Using age is poor underwriting

Moneysupermarket.com has slammed insurers for using age “as a substitute for real underwriting” claiming travel insurers hike premiums by 70% on people’s 66th birthday.

Ian Williams, director of communications at moneysupermarket.com, said: "Age shouldn't be used as a substitute for ‘real' underwriting. Insurance and age discrimination has increasingly come under the spotlight since the Equality Act and using age as a broad brush for evaluating risk has been a bugbear for older travellers and younger drivers for years. Age discrimination has been outlawed, so why should insurers be able to use it as a legitimate form of risk assessment?

"Our research shows it does not create a fair pricing system for those affected especially when you see people over the age of 65 being unfairly penalised with ‘overnight hikes' in travel insurance premiums. Why should older travellers face an insurance price hike of 70% on their 66th birthday? There isn't a rule that a 66 year old will automatically claim on their insurance compared with a 65 year old.

"People should feel safe in the knowledge that there is a level playing field across the insurance industry and they won't be automatically punished because of their age. Insurers could underwrite without using age as a yardstick; it might mean the underwriting process takes a bit longer and isn't as convenient, but ultimately, it will mean people are treated fairly on based on their own individual risk profile."