Sexist Car insurance

BettiePage

We were unable to obtain a quote from this Insurer as they have chosen not to support the gender of the main driver.

From Diamond via moneysupermarket. Are they allowed to do this? Surely it's sex discrimination...?

brazilianwax

BettiePage wrote:

From Diamond via moneysupermarket. Are they allowed to do this? Surely it's sex discrimination...?

It's car insurance for women, and yes they can. Women are safer drivers and they are targetting them. They don't mind fellas being on the policy, but the main driver must be female.

There are plenty of other insurance companies that will insure men.

They won't insure drivers over 69 either.........

scousemanblue

How can it be descriminate?

There are Insurance Companies who quote for 18-24 year olds only. Isnt that ageist?

Also, an Insurance Company called ANSVAR (as far as I remember) dont allow you to go on cover if you have alcohol in your house if you get a household quote.

Punky_Guy

I have always thought it was appalling that car insurers can do this. I wondered if the feminist/women's lib movement would have put up with it if it was the other way around. Or the government if black drivers were a higher risk than white drivers.

Its also rubbish and a gimmick anyway. The enemy got much cheaper car insurance through MoreThan (and there were plenty of others) before Sheila's Wheels and Diamond come up. I am on MoreThan too, so I probably get a better premium than if I was a woman on SW/Diamond.

brazilianwax

Okay - here's the deal.

insurance companies are businesses and are in business to make money

Shocking, I know.

Most have several companies which specialise in different things. So, one is better for women, one for younger drivers, one for experienced drivers and one for everyone else.

It means that if say the one specialising in younger drivers loses money (cos more claims are made than their premiums bring in) the other companies aren't affected.

Also, not every company wants to insure you. If you don't meet their criteria (which change all the time) they will quote you a massive amount so that you will go elsewhere.

That's why you need to phone around for insurance - what is good for one person won't be good for another!

Claire

Graham_Devon

They have to take male or female. They cannot discriminate. The call operaors will tell you they only take females, but they cannot do that. What they can do though is quote you a massive amount so you don't shop with them.

If it had been on the other foot, women power would have gone skitso at equal rights etc, which is why there aint any!

Also, if you had an advert shouting 'men make better drivers' doubt it would get very far!

GUMPO

brazilianwax wrote:

Okay - here's the deal.

insurance companies are businesses and are in business to make money

Shocking, I know.

So what if the same insurance companies decided to stop employing women on the grounds that maternity leave was costing them too much. By your logic that would be OK would it?:mad:

peter999

Graham_Devon wrote:

What they can do though is quote you a massive amount so you don't shop with them.

But that's discriminatory as well.

I did wonder whether it was legal that companies like sheilaswheels can get away with advertising as insuring only women.

You could justify anything on the basis that one sex may have better statistics in any field:
-working in call centres
-doing housework
-driving buses

I'll have to give oner of these discriminatory insurance companies a call & see what they say.

peter999

burbs_2

This really annoys me, "for ladies who insure their cars blah blah blah"

If it was the other way round and men only the women would be back out on the streets, burning their bras and stuff, yet it's OK when you discriminate against men. Annoying to say the least.

Bossyboots

The reason they are allowed to get away with it is because the statistical information on car crashes supports the contention that women are lower risk drivers. Therefore they are allowed to prioritise this group of drivers for their policies.

gazza975526570

What about if there was a statistic showing certain ethnic groups had fewer accidents - would this also be deemed as acceptable and an appropriate way to drum up Business? Or how about on people sexual preferences.

I rightly think not.

As has been said women have fewer incidents and as such quite rightly have lower preimums but the premiums should be rated this way to reflect the fewer incidents.