NIBA welcomes ICA’s campaign to fund NSW emergency services

NIBA welcomes the release of the Insurance Council of Australia’s (ICA) report and supporting campaign ‘Find a fairer way’ today which calls for the removal of the NSW Emergency Services Levy (ESL) and for the NSW Government to find a more equitable way to fund emergency services.

The ICA report, A stronger NSW, highlights that home insurance customers in NSW will see a reduction of around 15 per cent in their annual premium costs, if the next State Government removes the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) and finds a better way to fund emergency services.

Philip Kewin, NIBA CEO said, “NSW is the only mainland state that still funds emergency services through the ESL, which is inequitable to NSW insurance customers.

“As outlined in the report, the ESL currently adds around 18 per cent to home insurance premiums and up to 40 per cent to business cover. This is substantially higher than other states. In fact, NSW insurance customers are paying nearly three times the amount of state taxes than Victorian insurance customers.

“The abolition of the ESL would ease the pressure on NSW insurance customers and enable them to have access to more affordable insurance”, he added.

The ‘Find a better way’ campaign shows that almost two-thirds of NSW voters (65%) support removing the ESL and replacing it with an alternative funding model for emergency services.

In addition to reform of the ESL, the A Stronger NSW report outlines eight other policy recommendations for the next NSW Government to reduce risk and put downward pressure on the cost of insurance in the State.

Details of these eight policy recommendations are available on the ICA website, A Fairer Way – Insurance Council of Australia