Almost a third of UK drivers want gender discrimination rules on insurance scrapped after Brexit
Nation divided as 50% of drivers believe the UK government should keep rules that ban cheaper car insurance policies for women after Brexit****
But three in ten (29%) want the rules to be scrapped****
More than 40% of UK drivers feel that their insurance premiums have risen since the directive’s introduction, as premiums rise by 15 percent over the 5-year period****
com calls on all UK drivers to check that they are on the cheapest deal available for their car insurance
The controversial EU ban that prevents insurance companies offering cheaper car insurance to women should be scrapped following Brexit according to almost a third (29%) of UK motorists, as revealed in the latest research from Uswitch.com, the price comparison and switching service.
However, half of motorists (50%) want the rules retained after the UK leaves the EU, with 53% of UK drivers saying it’s wrong for insurance companies to differentiate between men and women.
The research from Uswitch.com found that the majority of UK motorists want the rules retained despite the fact they are more than three times more likely to think that women are safer drivers than their male counterparts. Statistics from the road charity Brake support this view, highlighting that men account for 74% of road traffic deaths, 70% of serious injuries and 59% of slight injuries on the roads.
The findings show that younger drivers aged 18-34 are most in favour of retaining the anti-gender bias rules (59%), while support for scrapping the ban once the UK has left the EU is highest among drivers aged 55 or older (32%). Different parts of the country also have different opinions on the matter: motorists in Cardiff are the most likely to want to keep the EU rules, for example, with 59% in favour of gender parity, while 32% of Liverpudlians want them scrapped.
Since the EU banned insurers from considering gender, the average cost of fully comprehensive motor insurance has risen by 15% to £690. Indeed approximately 40% of both women and men who took part in the survey think that their car insurance premiums have gone up in the intervening time.
Sabrina Webb, insurance expert at Uswitch.com said, “Despite the spiralling cost of household bills and the stagnation in wages, the majority of Brits are prepared to put their principles before their wallets, and want to keep the EU Gender Directive rules.
“However, the EU Directive is not only the factor to influence car insurance: the increase in Insurance Premium Tax is having a big impact on the cost of cover. But regardless of whether you’re a man or a woman, and whatever the government decides to do post Brexit, there are some simple steps drivers can take to ensure they find the best deal possible.”
A few helpful tips from Uswitch.com:
Compare cover types – many motorists are caught out by the assumption that third party cover is cheaper than fully comprehensive. In fact, research from com shows that motorists could be overpaying for their car insurance by as much as £929 by only searching for third party policies.
Consider black box insurance – telematics, or ‘black box’ technologies that measure how well you drive, and charge you accordingly, are a good option for those looking for insurance that reflects driving performance.
Explore pay per mile – if you don’t spend a lot of time behind the wheel, pay per mile insurance can prove very cost-effective.
Increase your excess – by opting to pay a higher voluntary excess, you are lowering the cost to the insurer by essentially offering to pay a larger part of the claim yourself. However, remember this amount will come out of your pocket if you do need to make a claim, so choose an excess you can afford to pay.
Don’t just accept your insurer’s renewal quote – always shop around and compare insurers for a better deal.
Find out how you could save over £1,000 a year with Uswitch here.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Rory Stoves
Phone: 020 3872 5613
Email: rory.stoves@uswitch.com
Twitter: @UswitchPR
Notes to editors
All research referred to was conducted by Opinium from 10th to 13th November 2017 among 2,004 nationally representative UK adults.
When asked ‘When the UK leaves the European Union, do you think that the UK government should keep the rules that prohibit UK insurers from considering gender when pricing a car insurance policy?’ 50% of respondents selected ‘Yes’
When asked ‘When the UK leaves the European Union, do you think that the UK government should keep the rules that prohibit UK insurers from considering gender when pricing a car insurance policy?’ 29% of respondents selected ‘No’
When asked ‘Please select from the below the option that best applies to you?’ 41% of respondents selected ‘In the last five years, the cost of my car insurance has gone up’. According to the AA British Insurance Premium Index, the average premium quoted for a comprehensive car insurance policy in quarter 2 of 2017 was £690.35. In quarter 4 2012, the average premium quoted for a comprehensive car insurance policy on price comparison sites was £596. This represents an increase of 15.77% over the 5-year period
When asked ‘When the UK leaves the European Union, do you think that the UK government should keep the rules that prohibit UK insurers from considering gender when pricing a car insurance policy?’ 50% of respondents selected ‘Yes’. When asked, ‘Do you think that insurers should be allowed to consider the gender of the policyholder when calculating a quote for a car insurance policy?’ 53% of respondents selected ‘No’
When asked to ‘Please select the statement you most agree with’, 29% of respondents selected ‘Women are safer drivers than men’. 9% of respondents selected ‘Men are safer drivers than women’. 29 divided by 9 is 3.2
According to BRAKE, please see here
When asked ‘When the UK leaves the European Union, do you think that the UK government should keep the rules that prohibit UK insurers from considering gender when pricing a car insurance policy?’ 59% of respondents aged 18-34 selected ‘Yes’ and 32% of respondents aged 55+ selected ‘No’
When asked ‘When the UK leaves the European Union, do you think that the UK government should keep the rules that prohibit UK insurers from considering gender when pricing a car insurance policy?’ 59% of respondents in Cardiff selected ‘Yes’ and 32% of respondents in Liverpool selected ‘No’
According to the AA British Insurance Premium Index, the average premium quoted for a comprehensive car insurance policy in quarter 2 of 2017 was £690.35. In quarter 4 2012, the average premium quoted for a comprehensive car insurance policy on price comparison sites was £596. This represents an increase of 15.77% over the 5-year period
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