Discrimination for being unemployed ?

Mr_Toad

chrisw wrote: »

My wife put down retired and after we'd taken out the policy we were bombarded with telephone calls from the insurance company wanting to know why she was retired at 44. It was on ill health grounds so we had to supply medical details even though none of them required DVLA notification (arthritis). So now she puts housewife, which is still true.

As has been previously been said, you can retire at any age and as your wife's illness was not notifiable all you had to do was tell them she retired because she can afford to. If it had been notifiable then it would have been different. Never tell people more than you need to.

mattyprice4004

wossie wrote: »

Its crazy, I myself would say its discrimination, I do not use the car any more or any less, in employment or not.Why having a job makes a difference. Any one at any time is capable of being involved in an accident fault or no fault.
I have always paid monthly. Im up to my eyes in debt and ever had the luxury of paying up front.
Its just a shock to me that using unemployment to load premiums, they are insuring me as a person,so i can legaly drive my car from a to b.
Also it goes to show put my status as u/e. premiums rise, put my status as a house husband or similar, premiums drop, but your still u/e. ??????????

How is it discrimination? If they think you're a bigger risk because a factor in your life has changed, you pay more.

It's how insurance work - it's based on risk.

steve-L

wossie wrote: »

Its crazy, I myself would say its discrimination, I do not use the car any more or any less, in employment or not.

Because it has nothing to do with you...... or a 1:1,000,000 part of you. It has to do with the 'classification' you are in.

Why having a job makes a difference. Any one at any time is capable of being involved in an accident fault or no fault.

All the insurers know is that for people who fill out the employment box as unemployed they have more claims than those in your former job.

If your former job was a chef then it would make a difference if you worked in a licensed or unlicensed establishment. Not because that would change you but because you would be now classed with a group of people that their statistics say have more accidents. Perhaps the difference isn't drinking but the people in the car park who might scratch the car??????

However you might also fill out orders on a computer... you might find that putting computer technician had lower insurance than Chef on licensed premises.

Also it goes to show put my status as u/e. premiums rise, put my status as a house husband or similar, premiums drop, but your still u/e. ??????????

Because statistics on people who put House husband show they have less claims than those who put unemployed.

When you fill out the box some occupations (and non occupations) have previously been chosen by others. Those others have a history and you are now being classed with them because you chose the same employment option.
Who knows.... perhaps merchant seaman with 2k max miles a year would be cheaper???? (Based on them spending most of their time away)..... or submariner?

Its just stats and you just need to play the game....

getmore4less

when I renewed I found house person cheaper than retired or employed, unemployed was a lot more.

Lum

mattyprice4004 wrote: »

How is it discrimination? If they think you're a bigger risk because a factor in your life has changed, you pay more.

Discrimination is a difficult thing to define. For example they finally decided that charging men more was discrimination.

Thing is, I don't think employment status is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act, but many would argue that that act doesn't cover enough characteristics anyway.

How would you feel about being refused service at a restaurant because you're unemployed?

wossie

how many unemployed people actually have car insurance ? at those inflated prices. maybe its a ploy, price people off the road, lol.

steve-L

wossie wrote: »

how many unemployed people actually have car insurance ? at those inflated prices. maybe its a ploy, price people off the road, lol.

Or ... a percentage of the people who click 'unemployed' are not actually unemployed but involved in illegal activity.

As someone mentioned, what does a guy with no legal income driving a BMW M5 with blacked out windows actually do in the day?

But really its not just drug dealers but people who are professional fraudsters on both benefits and insurance.... or those who make benefits a lifestyle of choice are probably the ones who make dodgy claims on their insurance ?

patman99

Makes me glad I use the Co-Op. They don't increase the premiums if you lose your job.

maninthestreet

It's discrimination, but not illegal discrimination - employment status isn't a 'human characteristic' like gender or race.

motorguy

maninthestreet wrote: »

It's discrimination, but not illegal discrimination - employment status isn't a 'human characteristic' like gender or race.

Neither is living in an area of high crime?

OR driving a sports car?

OR having a particular type of job?