The province should hold public hearings into soaring auto insurance rates, two rebel Tory MLAs say.

Brent Rathgeber, who sits on the insurance reform committee, and Thomas Lukaszuk says they've been flooded with calls on the issue. And they want drivers consulted on any changes made to how insurance operates in the province.

Premier Ralph Klein's cabinet voted Monday to freeze auto insurance rates for at least 18 months while the insurance reform committee tries to come up with solutions to make rates more fair.

Rathgeber, who was an injury lawyer, spoke out against some of his committee's initial recommendations, especially a proposed cap on soft tissue injuries. He says the best way to bring down costs is to prevent collisions from happening in the first place.

Rathgeber has also suggested public hearings before, which Finance Minister Pat Nelson said wouldn't happen.

The position of the two Edmonton MLAs is being greeted by skepticism by the opposition, who say they're just worried about facing an angry electorate.

"I think there's lots of posing going on by Edmonton MLAs whose seats are at risk and they know it," NDP MLA Brian Mason said. "They've been given special dispensation by the premier to use more freedom of speech."