BIBA rejects Saga's claim

Thursday, October 6, 2005

The British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) has rejected claims that older drivers should not have to pay the same insurance costs as their younger counterparts.

Insurance and travel company Saga had earlier this week backed the government crackdown on uninsured drivers, claiming the extra insurance premiums imposed on honest 50-plus drivers were "particularly unfair" and suggesting the money should come from younger drivers.

But BIBA has rejected Saga's declaration: "While we entirely agree that is unfair for honest motorists to be penalised with higher car insurance premiums, we do not believe that any single group in society can be singled out to take a higher share of this burden than others," said Graeme Trudgill, technical services manager.

The government had announced that the honest driver spends around £30 a year on the costs associated with uninsured drivers.

Saga has said that only four per cent of the drivers convicted for uninsured driving are over fifty, whilst BIBA claims that general insurance statistics show that older drivers are much more likely to make severe and more regular claims.

BIBA mentioned what it sees as the "real problem" for elderly drivers – finding cheap insurance after the age of 65.