Rising auto insurance rates affect home care providers

Community Action, June 16, 2003

HALIFAX -- The rapid rise of Nova Scotia auto insurance rates is affecting homecare providers who use their own cars for work. The home care workers are being hit with additional insurance-rate hikes as high as $500.

The VON said that it is making it harder to attract and keep staff and is affecting vital nursing programs and increasing costs, which will have to be passed on to taxpayers.

The organization has already had to stop transporting clients because of the risk which affects auto insurance rate.

The VON, employs 350 nurses and 500 home support workers in the province. These workers supply their own vehicles and pay for their own insurance. They are paid a mileage allowance of 34 cents per kilometer that helps cover a portion of the costs of excess insurance.