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Minister backs Women's Car Insurance decision

26/01/2005

The deputy minister for women has backed a decision by the European Commission to drop a section from its gender directive which would have seen many UK women paying more for the Car Insurance.

Jacqui Smith said that the principle of gender equality should be over-ruled where objective data pointed to a proven behavioural difference between men and women.

According to the Home Office, the majority of serious car offences are caused by men.

Speaking on the Today programme Ms Smith said: "I think we successfully argued... that actually it didn't make sense to penalise safer women drivers by preventing insurance companies from being able to differentiate on the basis of risk.

"So I think this was a sensible, well-made argument, and in the end it won the day."

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