LETTERS: Car insurance cost a shocker

"RECENTLY my car insurance renewal arrived in the mail. I nearly choked on my morning cuppa when I saw the premium.”

A letter writer was in shock when he saw his car insurance premium. Picture: demaerre

RECENTLY my car insurance renewal arrived in the mail.

I nearly choked on my morning cuppa when I saw the premium.

"This can't be right" I thought. The price was so high I could have bought four brand new tyres, given the car a full dealer service and a wash and polish for the same price.

I phoned the insurance company. A charming lady checked my policy and informed me the premium was correct.

Still suffering from "bill shock" I decided to go online and get some prices from other companies.

I tagged five different companies including two of the biggest in Queensland.

As the premiums came up on the screen I had to take two Valium to settle my nerves.

One of the biggest insurers in Queensland was over $400 dearer than my renewal.

The second biggest local insurer was $300 dearer and the one that does all the TV advertising brazenly gloating over how much they save their customers was $400 dearer.

I checked out some other insurers but they were all within the same ballpark price range - between $300 and $400 above my current premium.

Needless to say, I promptly renewed my insurance and saved over $400.

We will never know how insurance companies calculate their premiums, but they are some of the richest businesses in the country. Now I know why.

B BARRY

Bundaberg

Forethought needed

MANY thanks to Tony Cavallaro (NM, 10/12) for his reference to my recent letter concerning the Great Boomerang irrigation scheme.

It would be to the credit of our present politicians if they showed as much bravery and forethought as their predecessors who carried out the Goldfields Water supply Scheme in the 1890s using only horse-drawn vehicles and human brawn over dreadful terrain.

A scheme to divert fresh water from our coastal rivers over or through the mountain ranges to our dry outback would also save villages on the eastern side such as Bundaberg from floods - something our councils are at pains to solve.

With the experience of our Snowy Mountain Scheme behind us, tunnelling and pipe problems should not be difficult to overcome.

FREDERICK F ARCHER

Bundaberg

Religion in schools

ONE of the big issues facing Australia today is freedom of religion and discrimination.

Should Christian schools be able to dismiss gay teachers or not hire them in the first place?

And why would gay children want to go to a Christian school in the first place?

This issue makes no mention of Jewish or Islamic schools of which there are many around Australia.

All three religions regard homosexuals as an abomination before God.

So why are the Christian schools singled out on this issue? Is our government afraid to mention Islam?

There is nothing wrong with a woman loving another woman or a man loving another man since Jesus taught us to love one another.

He also taught us to love our neighbours and our enemies.

But love does not necessarily equate to sex.

K J VINCENT

Bundaberg

Big thanks

THUMBS up to the amazing midwife Kimberly who delivered our beautiful girl. She was absolutely amazing and also the doctor on at the time.

CHANNY BAUER

Bundaberg