The UCP government removed a cap on private insurance premium increases during their last term, saying that the Alberta NDP's cap on insurance premiums would harm the province's competition for pricing for insurance.

Since the time the UCP removed that premium cap that the Alberta NDP had put in place, most people have seen their car insurance premiums jump to 150% - 200% of what it had previously been, and home insurance premiums have been rising more sharply as well.

Sure am glad the UCP protected those corporate profits instead of their constituents.

Our electricity isn't expensive because of how it's generated, it's expensive for the same reason our insurance is expensive: our government opposes regulations and is pro-big-business

Not sure what the deal is with insurance, though.

Probably private. We found massive cost increases - what? We were lied to! - about the switch to private insurance.

And, with no one actually responsible for insuring you - if you can pick anything, no one's on the hook - you can get dropped from an insurer, black-listed amongst friendly companies, and unable to actually get insurance. Consider this useless anecdote:

• 2004, raccoons rip up roof tiles and cause a small roof leak. Fixed easily via insurance claim (for safety because you never know).

• 2020, inflow connection to toilet pops off and begins spraying water on floors and walls of bathroom. When homeowners return home, floors in upstairs and foor/walls of kitchen water-damaged. Fixed under claim, phew.

• insurance company drops customer for 'persistent pattern of water-damage claims' and other insurers won't insure due to history.

• bring on the loan-shark costs!

My dear friend has been through the ringer, but it seemed so well-executed, this scarlet-letter process, that it can't be rare.

The regional-gov insurance programme may seem costly now, but an organization we can still manage indirectly through voting measures and who must insure without prejudice like this is in-fucking-valuable.

We have poorly regulated private insurance, and ambulance chasing lawyers are everywhere driving up costs.

Damn, electricity rates are nearly double what I pay in BC.