The price of equality: Insurance rockets for women.

[Joel`]

A European Court has decided insurance companies can no longer use what *** you are to decide how much you pay for your premium.

The court in Luxembourg has ruled it is illegal to charge you more just because you're male.

So, now there will be "one rule for all" rule.

It means young men's policies could go down around 10% while women of a similar age could face up to a 25% increase.

Charlotte Griffiths is 22 years old. She's been driving for four years and hasn't had to make a claim yet.

She said: "I pay around £700 on insurance for my Vauxhall Corsa.

"I think men definitely aren't careful drivers so men should pay more than women because women take more care."

'Boy racers'
Statistics tell insurance companies young men are more likely to speed, more likely to be involved in a drink-driving accident and more likely to claim on their policy than women.

That's how they explain the higher charges.

"From my experience men are faster drivers, they're boy racers. They drive like their playing a computer game," said Charlotte.

According to the Department of Transport nearly 27,000 accidents were caused by male drivers under the age of 24 in 2009.

That's 10,000 more than women of the same age.

"I think it's unfair because women are more careful drivers so they should pay less," added Charlotte.

"I think it's a bit silly to be nitpicking about everything.

"If they're going to stop gender discrimination then they should stop age discrimination too."

Younger drivers
It's already against European law for insurance companies to discriminate on the basis of gender and now the UK is being brought into line.

"I think it's harder for young people when it comes to car insurance anyway. For them to make us pay more now it's going to be even harder," said Charlotte.

Policies for younger drivers went up by 58% last year.

That works out as an average of £1,700 for woman under 22.

For a man of the same age, it's another £1,000 on top of that.

Some insurance companies have now warned all prices may have to go up, while they work out what to do about the new changes.

"Everyone who's buying insurance isn't going to benefit," added Charlotte.

"The only people who will benefit will be the insurance companies and they already make enough money out of us.

"Half of us don't make claims anyway."

The changes are due to come in in December 2012.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/12605775

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About time for me! One of the few occasions where it is okay to discriminate and get away with it. What do you think of this change? European law going crazy again, or the price of equality?

 

[TheHig]

dont really care, my insurance stays sky high ever way, despite having 2 years No claims

 

[GodCubed]

Interesting, very interesting. Better not make too many of these threads, you'll be turning Base civilised.

It's fair, yes, but fair on who? As the quotes show, some women don't look too kindly on it, understandably, though the points she makes about "there shouldn't be age discrimination" are ill-advised. As you age, your reactions and reflexes slow and you're frankly just more of a liability, hence the increased premiums.

 

[Cal.]

I'm all for this, the inequality is infuriating imo, one of the big reasons I can't afford to drive is the stupidly high insurance because of being a young male.

 

[Unbidden]

Yes insurance will go down for young men but personal pensions will go up.....

 

[GodCubed]

I'm all for this, the inequality is infuriating imo, one of the big reasons I can't afford to drive is the stupidly high insurance because of being a young male.

But, equally, there is a reason for your high premiums. Young men are statistically more likely to crash than women of a similar age. And whilst they may be lumping everyone into the same bracket, I'm afraid that's the only way they can do it.

 

[maxpg]

I'm all for this, the inequality is infuriating imo, one of the big reasons I can't afford to drive is the stupidly high insurance because of being a young male.

i cant see it making to much difference to you then. do you really think they will lower young males insurance that much?

 

[Sulsey]

Completely fair, Having to pay thousands more than friends that were girls is just absurd.

 

[Joel`]

Interesting, very interesting. Better not make too many of these threads, you'll be turning Base civilised.

It's fair, yes, but fair on who? As the quotes show, some women don't look too kindly on it, understandably, though the points she makes about "there shouldn't be age discrimination" are ill-advised. As you age, your reactions and reflexes slow and you're frankly just more of a liability, hence the increased premiums.

There are so many more factors than just gender involved though. I'm sure if you bothered to collect the data you'd find correlation with accidents to parenting, education, criminal offences, area you live etc. Yet they discriminate purely on gender ignoring everything else. It's not fair on the boys who aren't boy racers and drive unsafely either, they get lumped in with the rest of them and pay far higher premiums for no reason whatsoever. Imagine if they collected statistical evidence to show a race or sexuality behaved differently and charged higher for it, they'd be uproar! And if it was female's being charged higher prices, feminists would have a field day! They've been crying for more and more equality, and now they get it, they're unhappy? Surely equality should apply in all cases, not just when you actually benefit from it.

 

[Sulsey]

But, equally, there is a reason for your high premiums. Young men are statistically more likely to crash than women of a similar age. And whilst they may be lumping everyone into the same bracket, I'm afraid that's the only way they can do it.

Unfortunately that's how it is. All of the same age falling in to the "statistically more likely to crash" bracket. The way in which they come up with these prices is just insane, but that's the world we live in.

 

[ajt09]

that could mean another £100 (as an example) on the household budget unfortunately. last thing people need in a recession right now. So it may be good on equality grounds, financially on families it could be crippling.

 

[Cal.]

i cant see it making to much difference to you then. do you really think they will lower young males insurance that much?

Of course not, but it will lower, the estimates I've seen say by around 10%. Although what's more annoying than the gender grouping is the ***** who are responsible for giving the insurance companies an excuse to raise the young male driver insurance so high in the first place.

 

[Sulsey]

There are so many more factors than just gender involved though. I'm sure if you bothered to collect the data you'd find correlation with accidents to parenting, education, criminal offences, area you live etc. Yet they discriminate purely on gender ignoring everything else. It's not fair on the boys who aren't boy racers and drive unsafely either, they get lumped in with the rest of them and pay far higher premiums for no reason whatsoever. Imagine if they collected statistical evidence to show a race or sexuality behaved differently and charged higher for it, they'd be uproar! And if it was female's being charged higher prices, feminists would have a field day! They've been crying for more and more equality, and now they get it, they're unhappy? Surely equality should apply in all cases, not just when you actually benefit from it.

Very well said, I agree!

 

[Joel`]

But, equally, there is a reason for your high premiums. Young men are statistically more likely to crash than women of a similar age. And whilst they may be lumping everyone into the same bracket, I'm afraid that's the only way they can do it.

Statistically, in the US, black people proportionally commit more crime. Should we treat them differently? No we don't, so it shouldn't be any different for gender.

 

[maxpg]

Of course not, but it will lower, the estimates I've seen say by around 10%. Although what's more annoying than the gender grouping is the ***** who are responsible for giving the insurance companies an excuse to raise the young male driver insurance so high in the first place.

they are saying it will come down by 10% but im doubtful, they are just estimates and i cant see insurances companies giving up 10% even if they are getting 25% extra from females. maybe its just my general hatred for insurance companies and how i hate spending money.

 

[Mike.]

that could mean another £100 (as an example) on the household budget unfortunately. last thing people need in a recession right now. So it may be good on equality grounds, financially on families it could be crippling.

this is the issue for me. in the end, everyone loses

 

[Niall]

I'm 20, going to be getting my 3rd year of insurance in the summer and it is infuriating having to pay ludicrous rates when I am a very safe driver, but I have seen some of my friends driving and understand why young men are considered more of a risk.

I have my own policy but have my mum as a named driver which brings my premium down quite a lot, other than that I'm just going to try to build up some decent no claims bonus.

 

[GodCubed]

There are so many more factors than just gender involved though. I'm sure if you bothered to collect the data you'd find correlation with accidents to parenting, education, criminal offences, area you live etc. Yet they discriminate purely on gender ignoring everything else. It's not fair on the boys who aren't boy racers and drive unsafely either, they get lumped in with the rest of them and pay far higher premiums for no reason whatsoever. Imagine if they collected statistical evidence to show a race or sexuality behaved differently and charged higher for it, they'd be uproar! And if it was female's being charged higher prices, feminists would have a field day! They've been crying for more and more equality, and now they get it, they're unhappy? Surely equality should apply in all cases, not just when you actually benefit from it.

Exactly. Well put.

Statistically, in the US, black people proportionally commit more crime. Should we treat them differently? No we don't, so it shouldn't be any different for gender.

Not condoning the practice you understand, merely explaining the rationale behind it. It should be equal for everyone, of course, but implementing this will be something else entirely. Countries like Luxembourg and the Netherlands are generally quite progressive with their thinking on these matters, so let's see how it pans out.

 

[JonoMUFC]

Haha thats right it works both ways

 

[Redders]

Pass on the reading of all posts

My two cents:

Women want to be equal, equal jobs, pay, respect etc...well they can pay the same as well then.