The insurance industry has called on the Government to abolish the 2 per cent levy on non-life insurance policies on the grounds it is an extra burden for policyholders.
The stamp duty raised more than €75 million for the Exchequer last year. Its abolition has also been recommended by the Motor Insurance Advisory Board.
In its pre-Budget submission to the Minister for Finance, the Irish Insurance Federation (IIF), which represents both life and non-life firms, also called for the insurance reforms agreed by Government to be "fully resourced" to control costs.
The IFF said, short of a full phasing-out of the stamp duty, some or all of its proceeds should be devoted to funding safety measures and/or the costs of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board.
It also told Mr McCreevy it wants to see an extension of access to Approved Retirement Funds and improved tax incentives for long-term care insurance products.
Under the IIF's suggestion, tax relief would be available at the marginal rate on contributions paid by policyholders on long-term care insurance policies.
The insurance body estimates the cost of providing care for the disabled elderly will rise by 200 per cent to nearly €3.5 billion over the next 25 years.
The IIF said "considerable progress" had been made, particularly in relation to motor insurance costs. However, it called on the Government to take urgent action to address safety on the roads and in the workplace.
It also sought reform of the system for adjudicating personal injury compensation claims and a "streamlining" of legal procedures to reduce the delivery cost of compensation claims.