Rule changes around car insurance renewal costs could have negative consequences down the line.
That's according to transport consultant Conor Faughnan, who was responding to changes in legislation which came into effect last week.
It means insurance companies are banned from punishing customers who are loyal to them with higher renewal charges.
Price walking, effectively a 'loyalty penalty', is where people are charged higher premiums relative to the expected costs the longer they stay with a provider.
Conor told Pat Kenny customers who don't change are not getting good value for money.
"In fairness to the Central Bank, they themselves have said they'll keep an eye out for unintended consequences.
"The corollary is the person who does shop around has been able to get good value - and if that ceases to be true, I'm not convinced that's going to be a good move competitively.
"I think the change that this rule will bring in will benefit a lot of consumers.
"The poor sap, if you like, who never looked properly and just let it renew - and vaguely thought that the insurance company would be nice to me - that person hasn't been getting good value and that should improve."
But he believes "there'll be less of that sort of incentive" to offer discounts to new customers.
"Where do you draw the line: where does it come to the point where you're not incentivising new customers, you're abusing existing customers?
"But I think the Central Bank's take on it may, downstream, have negative consequences.
"If it just means there's less good value available for the ones who do shop around".
Central Bank research shows customers who have stayed with their insurance provider for nine years or more are paying - on average - 14% more for private car insurance and 32% more on home insurance.
There are currently 2.2 million private motor and 1.3 million home insurance policy holders around the country.
