“Small car, big bill”

The end of my antibiotics marks the return of my political self.

The SAAQ (Societé de l’assurance automobile du Quebec) is a publicly funded automobile insurance in Quebec. Without getting into too much detail, it covers corporal damages while material loses are covered through a private plan. Very socialist, but it’s Quebec.

Someone finally had good idea: Administrating the public system like the private system i.e. in a fair manner.

People are more likely to be injured in an accident if they drive small cars. Logically, private insurance companies would factor this in their algorithm along with age, colour of the car, gender, etc to generate your quote. You’re statistically more of a risk, you pay more. Young men in red cars are more likely to get into accidents, why should I pay as much as them?

What SAAQ proposes (or proposed) is that small cars be charged more because individuals driving them are more likely to be injured in an accident (article).

The idea was shot down faster than the speed of light. It’s Quebec, remember. Of course Quebec should provide incentives to drive smaller cars (i.e. tax rebate at purchase), but what does that have to do with automobile insurance? The SAAQ is not in the environment business, they do automobile insurance, people.

Private insurance companies 1, Québecois 0.