For years, our elderly have been protesting against discrimination by insurance companies – either by dramatically increasing premiums for drivers over 70 or outright refusing to insure them.
They report this discrimination, but nobody seems moved to action. Many believe that because we live in “free market conditions” no one can intervene with private companies.
Yet, we’re talking about a state that supposedly cares about our grandparents. Finally, the Parliamentary Committees on Labour and Human Rights have begun addressing the issue.
However, we hope they won’t stop at bold statements about this unacceptable phenomenon. That’s not enough.
They must devise effective interventions. And the “free market” will survive just fine. Andreas Kafkalias, Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Committee, recently presented some interesting findings after conducting research.
He found that only two countries, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, consider age an aggravating factor for higher premiums.
In Austria and France, rejecting a vehicle liability insurance contract is not permitted. In Germany and Sweden, insurance requests can only be rejected if the reason is properly documented. Romania sets maximum premium limits for compulsory vehicle insurance. Finland operates a Complaints Institute for insurance matters.
In Cyprus, evidently, companies do whatever they please. No oversight. No limits. As the Director General of the Insurance Companies Association told the Committees: “In a free market, with 22 member companies and others that aren’t members, there are 70,000 insured individuals. I’m not aware that premiums increase by 20% the day after turning 70; some companies use 75 as the threshold, not 70. Nevertheless, ‘age is one of many factors taken into consideration’“.
That’s why I say MPs shouldn’t just stop at words and catchphrases. Those who recognise this discrimination – ageism – should work to approve legislation ensuring companies can’t do whatever they want.
There must be oversight and protection for our elderly.
Because if we add to this all the other challenges we force them to endure, especially in our digital age, where we compel them to pay bills exclusively online, or the poor conditions reported in care homes, then the harsh truth is that as a society, we’re ungrateful to those who gave us the world we live in.
When a pensioner tells you that now that his wife has started receiving her pension, together they get just over €1,200 per month, and because they exceeded the threshold, they lost their small low-pensioner cheque, Easter allowance, discounts and everything else – what can you say?
Twelve hundred euros a month for an elderly couple is considered by our State to be a satisfactory amount to live with dignity. And it stops even the minimal additional support.
They may have worked for forty years from morning till night. As soon as they got €1,200, they became rich!
As if they’re collecting multiple pensions. Imagine if they have to pay rent, increased car insurance premiums, inflated electricity bills, fuel costs, heating, and increased municipal fees from the “reform” that fleeced us all…
We must ensure our elderly live comfortably and with dignity. The quality of their lives reflects the civilization of the younger generations.
