Unemployment Insurance, promoted by the Progressive Labour Party for over a decade while in Opposition may be considered again in the near future, Premier Paula Cox said yesterday.In 2002, $1 million was budgeted to seed a new Unemployment Insurance Fund by then Finance Minister Eugene Cox.Mr Cox was an ardent proponent of the scheme which would have entitled Bermudians to an unemployment benefit if they were laid off. He argued then that the contributory scheme would help the unemployed feel better about coming forward to seek assistance and tame the costs of financial assistance.Government set about consulting with business and labour, but within the year the business community began questioning the need for unemployment insurance in a full employment environment.Now with more than 3,000 people unemployed, the Premier was asked whether she regretted that Government had not moved forward with the idea ten years ago. Ms Cox said that her father had consulted widely with the business community and the feedback was not supportive.But the Premier said that unemployment was being funded “in a different way” through Financial Assistance. “I think, though, that now, based on what has happened in the economy that has caused people to review their position. And I think that is something we are interested to pursue.”But Ms Cox added that business would probably see additional costs as “punitive at this time.” “But I think that in a year or so, that may be an idea that we may realise is an idea whose time has come.”