Vehicle insurance discrimination

Martok

I wasn't sure whether to post here, consumer rights or motoring, it would fit in them all.

We recently found ourselves in need of a second car and in an effort to get my wife back on the car insurance ladder and build up some NCD we decided to insure it in her name. (Her NCD had run out as it is over three years since she was insured as the main driver)

Using gocompare and describing my wife as "unable to work due to disability" the cheapest quote was £316. Trying to tweak it a bit we went back and changed her employment status to "housewife" and the cheapest quote was then £264. Please note that both descriptions fit my wife and this was the only change that was made.

The two cheapest for housewife, Privilege and Churchill, wouldn't give quotes on gocompare for unable to work due to disability so I went on to their websites and got quotes and both increased by approx £100.

The biggest increase that I could see was Halifax who jumped from £303 to £676!!!!!

Liverpool Victoria stayed the same at £343. Well done them.

Is there some discrimination here or can they legally increase their premiums because someone is unable to work because of a disability?

sevenhills

Martok wrote: »

Using gocompare and describing my wife as "unable to work due to disability" the cheapest quote was £316. Trying to tweak it a bit we went back and changed her employment status to "housewife" and the cheapest quote was then £264. Please note that both descriptions fit my wife and this was the only change that was made.

When I was looking for insurance, some of the price changes did seem odd. The web sites can store your cookies, and alter the price for some reason.
Maybe other can help?

anniecave

When i was searching for car insurance after being made redundant I found that some insurance were quoting more for being unemployed rather than employed.


They can legally charge different premiums for other aspects of who you are (eg your age or whether you are married or single or whatever) so I guess that's just another part of the picture.

tomtom256

Of course premiums change, insurance is based on risk/the perception of risk so if you are deemed to be high risk you will pay higher premiums.

bertiewhite

My wife has been refused insurance before because she said she was not working.

Dandytf

I got quite a shock from some quotes this year when I declared M.S. disability to Dvla and insurers.
Though to be fair my recently reduced 3year at a time renewable liscence was probably flagged on their systems.

missile

Using gocompare and describing my wife as "unable to work due to disability" the cheapest quote was £316. Trying to tweak it a bit we went back and changed her employment status to "housewife" and the cheapest quote was then £264.

That does seem unfair.

I find it hard to believe disabled people have more accidents?

Some insurers don't appear on comparison websites; e.g. Direct Line will give NCD credit to drivers named drivers.