• by Jess Nelson , January 30, 2018

A myriad of reasons can influence insurance rates, such as age and health, but a new report suggests that email addresses may also affect premiums.

An investigation by The Sun found that British motorists with a Hotmail email account were consistently quoted more expensive car insurance premiums than individuals with a Gmail account. Utilizing a price comparison site, The Sun discovered that the insurer Admiral consistently quoted Hotmail email accountholders up to £31 more.

A follow-up investigation by Tony Forchione, an insurance analyst at MoneySavingsExpert, found additional discrepancies in the pricing policies of insurers Diamond, Elephant, Hastings Direct, One Call and People's Choice. Individuals with a Hotmail email address were charged more than those with Gmail accounts, although the difference was a fraction of Admiral’s.

“Email domain names, such as Hotmail and Gmail, are just one of the many pieces of information some insurance firms will take into account when giving you a quote -- but it appears there may be no set pattern as to how this will affect the price,” writes Forchione.

Admiral defended its insurance quotes, asserting that certain email domain names are associated more with accidents than others.

Admiral’s pricing policies are now under investigation by the UK Financial Conduct Authority. A separate investigation by The Sun discovered that the insurance company also charges more for drivers named Mohammed.