Can men use Sheilas' Wheels ?

Square Eyes · Mon 03 Jul, 2006 00.01

I think I might call and ask, I want a "bonzer" car insurance deal and to save a bunch of fivers.

Otherwise, it's all a bit discriminatory is it not ? On what basis could they really refuse to insure a bloke ?

tvmercia · Mon 03 Jul, 2006 00.07

Square Eyes wrote:I think I might call and ask, I want a "bonzer" car insurance deal and to save a bunch of fivers.

Otherwise, it's all a bit discriminatory is it not ? On what basis could they really refuse to insure a bloke ?

perhaps this is one you should leave to levy

johnnyboy · Mon 03 Jul, 2006 00.15

Square Eyes wrote:I think I might call and ask, I want a "bonzer" car insurance deal and to save a bunch of fivers.

Otherwise, it's all a bit discriminatory is it not ? On what basis could they really refuse to insure a bloke ?

If they turn you down, why not ask if they are on their period?

If she says "yes", just reply by saying "calm down darling! Woman's Own came out today and their new knitting pattern is just fab! Now, where's my tea, love?"

Lorns · Mon 03 Jul, 2006 11.26

From what i can make out from their policy. Men can get a cheaper deal with Sheilas wheels if their girlfriends or wives put them on their policy.

I'm with privilege. I tried one of these companies which promise to give women cheaper car insurance a number of years ago. They wouldn't insure me

I had a clean license, been driving about 6 years, was 26 and wanted to insure an Astra GTE. Since then i've been disallusioned by these insurance companies.

Do what i do every year. Phone a number of companies, whoever gives you the cheapest quote tell them you'll call them back, then ring the others telling them so and so quoted ex amount and can they beat it? I've insured my Jaguar this year for just under 400 quid fully comp. The original quote was £595 for the year.

I might give Sheilas wheels a ring when my insurance is up for renewal. I don't do it online, i prefer to ring and speak to someone direct and cut a better deal.

Dr Lobster* · Mon 03 Jul, 2006 12.02

my gf tried Sheilas' Wheels and it was quite a bit more expensive than privilege - both our policies are just over £200 a year fully comp.

Gavin Scott · Mon 03 Jul, 2006 12.55

As the policies are approved or denied by insurance underwriters, they are within their rights to sell (or not) to anyone they like.

Discrimination doesn't come into it.

I always thought insurance brokers were still one of the best ways to find a cheap deal - as they are in a position to negotiate where most "end users" aren't.

martindtanderson · Mon 03 Jul, 2006 16.35

dont forget there is also DIAMOND, DIAMOND? DIAMOND!

rdobbie · Mon 03 Jul, 2006 17.29

There's no disputing that women are a lower risk than men, but I still find it amazing that insurance companies are allowed to categorise people according to gender. The European Commission did investigate this alleged sexual discrimination two years ago but in the end decided it was ok for insurers to carry on with gender assessment.

I think it stinks on principle. If they categorised according to race I'm sure there'd be a similar imbalance in the levels of risk between different colours of skin, and I could argue that because I'm a white man I'm subsidising a disproportionately large amount of insurance claims made by male Asian drivers who never took a driving test in the UK. But we can't use arguments like that because they're discriminatory.

It seems a little inconsistent that gender is allowed to be a valid factor, but race isn't. Neither should be.

If women want complete equality, which I'm sure they do, this kind of blatant sexual discrimination has to end, and gender should be ignored when calculating insurance premiums. It's not fair for women to be given equality only when they benefit from it.

cdd · Tue 04 Jul, 2006 00.21

You'll note on that advert, the driver of the car is paying absolutely no attention to the road (and has her hands in the air instead of on the wheel) as she's too excited about "getting on to Sheila's Wheels"!.

Neil Jones · Tue 04 Jul, 2006 00.26

cdd wrote:You'll note on that advert, the driver of the car is paying absolutely no attention to the road (and has her hands in the air instead of on the wheel) as she's too excited about "getting on to Sheila's Wheels"!.

The advert breaks all the rules of the road.
In one scene, they're even driving backwards.
In another scene, I reckon driving at 40mph forward while facing backwards would warrant "driving without due care and attention" and a few penalty points. Sheila won't get you out of that one.

Lorns · Tue 04 Jul, 2006 18.29

Who said that women are safer drivers? From what i've witnessed today i say Phooey to that statement ( myself excluded of course).
It all started on the school run, stupid, stupid mothers, where do they leave their common sense?
I nearly got into a fight with a young girl today actually she was an immature, agressive little bitch. It was all over a sodding parking space, i got in first, i was chuffed because she'd been tailgating me before i got into town, she started gobbing off to me and threatening to punch my lights out. I laughed said her parents must be very proud of her amongst 1 or 2 other things. She saw the error of her ways and drove off ( thanks to the appearance of a car with blue lights on the roof). Phew!
Then there was the old dear who cut me up on what is one of the busiest roundabouts in the area. I'm not even going to tell you what my mother done today but i'm never getting in a car with her again when she's in a bad mood.

Fortunately i'm still at work during the afternoon school run.

I've had a bad day and it's not just women who've pissed me off on the road today, i'm talking to you. Mr ' i'll park my van on blind bends ' Postman, Mr.' i own the road' Taxi Driver and Mr. 'i'm bigger than you' Lorry Driver. Then there is Mr Tractor driver.