It was heartbreaking. I would have been entitled to compensation for emotional distress and age discrimination if it had occurred in some other countries.
People can be dispensable through war, homelessness, disease, hunger, and government policies. We see it all over the world. Auto insurance firms may also view senior people as expendable. It makes no difference if someone has a spotless accident claim history and has been faithful for a long time.
While trying to sort things out, the main question in my mind was: how can retired people stay in Oman when insurance providers do not renew their car insurance? “Our policy limits the driver’s age to 65.” Well, a few things are not coherent. Many retired people are choosing to stay in the country!
With new housing projects attracting buyers, how is it likely for investors to stay in the country if they cannot drive and there isn’t suitable public transportation? Without car insurance, there is no renewal of car registration, and therefore one is trapped! It seems poles apart between tempting property buyers and insurance providers applying age discrimination. Apparently, some sectors are not talking to each other.
Another immediate worry popped into my mind: how terrible if I can’t drive to the desert or the mountains? It may sound vain, but not to me. These are the things that drew me to stay in Oman. Sure enough, there will be a time when physical mobility will hinder my driving abilities, but not just yet.
Considering that no insurance regulations had been broken, the lack of renewal came as a shock. Firstly, to be told that the car, manufactured in 2015, was too old for comprehensive coverage. It seems that the rule for third parties applies when the car is 10 years from the manufacturing date, not 8 years. Then, an even harsher and more discriminatory restriction was presented: the driver’s age. Currently, there isn’t a government-set senior age limit for drivers.
Has the service provider based their risk assessment on reliable information? Does the policyholder have any sort of disability? Are insurance companies permitted to refuse to insure senior drivers under broad or blanket policies? What is the agreement between the government and the insurance industry? Though these are all just arguments, a formal insurer notice should have been issued when the changes occurred.
“Weird”. “Never heard of this”. “What is the name of the insurance company? “and “I have a friend who can help you”, were some of the reactions. Friends suggested that I hire a private driver. Fair enough, but one should not be skirting such a problem. After all, foreign property buyers, in general, are not young people. Besides, it is already a big risk to drive through the country’s roads, as traffic rules are usually overlooked. Speeding and driver misconduct are at the top of traffic accidents. Drivers should be judged on their abilities and not on their date of birth.
So, the big picture is that these issues require attention, especially when someone invests thousands of rials in a residential property. Age discrimination is a blow to individuals and makes a bad impression when looking for a new vehicle insurance company. Age discrimination is, nevertheless, widely accepted.
As with most issues, any situation can be examined from different angles. Insurance providers have their free reign, and people are obliged by their rules. Don’t comply with the insurer’s policy; pay the price! Since I am not getting any younger, I question if it makes sense to stay in the country and worry every year when my car insurance is about to expire. Then, I was asked, “Leaving the country because of a small problem? “There is always a solution.”
Absolutely, let me stay behind the wheel and in control of my destinations.
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