Pay-As-You-Go Insurance: Age Shouldn't Be the Final Word

NorbieG

I believe it would be valuable to address "discriminatory pay-as-you-go vehicle insurance."   

The persistent age discrimination in pay-as-you-go vehicle insurance deserves attention. As a 78-year-old retiree with minimal driving needs, I have kept my car off the road (SORN) for almost three years for this very reason. In my recent attempts to re-insure my vehicle, I’ve struggled to find an insurance company or broker willing to help. Pay-as-you-go insurance, which would be ideal for someone like me, has proven to be exclusionary and ageist during the application process.   

Despite having my car SORN for three years due to low usage, I’ve faced discriminatory policies while trying to insure it again. My clean driving record spanning 55 years should speak volumes about my responsibility as a driver, yet these insurance companies refuse to consider it. The barriers faced by older drivers trying to access fair insurance options are unjust and need addressing.   

  

Age should not be the sole metric used to evaluate driving capability or insurance eligibility. The criteria used by these companies ignore individual circumstances and perpetuate outdated stereotypes about older drivers. It’s disheartening to see my strong driving history disregarded in favour of blanket assumptions about age.   

  

Age is just a number in my case! While I may be 78, I’m often told I look around 50. My health, eyesight, reactions, ability, and physical appearance don’t align with typical stereotypes of someone my age, which demonstrates how misleading age-based discrimination can be. Insurance companies are dismissing me based solely on my age, ignoring the reality of my impeccable driving record and active lifestyle.   

p00hsticks

I suggest you choose just one board and post there, rather than cutting and pasting the same text on multiple different boards of the forum. I'm gin to propose that all your identical threads are merged into one 

NorbieG

p00hsticks said:

I suggest you choose just one board and post there, rather than cutting and pasting the same text on multiple different boards of the forum. I'm gin to propose that all your identical threads are merged into one 

I don't know which is the correct board to choose because none cover my post, specifically.  Can you suggest a board?

400ixl

Age isn't the solitary metric used to calculate driving capability for insurance.

However age is one of the considerations and when aligned with incidents reported by the more elderly demographic it can't be ignored as lower reaction time can cancel out experience. Same as it can't for newer drivers with less experience.

Pay as you go is going to be more expensive as it likely to be for drivers who do little driving. As driving is a lot of muscle memory, the less you do the worse you are at it. This is why very low mileage policies are typically more expensive then moderate mileage for any age group.

You haven't quantified what you consider to be expensive and how much it was before you were 70.

Hoenir

NorbieG said:

My clean driving record spanning 55 years should speak volumes about my responsibility as a driver, yet these insurance companies refuse to consider it. 

Totally irrelevant. The insurance company has to assess the risk as of today. Motoring has changed in that 55 year time frame. Likewise to insure individuals on case by case basis would send premiums through the roof.  Pooled risk benefits everyone. Even if the cost is seemingly very high. 

NorbieG

400ixl said:

Age isn't the solitary metric used to calculate driving capability for insurance.

However age is one of the considerations and when aligned with incidents reported by the more elderly demographic it can't be ignored as lower reaction time can cancel out experience. Same as it can't for newer drivers with less experience.

Pay as you go is going to be more expensive as it likely to be for drivers who do little driving. As driving is a lot of muscle memory, the less you do the worse you are at it. This is why very low mileage policies are typically more expensive then moderate mileage for any age group.

You haven't quantified what you consider to be expensive and how much it was before you were 70.

Nothing to do with the charge/expense, it's to do with age discrimination.  How can I delete my post from this board and post it on the Campaign board? 

NorbieG

Hoenir said:

NorbieG said:

My clean driving record spanning 55 years should speak volumes about my responsibility as a driver, yet these insurance companies refuse to consider it. 

Totally irrelevant. The insurance company has to assess the risk as of today. Motoring has changed in that 55 year time frame. Likewise to insure individuals on case by case basis would send premiums through the roof.  Pooled risk benefits everyone. Even if the cost is seemingly very high. 

What about my capability to drive; aren't they taking that away from me?

born_again

Car SORN will mean that you lost any NCD, as normal max is 2 years without insurance, although you may find some that will stretch to 3.


All you can do is go on compare sites & see what is offered.

400ixl

NorbieG said:

Hoenir said:

NorbieG said:

My clean driving record spanning 55 years should speak volumes about my responsibility as a driver, yet these insurance companies refuse to consider it. 

Totally irrelevant. The insurance company has to assess the risk as of today. Motoring has changed in that 55 year time frame. Likewise to insure individuals on case by case basis would send premiums through the roof.  Pooled risk benefits everyone. Even if the cost is seemingly very high. 

What about my capability to drive; aren't they taking that away from me?

Your capability to drive diminishes at a point in time which statistically the insurers take into consideration. It is the group statistic they are taking into account as they can't do it at an individual level for insurance.

There is no age discrimination in terms of a protected discrimination.

DullGreyGuy

NorbieG said:
Age is just a number in my case! While I may be 78, I’m often told I look around 50. My health, eyesight, reactions, ability, and physical appearance don’t align with typical stereotypes of someone my age, which demonstrates how misleading age-based discrimination can be. Insurance companies are dismissing me based solely on my age, ignoring the reality of my impeccable driving record and active lifestyle.   

Age isnt just a number, if you do statistical analysis on drivers where the only variance is their age very standard results start appearing because the typical 19 year old hasnt fully matured yet and naturally won't have years of driving experience to call on just like the average 80 year old's reactions have slowed. 

Yes there are teenagers that are much more mature than their peers and there are older folk who haven't deteriorated at much but to judge that you'd need to individually observe the person over an extended period of time. Obviously if everyone had to be monitored for a month before applying for insurance it would likely bring insurance up to a five figure sum and be particularly problematic for those that need insurance at short notice. 

As the average person complains about paying £500/year for car insurance they arent going to want to add another two digits to it and so we accept that risks are judged on what the average person with the same characteristics is like and yes there will be some winners and losers. 

I once had a customer call, he was 81 from memory I think, saying very much the same about themselves, that they are often mistaken for a mid 50s, still goes clubbing and has to fend off middle age women, but when trying to park in a carpark he'd accidentally put the car in D rather than R hit a few cars, panicked, missed the brake and hit the accelerator damaging a total of 8 cars. 

3 months later had a middle age woman calling on behalf of her father, saying basically the same story minus the fact he is amazing for his age. Name was ringing a bell and so double checked and sure enough same bloke but it was 10 cars this time. I commented that I would be referring the policy to underwriting and likely wouldn't be offering renewal terms and she said it didnt matter as they were taking the keys off of him. 

Maybe he deteriorated quickly inside the policy year, maybe he hadn't realised his own decline, but circa £100k of damage being done is likely to have nudged premiums in that age group. 

NorbieG

born_again said:

Car SORN will mean that you lost any NCD, as normal max is 2 years without insurance, although you may find some that will stretch to 3.


All you can do is go on compare sites & see what is offered.

Can't find any, although I'm informed there are some.  When I contact those that are supposed to go up to 3 years, they give me excuses... and informed me they only go up to 2 years.