Car insurance too high for young men, says young driver

By Samantha MacKinnon

When Thomas Carmody moved out on his own he made the choice to buy a car.

What he didn’t take into account was the price of insuring the car of the fact that he would be paying much less if he was a young female.

For a long time now young men have paid more for car insurance because of their high-risk status as drivers.

Some young men, like Carmody, feel this is discrimination.

He is only one driver and thinks being categorized in a group isn’t right, Carmody said.

“Maybe (young) men are more likely to get in car accidents, but that doesn’t mean I am.”

Sex shouldn’t be a contender in how much you’re paying for car insurance and neither should age, Carmody said.

“The fact that I’m paying more just because I’m a guy is crazy.”

Young men are paying two and a half times more than young women as a new occasional driver, said an insurance agent from Charlottetown.

While young men complain about the high rates, young women are thrilled that their rates are so low in comparison, said the agent, who asked not to be named.

“They expect the rate to be as high as the young men so they’re pretty happy to hear how low it is in comparison.”

Although the issue seems to remain one that not everyone can agree on, it doesn’t seem like it will be changing either.

Dealing with the price is something he’ll have to live with, said Carmody, who drives to work each day.

“Let’s hope they find a different way to distinguish rates in the near future.”