The combined operating ratio of most motor insurers is in excess of 100%. Therefore, they are having to rely in investment income to turn a profit - if they couldn't rely on investment income, everybody's motor insurance premium would be more than it is now.
Insurance works on a common pool basis - the premiums of the many fund the claims of the few - and within the pool, certain sectors of society have to contribute more to the pool because they represent a greater risk.
Statistics prove that young people put more pressure on the pool than older drivers and therefore it is absolutely right that they should contribute more to the pool, which is why their premiums are so high - but not as high as they should be. In fact, if young drivers contributed to the pool correctly, their premiums would be at least 50% greater than they already are and therefore older drivers are subsidising young drivers (the theory being older drivers need to subsidise younger drivers otherwise there would be a detrimental effect on society as more young people would drive uninsured than already are).
Likewise, it is an absolute fact that women cost insurance companies less than men, and therefore, using the common pool principle, should contribute less to the pool than men. This is only fair.
We now have the farcical situation where insurers will not be able to discriminate on gender, despite perfectly valid statistical reasons for doing so, which in reality will mean that insurance costs for women are going to go up. This is not fair.
I'm all for anti-discrimnation laws, but they should not apply to insurance where, as is the case, it is proven women are the 'better risk'.
This is utterly utterly absurd and is, I believe, the thin end of the wedge - it will only be a number of years before age discrimination in insurance will also be illegal.
Bananas.