I write in support of those who have written on the difficulty of getting third party insurance cover for old cars.

Since my road tax expired early this month, my insurance company has refused to renew my third party cover , asking me to ‘try others.’ I have tried about ten others.

The almost standard reply is: ‘Sorry, too many accident claims, so we have decided not to give coverage for all cars over 20 years old, neither third party nor comprehensive coverage.’

This has left senior citizens like some friends and myself in a dilemma. We are old, and most of us are without pension.

We need our old cars to take us around to buy our daily needs from the neighborhood market. Are we likely to drive hard and get into accidents and incur damage to our cars and bodies?

I don’t need statistics to show that cars that get into accidents are mostly driven by younger people.

On behalf of these affected senior citizens, I would like to appeal to Bank Negara, the regulating body, and PIAM, the coordinating body of insurance companies to get the latter to reconsider their stoppage of third-party insurance covers for old cars.

Please do not set an arbitrary cut-off limit of twenty years for insurance coverage. Old cars well kept and carefully driven can be more cover-worthy than many a recklessly driven newer car.

In twenty years of driving my car on third party cover, I have not made a single accident claim from my insurance company. Doesn’t this track record speak for the roadworthiness of my car?

If any test on old cars is felt necessary before coverage is given, I request that it be at three-year intervals at Puspakom and not at one-year intervals as this will be too costly (RM50 per test) and inconvenient especially for senior citizens.

And please, please keep the premium low for us oldies!