Should insurance companies regard 80 as the new 70?

With regard to your editorial about insurance, I have had an experience of a similar nature.

Around four years ago I received a letter from DVLA stating my bike was not insured, and it was going to cost me around £80/100 because of my error – obviously guilty until proven innocent. As I was 11½ months into my annual insurance they had taken their time discovering this! A few letters passed between us and I had to send them a copy of my insurance as they just did not believe me. It came to an end after this with their letter stating my insurer had not passed the details to the MIB, and the matter was now closed. No apology whatsoever.

As I write this my 80th birthday is imminent. Now, I appreciate this is not for a classic vehicle, and I know insurance has risen recently, but I received my renewal from an insurer we all know well stating that my six-wheel policy (car and bike) had increased 200%. This despite having been with them for over 10 years. When questioned on the phone regarding this, a nice woman stated it was an exceptional increase and it was due to my age. Anyway, I was getting nowhere so I checked around on the internet and got insurance for both vehicles over £1000 cheaper. The original insurance company even had the cheek to email me with a “How did we do” questionnaire. No prizes for guessing what I told them!

This attitude is pure ageist, and, in this present time, if we are “---ist” about a person or particular group we are not being PC and could even end up in court. It would be nice to report this to someone in authority as I know we are all being taken for a ride financially. Surely, as we are all living longer now, 80 is the new 70, is it not? If we were all senile couch potatoes we would not be riding bikes anyway.

My classic bike insurance is not due for another six months so I will have to wait and see what happens there, but that went up 33% last year as well.