Tories call EU sex insurance claims "madness"

Conservative MEP Ashley Fox has described the EU's Advocate General Juliane Kokott's claims that taking the sex of a person into consideration for insurance purposes was against a person’s fundamental rights, as "madness".

Although Kokott's opinion is not binding on the European Court of Justice, the Conservative's said in a statement that her opinions are seldom ignored.

Fox said: "This opinion, if taken on board by the European Court of Justice, will spell the end of cheap car insurance deals for women and cause the loss of many jobs in this sector of the insurance business.

"The decision to afford cheaper car insurance to women is not based on discriminating factors but on solid statistics and fact.

"Women have fewer accidents than men and claim less than men. This opinion abjectly fails to take these crucial factors into consideration.

"It is simply madness to wipe out a whole market on what is effectively the whim of the advocate general. Of course it goes without saying that if this opinion becomes EU law it will mean higher premiums for everyone."