Slane publican Brian Kelly, aged 48, is now geared up to continue his charity fund-raising after a Co Kerry insurance firm came to his aid, enabling him to continue driving.
Mr Kelly hit the headlines last week after Liberty Insurance, with whom he had been a customer for 17 years, quoted him €19,368.26 to cover his 2007 1.6 litre Toyota Avensis for 12 months.
Liberty now says the original quote was “an error” and has apologised to him.
The hike was up more than €15,000 on his insurance costs last year and over €18,500 more than his 2016 insurance policy for €800.
Mr Kelly says he was told by Liberty Insurance, when he questioned the price, that the premium had risen because of two outstanding claims against him.
He was left devastated by the quote as his car is vital to him for his suicide awareness voluntary group SOSAD (Save Our Sons and Daughters) fundraising, but Killarney firm Gallivan, Murphy, Hooper, and Dolan Insurances contacted him after seeing his plight and offered to insure him for €1,862.
The offer was one of a number of quotes from insurance companies all over Ireland who tendered quotes of less than €4,000.