In response to Meloni’s road tax and amnesties, the PD is proposing a ‘cap’ on motor insurance premiums: uniform rates across Italy

Marco Sarracino provides the broader context. In response to Giorgia Meloni’s move to exempt vehicles from road tax, the PD is proposing a ‘cap’ on motor insurance premiums. A draft bill – known as ‘Tariffa Italia’ – aims to ‘reward those who drive well, not penalise them based on where they live’. In other words, the Democrats want to standardise insurance premiums from Milan to Naples, where policy costs are highest. Whilst the national average is 421.4 euros, the cost in the Campania regional capital is 595 euros. However, Florence and Rome are also above the average, albeit by a smaller margin.

The draft bill was drawn up by Marco Sarracino of the Democratic Party, who is responsible for territorial cohesion and the South, building on previous attempts and motions discussed in the past. The go-ahead was given during the executive committee meeting convened by Elly Schlein last Wednesday to take stock of the forthcoming Budget Bill. The proposal carries no cost to the state budget and is unlikely to be welcomed by insurance companies, but should, on the other hand, be well received, particularly amongst motorists in the South. Although, as the PD points out, in provinces such as Potenza and Cosenza, premiums are already below average.

What about fraud? The Democrats are promising control mechanisms. The aim, they say, "is not to eliminate premium differences justified by risk, but to prevent residence alone from penalising those with the same profile and a history of safe driving". Central to the proposal will be the role of IVASS, the Insurance Supervisory Authority, with its monitoring activities. However, quarterly reports to Parliament are also envisaged to account for the “quarterly review of the claims database”.

The proposal could also be discussed by the sherpas at the (video) round-table meetings of the broad coalition – according to the latest rumours, they are currently deciding whether to meet tomorrow or on Saturday at the latest – and is set to be included in the joint programme. It is unlikely to receive the green light during this parliamentary term. The M5S has relaunched ‘Reddito 2.0’, albeit ‘revised’ on the basis of past experiences and mistakes, as Conte puts it; AVS is focusing on a wealth tax, over which the left is already divided. The PD has not yet put forward a strong, distinctive proposal of its own. On the other hand, the Nazareno is opening an insurance office.