American Car Insurance - A Rant.

[Andy]

So today, the European Court of Justice ruled that insurance companies are being 'sexiest' by offering cheaper car insurance to Women. Now I've long thought this, but then women do have less accidents and aren't prone to the same 'boy racer' attitudes that men do behind the wheel. I think we've all been there.

For the last 5 years that I've had a license, thanks mainly to my Dad, I've been dead keen to get behind a yank on the road. I don't know whether it's the lifestyle or what that really appeals, but the idea of driving something different, unique and something which isn't your average Eurobox really appeals to me. For these last 5 years I've been getting turned away, admittedly first I was probably naive to think I'd get insured on one, but looking back a quote of £1,200 for a 5 litre Pontiac Firebird would now be a good deal considering the alternative. At 20 I got told I needed to be 21, at 21 I got told I needed to be 23, now being 23, I got told I need to be 30.

My old man has just treated himself to a new car, won't say yet as it's not here, but out of curiosity he asked when buying the insurance whether I could be put on the policy. It would appear that in the last 12 months some major $hit has gone down that now means the average Joe Bloggs has to be at least 30 years old with at least a years LHD experience before they'll quote you. This wasn't just one company, this was the majority he tried.

Granted, I'm a kid in respect to you lot (bar a few) but I'm not a chavy boy racer, I do have a second car that I drive daily, I just want to be able to get to drive one of these things on the road, be it to a drag race or a show, to live a bit of the lifestyle you guys have got.

After todays decision about women's premiums being sexist, would I not be right in saying this is age discrimination of some sort?

I guess I'm just a bit p!ssed off that I was born too late. Mind you it's nothing considering how p!ssed off I am never to have seen Hendrix live, but that's another story.

As you were...

[HardRockCamaro]

To be honest I had difficulty finding someone to quote me on a Camaro or Trans-Am before I was 25, once I hit 25 it was easier, but only 2 companies would quote, and they had to keep me on hold while they spoke to the underwriters, blah, blah, blah.

When asked if I had experience of driving lhd I said I had driven a van and 2 different cars in the US for several months while I was out there.  How can they verify that right?  

So I got quoted £540 on the IROC when I had been paying £1,200 on a modified Focus of the same value.  Winner!

[F Body]

Quoting: Andy

So today, the European Court of Justice ruled that insurance companies are being 'sexiest' by offering cheaper car insurance to Women.

Well seeing as it's now illegal to discriminate against peoples age, does that mean that next old and young drivers will have to be charged the same

[Andy]

Quoting: F Body

Well seeing as it's now illegal to discriminate against peoples age, does that mean that next old and young drivers will have to be charged the same

It's not a case of being charged the same amount, it's being offered the insurance full stop. Being told you have 7 years before you'll be even considered to be able to drive such a vehicle is a little OTT in my opinion.

I'm looking at the positives. 7 years worth of savings should allow me to buy a sweet car... if they haven't banned them by then.

[Fieldy]

I have never had an issue with insurance....

Paid £520 (ish) for my Camaro insurance when I was 20, Now I am 24 and my Blazer insurance is only £243.

I don't agree with the new insurance ruling as I feel it was fair, women don't incur as many crashes/speeding fines so why should they pay the same as young men?

[Andy]

Got a feeling you're lucky that you got on the insurance wagon before they've clamped down on it.

Just been reading the Pistonheads thread about it, I'm not the only one who seems to struggling,

Quoting: Iroc-Z on PH

I'm with A-plan at the moment because last May, when my renewal was due, Henderson Taylor wrote to me saying they'd put their age limit up to 30 and couldn't offer me a renewal. Or more accurately their underwriters wouldn't insure me anymore! I was 25 at the time and paying £275 fully comp on my Camaro, and after a brief liaison with Adrian Flux which left me rather unimpressed, I chose A-plan. They seemed very professional but I still ended up paying £630 to insure a car that originally cost me £215 fully comp back when I was two years younger and had zero experience with an American car.

Taken from here... http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=186&t=965596&mid=0&nmt=What+is+going+on+with+Insurance!!!!+Need+advice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">link

[Incursus]

Quoting: Fieldy

I have never had an issue with insurance....

Paid £400 (ish) for my Plymouth Duster insurance when I was 23ish

Though that was 10 years ago

Still paying £300 ish for the Mustang

Back Off Brussels!!

[HardRockCamaro]

The problem with quoting based on gender is that it was always going to be illegal if someone bothered to try the system in court.

Now, you may say it's perfectly fair to use gender as a gauge as women statistically have less accidents.  So I'd like to know if the insurance database shows if people from certain countries have more accidents (eg Indian housewives, or African cab drivers) because if such things are logged in the DB (and I bet they're not) I am 100% confident that you will see a difference in claim rates.  Now, I have no idea who would claim the least, but I bet there's a difference.  But there is no way they'd be allowed to get away with quoting you based on race...

So if we're going to stick to being PC, they shouldn't be able to quote you based on gender, or age.

I was reading how American insurance works and I'm pretty sure they didn't even discriminate on vehicle until recently and I'm sure they're not actually allowed by law to use your zipcode...  Can't remember if they are allowed to factor in gender or age..

[Shifty]

Renewed the insurance on the FTO yesterday for the princely sum of £630...... nice!

[Andy]

Another thing, Fieldy, who is your insurance with?

NIG, the big underwriters appear to be the one who most young'uns are insured with, they've pulled it on under 30's. Mean, Graham Sykes, Adrian Flux and Stevenage won't quote at all.

Shifty, is that a daily?

I can see it as the insurance companies just pricing young drivers odd the road completely. If that tv piece on the two twins didn't show it enough, with the new European law, the boy paid £3400 for a Corsa and the girl paid £1700. Now if they do what they say which is bring womens quotes online with mens, both pay £3400, for a Corsa. Who could afford that at 17/18?!

[Roadkill]

That sucks.

I've had no problem insuring Yanks - ever.

Insured my first at 21 . . even the premium was pretty good.

It got easier as I got older though.

[Fieldy]

Quoting: Andy

Another thing, Fieldy, who is your insurance with?

Adrian Flux....

Was the same price for my Astro Van, when I phoned up for the Blazer and they said it would be exactly I bit their arm off.... Amazing!

I don't think I am lucky, I think it is to do with shopping around? No?

When I had the Camaro, it was Sureterm, but they actually won't insure me as they have stopped under 25's....

[Shifty]

Quoting: Andy

Shifty, is that a daily?

Sort of, its insured for 6k miles a year. I use the Kawasaki for the other 8 - 9k a year

Sadly the Bus incident still pushes my insurance up and being 28 on a group 20 import don't help either.

Aplan were one of the few that came back with anything nearing a sensible quote, Adrian Schmucks were the only others but that was for lesser cover. Still fully comp with protected NCB of 7 years, just their legal cover was less and there were a couple of other discrepancies so I stuck with Aplan.

[philoldsmobile]

Quoting: Fieldy

I have never had an issue with insurance....

Paid £520 (ish) for my Camaro insurance when I was 20, Now I am 24 and my Blazer insurance is only £243.

I don't agree with the new insurance ruling as I feel it was fair, women don't incur as many crashes/speeding fines so why should they pay the same as young men?

I have the exact same story.

insured my cutlass (305 V8) when i was 20 as my only car for £600 TPFT. camaro cost the same, then dropped 20 £300 soon after. all subsequent yanks seemed to cost £300 per year.

the first alfa bumped that up to £400 fully comp, then oddly going from the 2 liter 4 pot alfa to the considerably quicker V6 only increased the premium £40 fully comp.

this year has cost £396 including £50 for international breakdown cover. (car is group 18 under the old scheme) fully comp, including driving other cars.

I got a quote last year while bored for a maserati 3200GT (twin turbo V8 coupe, and bloody fast) for £434 fully comp.

the bike has just been insured TPFT for £63 per year, and the old CBR 600 used to cost me just under £100

best thing I ever did for insurance was to get a car early, as I have 15 years no claims, and a clean license for 15 years. (never had points, passed test 8 weeks after 17th Bday)

when I was 17 I had a Renault 11 turbo, and that cost me £900 TPO - my most expensive insurance ever.

[EDGE]

i paid nearly £3000 to insure my focus one year..... paying £200 to insure the saleen now.... go figure....

[ianjpage]

one car you drove, the other sits in a garage LOL!

[Fieldy]

Quoting: philoldsmobile

best thing I ever did for insurance was to get a car early, as I have 15 years no claims, and a clean license for 15 years. (never had points, passed test 8 weeks after 17th Bday)

Yep, my own insurance from day one.... I passed just 6 weeks after my 17th, paid a large sum first year (but TBH, I wouldn't even have insured me!).... Now I have 7 years no claims already

[Fieldy]

Quoting: EDGE

i paid nearly £3000 to insure my focus one year..... paying £200 to insure the saleen now.... go figure....

*Hello Insurance company, how can I help you

* Hi there, my name is Mike and I like dodgy foot wear, I need to insure my Saleen Mustang...

* Certainly sir, what mileage would you like to limit it to?

* Well, my MOT center is only 1.5 miles away, so can I insure for 3 miles per year?

* Sure.... £200 please.

[Andy]

[EDGE]

Quoting: Fieldy

* Well, my MOT center is only 26 miles away, so can I insure for 52 miles per year?

bwwwwwwwwwahahahahahahahahahahahahahhaa

its 1.5 miles door to door !!!

the focus was insured for 12k miles, the saleen for 3k.... where as it only needed 3 miles last year, and the year before, and the year before that !

[Fieldy]

Fixed

[Andy]

I reckon you spend far too long trawling through that smilie list for the perfect one  

[Fieldy]

[philoldsmobile]

Quoting: EDGE

the focus was insured for 12k miles, the saleen for 3k

1000 year policy?

[Big Mouse]

my camaro still only costs £340 fully comp, guaranteed £40k value and limited to 5k a year