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April 02, 2013 at 11:00 AM
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Even Shawn McQuillan’s 88-year-old grandfather says his 20-year-old grandson drives too cautiously.
The younger McQuillan, who says he has never been in a car accident or received a ticket, testified against a measure Friday that would allow some insurance companies to consider gender when determining Montanans’ policy rates — a measure that he finds discriminatory.
“If the bill before you is enacted, I would pay more simply because I am a male,” McQuillan said.
Presented by Rep. Wendy Warburton to the House Business and Labor Committee, House Bill 600 would still prohibit health insurance companies from considering a person’s sex when establishing premiums, but it would repeal a 1985 measure that prohibits sex-based consideration on all other insurance rates.
The contentious issue has been challenged in the Legislature almost every session since its implementation.
Warburton, R-Havre, said repealing the old anti-discrimination measure would put money back in the pockets of Montanans, particularly women who would pay less in car insurance than their male counterparts.
Supporters included insurance company representatives who said Montana’s unisex insurance policy is out-of-date, and Montana is the only state in the country to hold on to such regulation.
Rep. Nancy Ballance, R-Hamilton, who worked in insurance before becoming a legislator, said access to gender information would create healthy competition for insurance companies.
