Car insurance

[Tom]

I was wondering.

Currently, insurance companies discriminate against policyholders based on their sex - generally speaking, women get cheaper insurance quotes than men.

This seems to be wholly accepted, and doesn't raise any real argument.

So what if a company used the same statistical calculations, but based upon race or religion rather than sex? Would this be a) socially acceptable, and b) a valid business proposal?

What if it could be demonstrated, statistically, that certain races/religions tended to cost the insurance company more or less money over the terms of policies?

 

[old.user4556]

Would this be a) socially acceptable, and b) a valid business proposal?

What if it could be demonstrated, statistically, that certain races/religions tended to cost the insurance company more or less money over the terms of policies?

a) no
b) no

As soon as someone dares mention something against colour/race in this country, they're shot down before they can finish their sentence.

It is perceived to be socially unacceptable (imo) in the UK to criticise minority race/colour in either a positive or negative way. For example:

"Black people are better at basketball than whites" - that sentence could/would make people wince and run for the PC hills.

"Jews crash more than christians, therefore we'll charge them more" - not a fucking chance.

My argument/examples is/are shit, but in general it wouldn't work.

 

[Tom]

But if the statistics were correct, how could people then argue that discriminating between men and women was valid?

I'm not bothered really, my insurance isn't that bad. Just wondered.

 

[old.user4556]

I think it's a reflection of society today, the "men v women" thing is a very live and let live scenario. Noone really cares that much to pursue it, particularly not men because men simply don't want to jeopardise the chance of a shag (basically).

 

[leggy]

Even if race X was proven to be a bigger risk (statistically) than race Y, I'm pretty certain that no businessman worth his salt would even dare risk the press by implementing a price structure based on race.

Can you imagine the sales hit?

I suppose it depends on whether it was a minority or a majority who were being discriminated against. Being that it is currently socially acceptable to discriminate against males (where car insurance is concerned).

 

[Trem]

Its a crock of shit tbh. Samm crashes every 7 minutes and I haven't crashed since I was 20(13 years ago, her fault).

We have a roundabout at the end of our road and she even forgot to go around it once, and just the other month she crashed into the multi storey while parking and set off both airbags(passenger side went off because her bag was on the seat). That cost over a grand to put right.

Men are better drivers, end of argument. Women multi task and do it while they are driving - put make-up on, do their hair, decide whats for tea, check in the mirror every 3 seconds to see if a sexy fireman is driving behind, change Tampon, crash......ALWAYS CRASHING!!

I guess the statistics show that men have more crashes but surely thats because most of us pass our test quicker than women, hence more of us on the road.



How can any woman not love me, I have a way with the ladies.

 

[`mongoose]

I actually think that the insurance stuff is bollox tbh. Everyone should pay the same for their insurance irrespective of sex.

if you've got 5 years no claims and an unblemished driving record how can you be a worse driver or more unsafe driver than someone else with the same record?

it's bs tbh

M

 

[Bodhi]

Women do have more accidents than men that is a fact, however when men do it they do it properly and do more damage - that's where the insurance differences come from.

 

[Trem]

More like the womens partners pay for the repairs rather than going through the insurance. Thats what I did anyway.

 

[bob269]

More like the womens partners pay for the repairs rather than going through the insurance. Thats what I did anyway.

You may be a better driver than Samm but at least she's still got a license

 

[Alliandre]

It's just one of those things I've sort of learned to accept. Like I'm younger, so I have to pay about four times more than the normal amount in insurance. I just plan on keeping my no claims bonus going so it won't be as expensive some day..

 

[Trem]

I still got mine...........just

 

[DaGaffer]

Actually, it does happen; not so much with car insurance, but plenty of other areas like medical and life, if they can find out your race, it goes into all acturial table calculations along with everything else. The only difference between this and the sexist car insurance is the marketing. This is one of the reasons why people are so worried about the ID card database; its a nice easy source of data to make all these calculations. Tie it to the NHS database, and if (when) the government starts selling the data, and its a happy day for the insurance companies.

 

[GDW]

What if it could be demonstrated, statistically, that certain races/religions tended to cost the insurance company more or less money over the terms of policies?

Insurance companies already do this in Northern Ireland! The vast majority of British Insurance companies do not operate in Northern Ireland for the following reasons

• Northern Ireland law still allows whiplash claims to be made
• carjacking and joyriding is rife in certain parts of the province
• less important now as things are settling down but loss/damage as a result of terrorism

So there is an argument that drivers in Northern Ireland ,who are technically citizens of the United Kingdom, are not offered the same choice as our UK counterparts in England Scotland and Wales because as a race the Northern Irish are more risky to insure. The companies that do offer us insurance give us quotes which are way in excess of anywhere else in the UK

 

[old.user4556]

Actually, it does happen; not so much with car insurance, but plenty of other areas like medical and life, if they can find out your race, it goes into all acturial table calculations along with everything else. The only difference between this and the sexist car insurance is the marketing. This is one of the reasons why people are so worried about the ID card database; its a nice easy source of data to make all these calculations. Tie it to the NHS database, and if (when) the government starts selling the data, and its a happy day for the insurance companies.

Good post Gaff.

 

[Bodhi]

I still got mine...........just

Dude, you need to phone the DVLA ASAP and tell them you have physically lost your licence.