Consumers who fear high charges in the final months of Victoria’s fire services levy (FSL) should compare insurers’ quotes and consider switching, the state’s FSL Monitor says.

Some insurers have dropped the levy, while others are reducing it incrementally before July 1, when the charge on insurance policies is replaced with a tax on all property owners, to be collected by local governments.

Following consumer complaints at being charged a levy on a year’s policy rather than for the final few months, FSL Monitor Allan Fels is now examining how insurers charge the fee in the run-up to abolition.

“Any insurance company that claims it has to charge the FSL in a particular way is incorrect,” a spokesman for his office told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

“It is up to insurers to determine how they recoup their contribution to the state’s fire services from policyholders.

“Anyone who is concerned at being charged a high levy now may compare quotes from insurers and find companies that will not charge any FSL, and may wish to consider switching to them.”

Last week Calliden became the latest company to say it will abandon the charge, from April.

Asked at the company’s profit briefing to explain the rates, CEO Nick Kirk said there are slight changes from insurer to insurer and between Calliden’s different agencies.

RACV Insurance adopted a reducing scale from last July 1, so members will pay proportionally for the months they are covered until abolition, Acting GM Insurance Phil James says.

“For example, an RACV member who renews or takes out a policy in March this year will only pay three months of the FSL,” he told insuranceNEWS.com.au.