blueTooth:

No I'm not an underwriter, just a member of the public.

The logic is simple, underwriters single out most things that they deem to be a risk to safe driving. If an underwriter deems that having children in the car that can be noisy, kick the back of the drivers chair, throw themselves around the back fighting, be sick or any other reason cause a distraction that could lead to an accident, it is within their rights to add a premium to that. If you have points on your licence then you have to pay a greater premium. I would imagine that (although someone might correct me on this) if you ran a quote through as a healthy driver, then put in exactly the same details but delcared a medical condition then the quote would be different. I know of people who have been unable to drive because they have epilepsy - simply screaming "discrimination" at this point would be madness - an eplileptic fit could lead to a serious accident including death and as such the danger would need to be accounted for.

My point though was that there is plenty of choice in the market out there - if someone isnt happy with having their premium loaded because they have children then the simplest thing is to move on and find another company, not scream DISCRIMINATION as loudly as possible in the hope that the situation will change.

As far as being an unscrupulous underwriter is concerned Daryl, you should be greatfull that there are people out there who watch out for others by restricting certain high-risk groups! It would be awful if you suffered an injury, or indeed lost your life or that of someone close to you due to a collision with a high risk driver - I'm sure you'd be the first to question how that driver managed to get insurance (assuming you were still alive to do so of course).

Its not up to you or I to decide what is and isnt a high risk driver group, that's why we have underwriters. Remember that driving is not a right, its a privilege!!

We seem to be going round in circles here, and while I understand your logic with regards to your explanation as to why insurance companies are within their rights to increase a premium, I do not think you are looking at the bigger picture. Say you were diagnosed with diabetes, would you consider it fair for you to make your insurance company aware of this and for them to increase your premium? I would imagine if that was the case the "lucky" adviser who made you aware of this increase would be in for a stream of verbal abuse.

Also regarding having your kids in your vehicle whilst driving, Diamond are the first insurance company that I have heard of increasing the premium as a result of the policy holder having children, that seems to indicate that your enthusiasm for their decision is not shared by the insurance industry in a whole. I can name a dozen insurers off the top of my head right now who impose no such restriction. That, to me atleast, seems to indicate that these insurers deem it unfair or are atleast aware enough to realise that this will cause more trouble than it's worth.

I get the feelinig your taking exception to the word "discrimination" being used rather than taking offense to the fact that people deem one particular insurance company's rating criteria unfair.

Oh and regarding your assumption that getting a quote with a medical condition included would be more than a quote without, in my experience (and I can assure you it does stand for something) you would be incorrect.