22°c Partly cloudy
10°c Sunny
The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION
Higher insurance premiums for drivers over age 80 gets OK from rights body
An elderly man drives his car in Los Angeles Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012. Auto insurance companies have the right to charge higher premiums for geriatric drivers given evidence they pose a higher crash risk, Ontario's Human Rights Tribunal has decided. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Damian Dovarganes)
TORONTO - Auto insurance companies have the right to charge higher premiums for geriatric drivers given evidence they pose a higher crash risk, Ontario's Human Rights Tribunal has decided.
The elderly driver who brought the discrimination case says the industry now has licence to charge those over age 80 hundreds of dollars a year extra.
"I'm sorry for them, because they're going to pay more," Denis Olorenshaw said Thursday.
"There doesn't seem to be any fairness involved here."
Olorenshaw, 92, of Toronto, filed his complaint against Western Assurance Company in 2009 over an insurance quote that was $250 higher than one given his 62-year-old daughter. Both had an identical vehicle and lived at the same address.
He argued an alternative to charging higher premiums could be to assess risk based on distance driven given that many seniors only drive short distances during the day outside of peak hours. Such a system, he pointed out, is already available in Quebec and several U.S. states.
In his 14-page decision earlier this month, adjudicator David Muir said he saw no practical substitute to age for assessing risk. Sensory, motor co-ordination and cognitive decline is highly variable and unpredictable for older drivers, his decision states.
"The ability to predict future risk based on prior experience begins to decline after the age of 60 and becomes considerably less for those over 75 compared to any other group of non-novice drivers," Muir said.
"The evidence before me establishes that for the category of drivers over 80, the risk per kilometre driven is higher than any other category of driver over the age of 25."
The Supreme Court of Canada has long recognized the right to charge more for male drivers under 25 based on statistics showing they are simply more crash-prone. The ruling now seems to entrench a similar category for those over 80.
At the hearing in November, Western produced three experts, including Dr. Michael Gordon, a physician specializing in geriatric care.
"As we age, particularly after 75 years of age, there is an increasing incidence in the prevalence of impairments ... which can have a significant negative impact on the ability to drive safely," Muir cited Gordon as testifying.
An actuary for Western also testified the losses associated with over-80 drivers are "significantly higher" than any other category other than those under age 25.
In rejecting Olorenshaw's "common sense" suggestion that older drivers are more experienced, drive less and are more cautious, the adjudicator said no one had contradicted any of the expert evidence.
Olorenshaw, who argued the case himself and did not present any witnesses to buttress his arguments, said he can't afford to pursue the fight.
More Home and Family
- Back to Top
- Return to Home and Family
More Home and Family
(1 of 7 articles for today)
Modest dogs can find cover at beach in designer duds; canine bikinis and swim trunks for sale
4:02 PM 0
Poll
Most Popular Home and Family
- Bernard Waber, author and creator of beloved Lyle the crocodile, dies at age 91
- THE HEALTHY PLATE: Recipe for fresh summer rolls with spicy peanut dipping sauce
- Active transportation declines: Fewer kids commuting by foot, bike, report finds
- Rio fashion shows deliver bikinis in everything from see-through mesh to rigid metal
- To bra strap or not: 'Girls' costume designer says you should take a stand on underpinnings
- Don't take the cinnamon challenge: Doctors warn teens after surge in calls to poison centres
- University program aims to work the knots out of foreign physio training
- The office cubicle: decorating that home away from home
- Jazzing up the campfire classic, including toasted mocha s'more and sesame caramel s'more
- Dogs can experience separation anxiety and depression just like humans
- Canada's national lab has new sample of coronavirus, planning studies
- Bernard Waber, author and creator of beloved Lyle the crocodile, dies at age 91
- THE HEALTHY PLATE: Recipe for fresh summer rolls with spicy peanut dipping sauce
- Rio fashion shows deliver bikinis in everything from see-through mesh to rigid metal
- People eat too much salt but surprising report questions if eating too little could be harmful
- To bra strap or not: 'Girls' costume designer says you should take a stand on underpinnings
- Google plants playable Atari Breakout Easter egg in image search
- Don't take the cinnamon challenge: Doctors warn teens after surge in calls to poison centres
- New options for breast cancer surgery treat women faster, gentler and preserve more tissue
- Courthouse dogs provide comfort and controversy, 10 years after first appearance
- Don't take the cinnamon challenge: Doctors warn teens after surge in calls to poison centres
- Canada has second-highest rate of first-day infant deaths in industrialized world: report
- Saudi coronavirus cases grow by 3; 13 cases, 7 deaths in health-care cluster
- Dogs can experience separation anxiety and depression just like humans
- Joe Fresh items made in Bangladesh factory that collapsed, killing at least 290
- A medical triumph: 1 week later, all Boston bomb patients are likely to survive; 14 lost limbs
- Obstetricians and gynecologists group calls for HPV vaccine for boys
- To bra strap or not: 'Girls' costume designer says you should take a stand on underpinnings
- Rio fashion shows deliver bikinis in everything from see-through mesh to rigid metal
- The future: For 3 rescued Cleveland women, a confusing ordeal of recovery begins now
- New options for breast cancer surgery treat women faster, gentler and preserve more tissue
- THE HEALTHY PLATE: Recipe for fresh summer rolls with spicy peanut dipping sauce
- Don't take the cinnamon challenge: Doctors warn teens after surge in calls to poison centres
- Dogs can experience separation anxiety and depression just like humans
- Loblaw sending reps to Bangladesh; Canadian retailers to hold urgent meeting
- Fibonacci number sequence turns up throughout plant world, and art world too
- Obstetricians and gynecologists group calls for HPV vaccine for boys
- COOKING ON DEADLINE: Recipe for rosemary lamb tagine with chickpeas and tomatoes
- A medical triumph: 1 week later, all Boston bomb patients are likely to survive; 14 lost limbs
- THE AMERICAN TABLE: Recipe for English muffin cheese and tomato sandwich
- Joe Fresh items made in Bangladesh factory that collapsed, killing at least 290
- Cancer drug Avastin linked to 2 cases of flesh-eating disease: Health Canada
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.