AQW 40684/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 16/02/2026
Answered On Date: 03/03/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail (i) the average price of car insurance for drivers aged 70 and over in Northern Ireland; and (ii) any work she is undertaking with insurance companies to address unfair financial consequences for older drivers,

Answer:

(i) Motor insurance pricing is not a devolved matter. The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers and as such my Department does not hold the requested information. The industry body, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) does not publish average motor insurance premium data broken down by age and by UK nation or region, so specific figures for drivers aged 70 and over in the North are not available.

(ii) My Department has no legislative influence over motor insurance pricing, which is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Motor insurance pricing and underwriting decisions are entirely matters for individual insurers, based on their own risk assessments and commercial judgement. As such, my Department cannot intervene in insurers’ commercial decisions.

The British Government published the Motor Insurance Taskforce Final Report in December 2025. It sets out coordinated actions to help reduce costs for all motorists. In line with Action Point 4.4 of the report, my officials have commenced exploratory discussions with key stakeholders involved in the administration and running of the Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) scheme in Britain to explore the potential benefits to all drivers and feasibility of introducing a CIE scheme here.

My Department continues to monitor issues affecting motorists and engages with relevant stakeholders, where appropriate, to understand emerging concerns.