Gender Factor In Setting California Auto Insurance Rates Has Been Banned

Thirty years after California voters told auto insurers to focus on a driver’s safety record in setting rates, the state’s outgoing insurance commissioner has banned the apparently widespread practice of charging different rates for male and female drivers, regardless of their records. New regulations by Commissioner Dave Jones eliminate gender from the factors an auto insurance company can consider in setting rates. The rules took effect Jan. 1, but they allow companies until July 1 to submit gender-neutral rate plans, which would be implemented by the end of the year. The rules will change practices that vary widely among insurers and among regions in California, according to the Department of Insurance.