Woman's car insurance news
17/07/2008
Equality for women drivers in Iran
A recent landmark vote in the Iranian parliament could see the end of woman's car insurance discrimination that deems a woman driver's life half the worth of a man's.
Under Sharia law, imposed after the Islamic revolution of 1979, if a woman loses her life or sustains injury in a car accident the compensation or "blood money" paid is half the amount that would be awarded to a man.
Iranian women drivers pay equal car insurance premiums as men and Iranian women's rights activists say this is only one area in which they face institutionalised discrimination. Divorce, inheritance and child custody are also discriminatory in their handling of women's issues.
Under the proposed change of law, women would be entitled to the same car insurance compensation as men, but a constitutional watchdog administered by conservative clerics still has to approve the ruling.
Iranian clerics argue against sex discrimination allegations by stating they protect women from sex-symbol status that is prevalent in the West.
Woman's car insurance company, CoverGirl, was hopeful that a ruling of equal car insurance compensation for women in Iran could lead the way in discrimination reform.
