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New plans revealed by the European Commission, banning
discrimination between the sexes when setting insurance premiums, are
bad news for women drivers.
Diamond, a direct insurer specialising in car insurance
for women, is concerned that the proposals to rule out the use of statistical
evidence on differences between men and women's driving records, will
mean women paying for men's more reckless driving.
Diamond's premiums reflect the fact that women have a different
driving pattern to men. In insurance terms women, and particularly young
women, are better drivers than men because they have fewer expensive accidents.
This is currently reflected in the difference in premiums that men and
women pay.
If the Commission's proposals are adopted, insurers will
have to charge the same rates for men and women. Young women could see
a 20-30% increase in their premiums, while young men could pay 10-20%
less.
Sian Lewis, managing director of Diamond, said, "Surely
it's only fair that young women's better driving is reflected in lower
premiums? Lower premiums for young men mean more of them on the roads,
driving bigger and faster cars. All that will mean is more death and injury
on the roads."
Issue date: 06-11-03
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