Car Insurance - Newly Married Women - Are they a Much Greater Risk?

Rusty_Moskvitch

Why is it when a married woman changes her unmarried surname to her husband’s that her car insurance premium rises by £100?

 We were married last September and since then my wife has been notifying her change of surname as the opportunity has arisen. Her car insurance is due for renewal in February, so 21 days beforehand we have been surveying the market for the best deal, as Martin has advised. We approached one company directly (on line) and also used one of the comparison websites. Possibly because both had her previous year’s applications for the same car ‘on file’ , her previous surname automatically appeared in the name box even though details of the home address change and change of marriage status had already been entered. On both occasions we allowed the application to proceed and were given the resultant premium cost(s). Then we corrected her name to the married one and both premiums shot up by approximately £100. Thinking this was an anomaly we re-did the applications ensuring that her new name was entered as early as possible in the process (by changing the previous name that automatically appeared) but the premiums still remained at the higher level.

 Subsequently, my wife found that a friend of hers had phoned her car insurers to advise that she had become married and wanted to change her name on her insurance documents and expected to be charged the standard amendment fee of £25 or so. Instead the voice at the other end of the line said “Congratulations on your marriage, our charge for a change of name is £4. However, your premium has risen by £103”. This came as a shock to her because none of her other circumstances had changed (same address, job, convictions, claims etc).

 What is going on? Are married women a much higher risk to insure than unmarried ones?  I hasten to add that I too recently renewed my car insurance 21 days in advance and made sure that my relationship status was declared as ‘married’ whereas it was previously ‘divorced’ and achieved a most acceptable premium which was actually lower than the previous year. How can we deal with this matter to achieve fair treatment for newly married women?

As it happens, we have re-insured my wife’s car in her previous name for the time being. (is this possible/legal?) Unfortunately, my wife’s friend paid the additional £103 because she is currently undergoing treatment for cancer and does not have the stamina to challenge it further. I think the whole matter is an absolute disgrace and I hope that somebody with the relevant professional knowledge can provide a solution.

A_Nice_Englishman

Presumably insurers find that married women have more / larger claims.

Are you on each other's insurance as named drivers? That often reduces premiums, as can multi-car policies.

Rusty_Moskvitch

Yes, we are both named drivers on each others insurance. I simply don't believe that married women are a greater risk, in fact I think they are possibly a lesser risk. It was OK while she was a Mrs in her previous name but it was the name change wot done it! For a new proposal surely a different surname should be on no consequence? The premium she has paid as Mrs W is £100 lower than what they want to charge when she is Mrs M. It is rediculous and outrageous.

fred246

I am not sure if saying this is politically incorrect and I haven't got any statistics to back it up but I think that pregnant women are an added risk.

Silvertabby

On the other hand, when a recently widowed friend rang her insurers to take her late husband off her policy (named driver) HER premiums went up as well.