Agism or Sexism Getting Insurance

[Kontiki]

That time of year again! As we only have the one vehicle & both of us have no claims bonuses we tend to alternate at least every couple of years to keep both active. I have 16 years, the wife about 12, I hadn't had insurance for 2 years so decided to get it in my name. Our current insurer Comfort wanted over £100 more to put policy in my name?? Same details except for whose name on policy, I'm 76 wife 72. Had to use comparison sites & found pretty much the same, I could nearly always get the insurance in the wife's name cheaper. I have 58 years driving experience, wife 46 years. Got insured in the end cost £364 about the same as the wife's renwal with Comfort (quote for mine was over £500 with them)
Wanted to keep both no claims as we are considering getting a car.

 

[trevskoda]

Many ins co say no claim discount on campers

 

[Kontiki]

Nearly all my no claims were earned on motorhomes/campervans, the wifes earned on cars. Used comparison sites to get quotes. Some did ask how the no claims was earned.
Even if they don't use the no claims doesn't explain difference between me & the wife.

 

[alcam]

Nearly all my no claims were earned on motorhomes/campervans, the wifes earned on cars. Used comparison sites to get quotes. Some did ask how the no claims was earned.
Even if they don't use the no claims doesn't explain difference between me & the wife.

Does being over 75 , possibly , bump up your premium ?
You may never have had an accident/claim in your life but if their stats say people of 75+ are more likely to make a claim they charge accordingly

 

[trevskoda]

Good iv got 10 years yet to go. Thats if you lot have not murdered me by then.

 

[MaryF]

That time of year again! As we only have the one vehicle & both of us have no claims bonuses we tend to alternate at least every couple of years to keep both active. I have 16 years, the wife about 12, I hadn't had insurance for 2 years so decided to get it in my name. Our current insurer Comfort wanted over £100 more to put policy in my name?? Same details except for whose name on policy, I'm 76 wife 72. Had to use comparison sites & found pretty much the same, I could nearly always get the insurance in the wife's name cheaper. I have 58 years driving experience, wife 46 years. Got insured in the end cost £364 about the same as the wife's renwal with Comfort (quote for mine was over £500 with them)
Wanted to keep both no claims as we are considering getting a car.

Insurance companies work on statistics - the elderly and the young statistically have more accidents & therefore more claims. Where you live and keep your vehicle also have a huge bearing on the cost of insurance - if you live in a high crime area you pay more, if you have your vehicle in a locked garage this will help reduce the cost (eg).

 

[Kontiki]

Insurance companies work on statistics - the elderly and the young statistically have more accidents & therefore more claims. Where you live and keep your vehicle also have a huge bearing on the cost of insurance - if you live in a high crime area you pay more, if you have your vehicle in a locked garage this will help reduce the cost (eg).

I understand that but what is there to explain both drivers are the same all other details are the same just who is named as first driver. The only difference between us is I am 4.5 years older & male? That is the point I was making, why was my quote around £150 dearer.

 

[SimonM]

Good iv got 10 years yet to go. Thats if you lot have not murdered me by then.

Only it won’t be called murder , you’re just being put out of our misery

 

[Caz]

I understand that but what is there to explain both drivers are the same all other details are the same just who is named as first driver. The only difference between us is I am 4.5 years older & male? That is the point I was making, why was my quote around £150 dearer.

The insurance company assumes that the policyholder likely to be doing most of the driving, with the named driver as an occasional driver. Statistically, male drivers over 75 cost more in accidents that female drivers under 75 - therefore it is likely to cost them more if the policy is in your name than it is if in your wife's name because they expect the policyholder to be doing most of the driving..

 

[wildebus]

The insurance company assumes that the policyholder likely to be doing most of the driving, with the named driver as an occasional driver. Statistically, male drivers over 75 cost more in accidents that female drivers under 75 - therefore it is likely to cost them more if the policy is in your name than it is if in your wife's name because they expect the policyholder to be doing most of the driving..

As I understand it, the gender of the driver is no longer allowed to affect an insurance premium, so that should be irrelevant, so the cost difference will be down to probably age and any claims in the last 5 years (58 years experience compared to 46 years experience matters not a jot either).
Policy holder is the primary driver as Caz says, so being over 75 years of age is the key factor I guess.

Talking experience, should insurance companies take time or miles into consideration as well? somebody could easily chalk up as much experience in one year as another driver might take 10 years to do. And if that continues they would be far more experienced over the 10 years, but to the insurance company it is the same. But flip side ... doing 10 times the driving miles might make you more experienced, but also more likely to be involved in an accident as on the road so much more.
The whole thing is a statistical quagmire

 

[Clunegapyears]

Definitely ageism. Last year I added a 52 year old to my policy who was driving the car back to the UK with Cretan rescue dogs. There were 3 of us on the policy already... 2 older codgers James and my father. The premium actually went DOWN!!!

 

[CliveW]

Insurance underwriters use age "brackets" for premium calculation, it could well be that you and your wife fall into two different brackets. I wouldn't worry about you No Claims Bonus, most brokers or insurers will "mirror" the bonus from another vehicle you are insured on.

 

[Squeegee]

I understand that but what is there to explain both drivers are the same all other details are the same just who is named as first driver. The only difference between us is I am 4.5 years older & male? That is the point I was making, why was my quote around £150 dearer.

It is also the case that women have fewer, or les expensive accidents, so their risk is a little lower.

 

[Kontiki]

I'm insured now anyway for about the same as the wife's renewal with Comfort was, didn't bother seeing what it would cost in the wife's name but I was guessing it would have been cheaper. Just annoys me that no matter what your experience or driving record there is nothing you can do about age. So moan over about insurance for another year.
Thanks for all the replies.

 

[REC]

If it is any consolation, our insurance went up when we tried to remove Dave's name (he is three years older than me) Dave couldn't drive for over a year due to medical issue. It was significantly cheaper to have two drivers ! They did record it as him being the policy holder and me as main driver.

 

[wildebus]

If it is any consolation, our insurance went up when we tried to remove Dave's name (he is three years older than me) Dave couldn't drive for over a year due to medical issue. It was significantly cheaper to have two drivers ! They did record it as him being the policy holder and me as main driver.

I don't know if it is a hard & fast rule, but there seems to be a standard policy where if someone has not held insurance, or at least has evidence of a NCD in their name for over 2 years, their NCD is voided and have to start again. On the Motorhome, I am now the only named driver so policy is in my name, but with the car, the OH & I alternate and mix it around so we both keep our NCDs.
(some MH Policies don't use or provide NCDs as has been mentioned which is why I don't just rely on that for mine).

 

[jacquigem]

Strictly speaking the no claims bonus is only earned by the policyholder. There are underwriters who will reward accident free drivers who have driven on other policies but now require insurance in their own names. Increasingly different companies are doing different things to try and attract the risks they want to write.

 

[wildebus]

Strictly speaking the no claims bonus is only earned by the policyholder. There are underwriters who will reward accident free drivers who have driven on other policies but now require insurance in their own names. Increasingly different companies are doing different things to try and attract the risks they want to write.

This reminds of a surprising thing I experienced with one policy. Had 9 years NCD and took out an Admiral Multicar Policy. The OH had 1 years NCD and added her car to the Multicar policy as it is designed for to save money over the cost of 2 seperate policies. They mirrored my NCD discount to her policy (handy saving there) and the surprising bit ... On the renewal letters a year later, my NCD went up to 10 years, but she got a letter confirming her NCD was 10 years also! Jumped up 9 years in just 1 year
Could be a very handy way for someone to build up an NCD fast if what Admiral did is normal.

 

[Kenj]

I have the full works with Saga brake down injury cover less than £300 both me and Ruth drivers. 73– 70

 

[REC]

I don't know if it is a hard & fast rule, but there seems to be a standard policy where if someone has not held insurance, or at least has evidence of a NCD in their name for over 2 years, their NCD is voided and have to start again. On the Motorhome, I am now the only named driver so policy is in my name, but with the car, the OH & I alternate and mix it around so we both keep our NCDs.
(some MH Policies don't use or provide NCDs as has been mentioned which is why I don't just rely on that for mine).

This was with full ncd as we had a "spare" proof less than two years old, from our previous vehicle which we insured with an overlap. . And on the car not motorhome.
The company told me they give discount for more than one driver as it spreads the risk. And husband /wife are discounted a bit more too.