Gender equality!

[Dave2002]

It is well known from data that women live longer than men and also that women drivers are less costly in accident payouts than men. The effects are significant. Can someone explain why the EU is therefore trying to ignore this evidence and is "rationalising" both life and car insurance? Moreover, why is David Cameron, who often makes a big fuss about not giving in to Brussels, allowing this to happen in the UK? Here would be a really good example where he could sensibly decide to ignore EU directives, but so far he has shown no inclination to do so.

We have heard about governments and evidence based policy in the past, with jokes about policy based evidence. Think WMDs. The new policy re insurance simplifies things by removing evidence completely from policy considerations. This could set a new trend!

This is a situation which should be reversed as soon as possible. Only madmen and madwomen (corrected - see msgs 2 and 3) could produce and enforce such a change.

[Resurrection Man]

It is well known from data that women live longer than men and also that women drivers are less costly in accident payouts than men. The effects are significant. Can someone explain why the EU is therefore trying to ignore this evidence and is "rationalising" both life and car insurance? Moreover, why is David Cameron, who often makes a big fuss about not giving in to Brussels, allowing this to happen in the UK? Here would be a really good example where he could sensibly decide to ignore EU directives, but so far he has shown no inclination to do so.

We have heard about governments and evidence based policy in the past, with jokes about policy based evidence. Think WMDs. The new policy re insurance simplifies things by removing evidence completely from policy considerations. This could set a new trend!

This is a situation which should be reversed as soon as possible. Only madmen and women could produce and enforce such a change.

What about madwomen....that's just being sexist

[Dave2002]

What about madwomen....that's just being sexist

OK. What a difference a space makes. Msg 1 read "Only madmen and women" before amendment.

"mad men and women" where the word "mad" is taken to be distributed over the words "men" and "women" might have been better. I rephrased it and edited msg 1 to be more explicit I hope to your and everyone else's satisfaction.

[gingerjon]

Women have more *and more costly) accidents once you hit about 40-50 years old. Insurance generally becomes cheaper for men at that age.

I'm given to understand that Britain is one of the few countries to have insured drivers this way. There are plenty of statistical alternatives that don't begin from the premise that having a vagina makes you a better driver.

[Dave2002]

Women have more *and more costly) accidents once you hit about 40-50 years old. Insurance generally becomes cheaper for men at that age.

I'm given to understand that Britain is one of the few countries to have insured drivers this way. There are plenty of statistical alternatives that don't begin from the premise that having a vagina makes you a better driver.

Do you have access to data which the rest of us don't have? Maybe there are lots of mistruths about this. My understanding is that women on average have fewer vehicle accidents and less costly ones. Is this incorrect?

How is car insurance done in other countries? is it better, cheaper, etc.?

Note I also mentioned life insurance. The evidence from nursing and other care homes that their population is largely women is overwhelming. This would indicate to me that men do have shorter lives, in general.

[gingerjon]

Do you have access to data which the rest of us don't have? Maybe there are lots of mistruths about this. My understanding is that women on average have fewer vehicle accidents and less costly ones. Is this incorrect?

How is car insurance done in other countries? is it better, cheaper, etc.?

Note I also mentioned life insurance. The evidence from nursing and other care homes that their population is largely women is overwhelming. This would indicate to me that men do have shorter lives, in general.

I don't have stats to hand and googling just brings up loads of blogs but when the announcement was made a few years ago it was shown (from memory) that the worst drivers were indeed men. Specifically young men aged 17-21. The second worst group were young women.

If I remember how it went, it's something like: in 'accidents per miles' there's virtually no difference between men and women as a bulk, men's accidents do tend to cost more (again, taken as a whole). Broadly for each comparable age up to 40s men were more likely to have an accident and after that age women were more likely to.

Other countries seem to be a bit of a mish mash. I think it's true in New Zealand you don't even need insurance whereas in Canada it's entirely down to the kind of car you have?

And women do live longer. On average five years more. Four in five people aged over 100 are female.

[jean]

I think I may have to deliver a report to the Cakeboard sooner rather than later, ginger.

[gingerjon]

I think I may have to deliver a report to the Cakeboard sooner rather than later, ginger.

Oh, we've done this there before. I seem to remember winning all the arguments convincingly.

(Is that the old board I was on? I lost the details which was probably just as well for my sanity).

[Simon]

This men/women driving thing fascinates me! Whenever one arrives at a conclusion based on real-life observation, a statistic appears to negate it.

For what it's worth - not a lot! - I think women are safer drivers but men are better drivers.

[Anna]

For what it's worth - not a lot! - I think women are safer drivers but men are better drivers.

Obviously, because women cannot parallel park? (According to men ...... )

[Flosshilde]

And women do live longer. On average five years more. Four in five people aged over 100 are female.

But it depends on where you live. To take Glasgow for example, men in Bearsden (a salubrious suburb) will live longer than women in Easterhouse (a less than salubrious area). In fact, men in Easterhouse will barely live beyond retirement age. This disparity will be replicated in most towns & cities. So insurance based on the idea that on average women live longer than men will be unfair when it's applied to individuals or parts of the population who might not conform to the average.

[jean]

I think women are safer drivers but men are better drivers.

How is it possible to be a good driver who is not safe?

What measure of goodness is being applied?

[Simon]

Oh, it's not just parallel parking Anna. It's the instinctive control of the car and the ability to steer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPMZOayrPAg

And this one is simply awesome!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK_aKLt13m4

On the other hand, this girl certainly knows how to turn her wheel. Cool French lass!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJEOHGCo2I4

[MrGongGong]

I think that video is like your god mate

[Anna]

How is it possible to be a good driver who is not safe?
What measure of goodness is being applied?

The Goodness that is inate in being born a male?