim Brennan: Mc Inerney and O`Donoghue is just as bad, painful to listen to.

    15
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    Mute LogicalSarah
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    Oct 27th 2016, 4:53 AM

    Agree completely, Gerry Ryan’s death killed 2FM and they tried to replace him but to no avail, so going trendy and young was the last ditch attempt to save the station but that has failed fantastically.
    The Ryan style show was not irreplaceable and there are a few presenters out there that could step in to RTE 2FM to bring it back. I listen to Niall Boylan on 104FM and he’s the closest you will get to Gerry Ryan.

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    Mute John S
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    Oct 27th 2016, 9:52 AM

    @michael o brien: Yeah Shane Coleman is not too bad, Williams and Collette Fitzpatrick are brutal altogether.

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    Mute dick dastardly
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:47 PM

    Joe playing the poor mouth with his listeners everyday while his a millionaire,tosspot

    150
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    Mute Daniel Fontaine
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    Oct 26th 2016, 7:30 PM

    Getting a lift from someone today had to listen to Liveline for half an hour.
    Joe Duffy’s faux sincerity made me want to vomit.
    Joe has 50 different levels of sighing.

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    Mute Flanagan Margaret
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    Oct 27th 2016, 12:36 PM

    Ah. Go away. Joe is a ledge. No airs and graces. Just brill. See u Joe in Waterford on Friday Joe.

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    Mute Eye_c_u
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:18 PM

    Call the whine line now.

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    Mute Eddie Simon
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:44 PM

    Irish people enjoy whinging, it’s practically a national sport

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    Mute Poole Hyde
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    Oct 26th 2016, 7:15 PM

    Whinging is what keeps The Journal in business. I mean here we are whinging about a show about whinging.

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    Mute Eddie Simon
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:39 PM

    Great to see newstalk’s super PC revamp of Drivetime falling flat.

    79
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    Mute michael o brien
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    Oct 26th 2016, 8:52 PM

    Never liked George hook in the evening but now find myself enjoying his show midday,

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    Mute Poole Hyde
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    Oct 27th 2016, 12:31 AM

    Never liked Hook at anytime but still kinda miss him. I really enjoyed disagreeing with him.

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    Mute stephen kavanagh
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:12 PM

    Tosser

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    Mute Peadar Ó Gréacháin
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:21 PM

    Plonker

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    Mute Poole Hyde
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:28 PM

    Ah lads, that’s terrible.. terrible altogether … terrible.. ;-)

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    Mute David Murphey
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:37 PM

    Peadar , why are you calling Stephen a plonker?

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    Mute John Clark
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    Oct 26th 2016, 8:23 PM

    90% of Rte’s listenership and viewers are Culchies……. There I’ve said it. Any reds on the way? I mean you know me I call a spade a spade.

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    Mute John Clark
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    Oct 26th 2016, 8:38 PM

    C’mon ye can red me better than that!

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    Mute mickmc
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    Oct 26th 2016, 8:49 PM

    John you do realise that 3/4 of the Irish population are what you jackeens would call culchies.

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    Mute Colin Treacy
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    Oct 27th 2016, 3:20 AM

    Terrible’s too small a word for it…Lord forgive me for saying …but wouldn’t we be better turning the radio off..

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    Mute Peadar Ó Gréacháin
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    Oct 27th 2016, 3:32 AM

    David, joooooooooe Dufffffffffy……………………..

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    Mute Brian Byrne
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:37 PM

    And TXFM is closing !!!! What a country we live in..

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    Mute LogicalSarah
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    Oct 26th 2016, 7:04 PM

    Maybe that’s because nobody is listening to TxFm or whatever it’s called these days.

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    Mute Brian Byrne
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    Oct 26th 2016, 7:11 PM

    Ur right Sarah unfortunately ..

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    Mute Matthew Balfe
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:57 PM

    Go ahead caller.. Ah jeeesssussss

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    Mute michael o brien
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    Oct 26th 2016, 8:47 PM

    There is one thing worse than Joe Duffy and that is his stand in,Boucher Hayes.And the only thing worse than Darcy is HIS stand in,Kathryn Thomas,

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    Mute cryptoskitzo
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    Oct 28th 2016, 2:59 AM

    @michael o brien: Best comment here.

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    Mute john barnes
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:12 PM

    Seems to me that middle Ireland tuned their radio to RTÉ back when then got the electric in and haven’t touched the dial since, there are a huge amount of great shows on various stations but these people are ignorant to them

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    Mute The Boogeyman
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:21 PM

    Yeah Mid west radio here in Mayo is class, you’re missing out if you don’t have it

    36
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    Mute Jimmyjoe Wallace
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:47 PM

    The lack of decent competition doesn’t help. George Hook? Paul Williams? No wonder people are going back to rte

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    Mute O-'Seán
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:41 PM

    Free.reign on Joe to misinform the public into demonizing the unemployed. Typical of the centre right tip

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    Mute Bobby Fox
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    Oct 26th 2016, 8:04 PM

    @O-’Seán: I think Joe’s lifeline achieves the exact opposite of public service broadcasting : it’s not entertaining and it’s makes the people who listen stupider. Moncrieff on Newstalk is light years better.

    35
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    Mute John Walsh
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    Oct 26th 2016, 7:07 PM

    A lot of old people don’t have the energy to turn the dial.

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    Mute Roughan Mac Namara
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    Oct 26th 2016, 9:28 PM

    Who listens to all this shit programs on the radio? Seriously life is too short. It would be worse than CIA waterboarding to listen to Joe Duffy every day.

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    Mute Maria Kissane
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:27 PM

    Proves we’re a nation of whingers …….Inda was right :-(

    21
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    Mute Daniel Fontaine
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:47 PM

    Spirit Radio for me.
    Positive vibes all day long.

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    Mute Maria Kissane
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:26 PM

    Liveline ???

    19
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    Mute JJ
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    Oct 26th 2016, 6:43 PM

    It didn’t say what the average age of the listeners were ? With the choice of digital radio stations, podcasts , streaming services I’m surprised terrestrial radio is still going.

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    Mute ynot
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    Oct 26th 2016, 8:55 PM

    I miss Derek Mooney and his money
    Byeeeeeeeee

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    Mute NB
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    Oct 26th 2016, 8:50 PM

    Wow…not a mention of yer man who moved to newstalk

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    Mute Niall Cassidy
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    Oct 26th 2016, 8:01 PM

    The Christian OConnell breakfast show on absolute radio is quite good.

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    Mute Daniel Fontaine
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    Oct 26th 2016, 8:21 PM

    Love Christian radio.

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    Mute Enda Cusack
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:26 PM

    #PatKenny anyone. Just putting it out there

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