Campaigners have demanded major rules updatesto car insurance rules to stop firms targeting certain motorists with higher bills.
Car insurance firms usually take into account the car individuals want to insure and a range of factors about the driver before offering a premium.
This can include information about the motorist’s age, as well as their experience behind the wheel, any previous insurance claims or relevant driving convictions.
This means almost every car insurance policy is tailor-made but means that certain high-risk demographics such as young motorists and the elderly could end up paying more.
A new Parliament petition has now called on insurers to start charging premiums based only on vehicles with driver information no longer considered.
The petition reads: “Car insurance companies primarily insure drivers, rather than cars. We believe that not only is this false advertisement, but it can also allow for discrimination, often affecting young people.
“One price comparison firm said in January that on average 17-20-year-olds had seen insurance rise by more than £1,000 from the same time last year.
“We believe that car insurance companies should be required to only insure cars, so any driver with a full and valid licence would be insured when driving an insured vehicle.
“This would base car insurance pricing on the car itself, and not driver demographics.”
The poll has to receive a whopping 10,000 signatures to receive an official Government response.
100,000 signatures are needed for the issue to be considered for debate by MPs in Parliament.
The petition is still scheduled to run for four more months with the poll coming to an end on June 12, 2025.
Younger drivers are often hit with higher fees because data suggests they are more likely to have a car crash than other demographics.
Drivers aged 17-24 make up just 7% of UK licence holders but still account for 25% of car crash claims.
As a result of this, comprehensive car insurance will cost younger drivers below the age of 25 around £981 per year.
Older motorists are also in the firing line with experts warning individuals above 80 are also a risk.
Compare the Market previously explained: “While car insurance premiums usually decrease as you get older, they start to increase again once you hit 80.
“Car insurance for older drivers can cost more because insurance providers generally consider drivers in this age group more of a risk on the road.”
