Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to take steps to adopt section 48 of the EU Consumer Credit Directive in the UK.

The Government has no plans to adopt section 48 of the EU Consumer Credit Directive 2023/2225 in the UK.

Insurers make commercial decisions about the terms on which they offer cover following an assessment of the relevant risks including, where appropriate, a customer's medical history. The Government does not generally intervene in these commercial underwriting decisions.

The Equality Act 2010 generally prohibits discrimination based on certain personal characteristics. However, the law accepts that some exceptions apply for insurance, including relating to age and disability. The Act stipulates an insurance provider cannot refuse to cover potential consumers or charge more for insurance as a result of these characteristics, unless they base their risk assessment on relevant information from a reliable source and (in the case of the disability exception) it is reasonable for the insurer to refuse cover or charge more.