'Why We Insure Women Only'
September 13th, 2007 by Glenn Sacks, MA for Fathers & Families
The following ad from 1st for Women Insurance Brokers purports to explain why they "Insure Women Only." Watch it here or below. The South African company explains:
"Men are, generally a higher risk. By eliminating them, we can afford to give you huge reductions on your insurance premiums. Men probably won’t like this but we don’t care. All we care about is your needs. So ladies, read on to find out how you can save up to 40% on your car insurance premiums.
"Call 0860 10 36 95 or complete the email quote below and join the thousands of women taking advantage of our lower premiums and special benefits."
To learn more about the (usually) unflattering way men are portrayed in modern TV advertising, click here.
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September 13th, 2007 at 12:10 am
"Men are, generally a higher risk. By eliminating them, we can afford to give you huge reductions on your insurance premiums. Men probably won’t like this but we don’t care. All we care about is your needs."
Charming. Let's do the gender reversal:
"Women are, generally, a higher government expense - greater medical cost, retirement etc. By eliminating them, we can afford to give you men huge reductions on your taxes. Women probably won't like this, but we don't care. All we care about is men. Vote for the Men's Party next election."
Once these sorts of floodgates open, there's nothing stopping this from happening.
September 13th, 2007 at 12:41 am
Given this is a South African company imagine an ad saying, "Kaffirs are generally higher risk and so by getting rid of them we can offer you huge insurance savings. Kaffirs probably won't like this but we don't care, they're sub-human after all."
September 13th, 2007 at 6:47 am
You crypto communists! If market logic shows that it is profitable to insure women and exclude men, you have to accept it. At least this time you cannot accuse the commercial enterprise of Marxism.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:14 am
Women don't want to subsidize men, but it's A-OK for men to subsidize women.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:47 am
...since women are generally less cost-effective employees then men, hitting up companies for lengthy maternity leaves that leave them short-staffed, working fewer hours, etc, why not a company that only hires men? Bye bye to any chance of a sexual harassment claim, too...
"Women are less cost-effective then men so we won't hire them. Women may not like this but we don't care."
September 13th, 2007 at 9:50 am
The irony is that in terms of insurance claims per mile driven, women are a higher risk. The men drive more, and expose themselves to greater risk overall of needing to file claims.
In an average day, I drive to and from work in risky rush-hour traffic, and drive in the evening on an errand, maybe the hardware store. In an average day, my wife drives to a meet-up in a park nearby and then home around noon. And that's the way I like it. The kids aren't exposed to risk on the road a lot. But by the numbers, I am the riskier one to insure. That doesn't make me a worse driver. I'm just an ordinary man who takes the risks onto himself and off of his wife and kids.
If an insurance company wanted to get clever about attracting drivers, they would offer rate adjustments based on miles driven. They'd check your odometer reading and subtract what it was at when you bought the car and give you a quote based on that. And check your odometer again every six months when you renew your policy. For people who pay the extra money to live close to work, they get a savings on their car insurance with this carrier. For commuters, more traditional insurance would be preferable.
The interesting thing to watch in an insurance company like that would be the sales agent explaining to a couple, both of whom drive the same number of miles per day and are the same age, why the man's rate is lower.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Isn't it illegal in many places to refuse to do business with and idenfiable group or minority?
September 13th, 2007 at 10:51 am
jhladun: you silly. You don't know the rules yet. "Equality" is a must for every group EXCEPT when it means that men would benefit.
September 13th, 2007 at 11:46 am
Is there an email address we can write to?
September 13th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Glenn, this is a good piece. Do you have anything about messed-up actuarial tables in the states?
I am trying to insure my 18-year-old stepson, and the costs are awful! Insurance is more expensive than the car! (Obviously, the insurance protects people more than the car, but the comparison is stil interesting.)
September 13th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
This won't work as a business plan in the US. Men still do the majority of bread-winning, and we bring home the insurance. Maybe there's a niche for lesbian couples and women in their 20's, but most Americans in their 20's go without insurance for a few years. That's a pretty small niche.
September 13th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
...Hatred of Men: The Acceptable New Bigotry for the 21st Century...
September 14th, 2007 at 12:02 am
i thought it cost more to care for women then men
I mean women go to the DR more then men do, they have more test then men do. so how does the company come to this
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