Sheila's Wheels claims that it will be the 'biggest beneficiary' of the EU Gender Directive ruling on March 1, which is expected to make it illegal to offer different insurance premiums for men and women.
The ruling by the European Court of Justice is widely expected to force motor insurers to raise premiums for women drivers. Sheila's Wheels was predicted by many to be one of the worst hit, something the company denies.
"The brand does not insure enough men currently to skew the premiums of the women," says Asia Yasir, spokesperson for Sheila's Wheels. "The analogy is of 100 women on one side of a see-saw and a single man on the other end. No matter how hard he jumps, he won't shift it." Sheila's Wheels insures men but the vast majority of its customers are women.
Sheila's Wheels defence against the legislation is its prominent, well-known advertising campaign, which explicitly targets women. "We have always insured men through Sheila's Wheels, but they simply aren't attracted by the brand," says Yasir. "My husband would never join Sheila's Wheels because it's a feminine brand."
If the company is right and most men choose a more masculine brand over value for money Sheila's Wheels can expect an influx of women drivers fleeing rising premiums elsewhere as well as a few canny men.
