It's a mad mad mad mad world.

If you are an insurer, and statistics clearly show that one group of people present a significantly higher risk than another group, you would be crazy not to reflect that fact in the premiums you charge for insuring against that risk.  But now it appears that if those statistics show that men are at a greater risk than women - or vice versa - this ceases to be a statistical issue and becomes a matter of sexual discrimination and therefore it is illegal to charge different premiums.  Sheer insanity!  What next?  Everybody to be charged the same premium on a life policy irrespective of age?  What about those people who are charged high house insurance premiums because they live on a flood plain or on the edge of a crumbling cliff?  The insurance business is all about discrimination - your premium is based on the degree of risk you are perceived to pose - greater risk, higher premium.  I really think we've lost the plot.