The above article reminded me about how the EU has judged it is unfair to discriminate gender when quoting a price of insurance. Part of me agrees.
If women want equality, then their insurance should cost the same for them as it would for men.
People are using the “Teenage men/boys crash more often” approach when justifying a position against the EU ruling. To be honest, I understand that many teenage oiks do have silly accidents because of their own stupidity. And they should pay for it. But my focus in this post is the “adult” drivers, those who after a certain age or a certain amount of no claims should expect a drop in insurance costs.
I’m almost 32, with 6 years no claims (Should be 9, but it’s complicated) and I’m still paying the same amount for fully comp as I did when I ten years ago.
I know I pay more for my insurance than my younger sister whose car is riddled with bumps and scrapes. (She keeps getting bollards and pillars jumping out on her!).
My mate pays more for his fully comp policy than his wife does, to the tune of £200! They drive their own cars, but are similar in make and model. She has had 3 claims in 6 years and I think 1 from her first year of driving, he has none in his entire driving history. Both are over 28 years of age and he has been driving longer. Where is the equality there?
For ****s n giggles, I once added my mother to my insurance as an additional driver when getting quotes. This dropped the price of one quote by £150. When I added my mate’s Dad’s name instead, the quote remained unchanged.
I agree that the “women are safer so should pay less” rule is discriminatory.
If I was to open a sports shop and give men a discount because they make better infantry troops, I’d bloody well get slapped with fines for discrimination.
I see as many women doing stupid things on the road as men to be honest.
I’ve also seen many “girl racers” pulling the same manoeuvres as “boy racers”.
Like it or not, both genders are equally able to crash and kill or be killed.
I think a better system would be to take your driving history and qualifications into consideration.
For example, if you are licensed to drive a bus or lorry, you’re more spatially aware. And if you can drive a bus or lorry, then you are generally more able to manoeuvre a car safely. This should qualify you for a discount.
People with a “Drivers plus” or “Advanced driving” qualification currently enjoy a small discount. This should be continued. In my opinion, such courses should become part of the required learning drive curriculum.
The above and the current no claims discount scheme would bring in a much fairer insurance policy, in my opinion.
As for the subject of young drivers, either increase their insurance costs or bring in the same engine size limitations as enforced for motorcyclists.
I propose that between passing their test and up to the fifth year of driving, the engine size is limited to 1 Litre and no modifications to the engine or related components are allowed. The only exception being a company vehicle, on company time.
Young drivers should also not be allowed to be a named driver on a parents or other adult’s insurance policy. This is how they are currently getting around it and affording all the modifications that make them a general nuisance.
Discuss 🙂
By: tornado64 - 9th March 2012 at 01:14
this is the way i think of course women drivers are worse than men !! i witness it all too often
but here’s the thing … in general males are on the road longer and cover greater distances
there are far fewer women drivers on the road ( especialy any type of distance driving ) i know i used to look for them when i was bored in my truck in jams
most women drivers are going to the shops , work , or school ( very few are proffesional drivers )
whilst on the school run they avoid accidents because blokes know they are going to do something ****witted a school run favourite seems to be to take little johny into the middle of the road open the door , spend time belting him in whilst holding up traffic , whilst the empty seat and kerb would have obviously been the dangerous option
worst drivers ??? asian women !! get behind one , you’ll know
what i’d like to know is just how much massaging of figures there is ??
because i was in a car lateley with a young female driver , that admitted to writing off 4 cars in the 4 months since passing her test and je*us i’ve been in a car with some fast driving lunatics but this girl was a liability as actualy driving seemed to be the last activity on her mind !!!!
By: bazv - 8th March 2012 at 18:21
“Fully Com” insurance.
🙂
Surely you mean ”Fully Con” insurance Alan 😀
I had a giggle just using the ‘Quote’ button on this thread 😀
rgds baz
By: AlanR - 8th March 2012 at 16:51
If I may be allowed to “nit pick” for a moment.
There is no such thing as “Fully Comprehensive” or “Fully Com” insurance.
It’s “Comprehensive”
Carry on 🙂
By: Bunsen Honeydew - 8th March 2012 at 16:41
Seems to me that there’s a lot of apocryphal stuff on this thread but little hard fact.
Has anyone seen the stats on accidents? I haven’t but if they show that any category of driver costs insurance companies less then the premiums should be lower. It’s no more discriminatory than giving first past the post the first prize.
Yes there will be exceptions but if the insurance companies had to bear the cost of individual assessments and maintaining those assessments the premiums would be far higher.
The comment re young drivers beggars belief, just go to casualty on a Friday or Saturday night and see the age of the traffic accident casualties.
Should add that I’m not employed by an insurance company, nor do I drive, but I do have a sense of logic and some common sense.
By: snowen250 - 8th March 2012 at 15:32
Thing is while females claim as much as men, they tend to make smaller claims. Minor damage etc. Now men tend not to mess around in accidents. Such as myself who is bracing himself for his policy to go nuts when they take into account the fact i put an M3 through a sign in the ice last month.
Insurance is done on risk, the risk of males destroying the car, property, themselves or others is higher then females. Allegedly. Thus the quotes are higher.
Personally i think the worst drivers on the road are late middleaged women. They have no real interest in driving and so meander along. Yes young men and women drive quickly, but at least they pay attention to driving! But what do i know…..
Simon
By: Lincoln 7 - 8th March 2012 at 10:41
I have a Sister In Law who works for a fairly well known Insurance Company, and she tells me it’s all a big con to get the most money out of the motorist. I passed my test a week after I was of the age to drive, the Insurance was high, I was told when I reached 21 it would go down, the same was said when I was 30. 40. 50, 60, and this year, when I am soon to be 71, it will be interesting to see what it is.
My wife and I have identical cars, Mini Coopers, my car since last June has covered 2,000 exactly, my wife has done 6.000. So why is my Insurance, more than hers?.
Ex Advanced Police Patrol car driver, never had an accident or made a claim. I see many females on mobile phones whilst driving, the other week, one actualy doing her hair, with BOTH hands, but they are according to the Insurance Companies safer drivers, and less of a risk.
Hope they don’t catch me driving whilst putting on my “LippY” 😀
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Creaking Door - 8th March 2012 at 10:24
Insurance companies ‘play the long game’; statistically women have fewer (serious) accidents than men but technology is beginning to change the generalisations that insurance companies are forced to use.
I get annoyed that my insurance is more expensive because of my occupation; I’m an engineer but why does being an engineer make me a higher risk than being a doctor or an accountant?
Roll-on this use of ‘black boxes’ in cars (you can already get one to lower your premium) but, and this is a big but, will a ‘black box’ in my car show me to be a higher or lower risk? With GPS and an inertia-platform it could pretty-much tell how I drive, fast, (speeding usually) and using above average acceleration and braking, but will it be able to pick-out the good points? I really pay attention to the road, I appreciate the road conditions (and have lots of experience driving on mud, ice and snow) and I always treat the other drivers as if they’re determined to do the stupidest thing imaginable (and they often do). So what would my insurance company charge if they knew all that?
By: tornado64 - 8th March 2012 at 10:17
the whole insurance game is a lucrative scam !! when i look for insurance i look for the lowest legal requirements cover ( nothing more ) if anything else is required i cover it out of my own pocket should that eventuality occur
why ??
because in the past i have paid to be covered and the scumbag weasels have welched not only on me but numerous other friends
one even welched on paying out on 7000 quids worth of caravan !!
By: tornado64 - 8th March 2012 at 10:11
anyone who can even remotely think women drivers are safer has obviously never been in a car driven by my sister !!
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March 8, 2012 at 9:42 am