The European Court of Justice has ruled that insurers will no longer be able to charge different premiums to men and women because of their gender.
The heavily publicised March ruling concluded that using gender as a risk factor in insurance contracts \”constitutes discrimination.\” The decision will have a significant impact on customers and the insurance industry and is almost certain to mean that young female drivers will see an increase in their motor insurance premiums when the changes take effect in December 2012.
Insurers will no longer be able to use the exemption for insurance to base female driver premiums on statistics which show that they have lower accident rates and costs. The average 18 year old male claim cost is £4,400, compared to the average 18 year old female claims cost of £2,700.
Other potential consequences of the ruling include:
- Premium increases for consumers if insurers pass on the cost of implementing the necessary changes to IT systems and underwriting processes
- An uptake of \’pay as you drive\’ schemes which use driver tracking technology to charge you for the distance you drive, when you drive and potentially how you drive
- Insurance companies pulling out of the youth market altogether
- Moves to introduce a ban on premium differentiation based on age
Advice for consumers is to contact their local insurance broker who can search from a panel of insurers to arrange cover that is appropriate for their particular needs.
Speak to Mohammed Taj or Chris Corkery on 0113 250 0377 for a quotation.
