FREDERICTON, N.B.-Drivers in this province are reported to have overpaid for auto insurance by $71 million last year.

According to the General Insurance Statistical Agency  New Brunswick drivers were charged a total of $3.4 billion for auto insurance in the nine years between 2003 and 2011, even though drivers only generated $1.86 billion in claims.

It’s the ninth year in a row provincial drivers have been significantly overcharged despite government regulation.

Liberal MLA  Donald  Arseneault says more  has to been done to stop the overcharging for auto insurance.”Insurance companies are charging way more than they should to New Brunswick drivers”, says Arseneault. “I think it’s a concern and we tried to address it in the former government and we brought forward some measures. There’s no doubt as we keep seeing these reports that more has to be done”.

New Brunswick drivers paid 74 per cent more in car insurance premiums in 2011 than they generated in claims.