Journal of Insurance Regulation

Gender X and Auto Insurance: Is Gender Rating Unfairly Discriminatory?

Medders, Lorilee A.
Parson, Jamie A.
Thomas-Reid, Matthew

First published: 14 October 2021 | https://doi.org/10.52227/25058.2021

Abstract

Determining what constitutes fairness in insurance price discrimination can be complex and subject to debate. We assert that risk transfer to auto insurers with pricing based on gender, as is the case in most states and for most insurers, is problematic. Gender identity is outside the control of the insured, immutable, and not risk causal. Further, since discriminating based on gender identity may perpetuate negative stereotypes and potentially inhibit socially valuable behavior, such as the purchase of insurance, gender-based rating is undesirable despite its statistical value. We argue for price modernization in auto insurance. Introducing Gender X into gender-based rating is a start. Longer term, the use of risk-specific information—i.e., behavioral and exposure data—for which gender has served as proxy makes economic sense. Moreover, as increasingly autonomous vehicles depersonalize underlying risks associated with transportation, driver-specific attributes necessarily take a backseat to other variables in fair price discrimination.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52227/25058.2021

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