I have just been doing some catch up on correspondence around what is happening with age discrimination and the Equality Bill. As a person who now qualifies for a senior discount on Eurostar, I should be all for something that purports to help me, but I am very concerned.

I feel I should welcome the idea of a fairer society, but have concerns that equality is being confused with fair. General insurance forms a part of the DNA of that “fairer society”. General insurance is also risk based and must remain that way. The idea that by not being risk based and not focused on a customer’s demands and needs (all of which we know are as different for the over 50s as they are for the under 25s) society can be fairer seems like a serious misconception to me.

The European Commission’s proposal for a Council directive implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation and the UK’s interpretation of it raises two issues. Firstly, that the insurance industry retains its exemption to be able to use age/disability related data to calculate risk premium is something that BIBA and the ABI are very much focused on and secondly, why is the government trying to rush this through our legislative process?

One of the challenges around insurance cover for specific age groups, particularly older members of society, is a perception that cover is not available. Unfortunately, technology and commoditisation have clouded many peoples’ views of the general insurance market and they seem to believe that the ‘standard offering’ available in the mass market is all that is available. Access to insurance is of course two-way and perhaps we all need to do more to promote the fact that cover is available from many specialist brokers. Believe me BIBA does raise this at every opportunity and our other message to government is that as cover is available for older members of society there is not a market failure.

But back to that EU discussion paper, I’m beginning to believe this is part of some malaise notwithstanding the words and the good intentions. Perhaps it’s just a UK problem. On a recent visit to our colleagues in mainland Europe I got the distinct impression that they were getting just a little frustrated at the UK’s constant pushing to put everyone in their own standard box.

I like the idea that we are a leading participant in the EU (even first among equals given our haul of medals at the Olympics), but as with anything we must be careful how we put forward our views and seek to influence discussions remembering that across Europe we are not all the same legally or culturally.

I’m now back firmly in the saddle following a few days R&R. You go away for a few glorious days only to come back to yet another conflict, more depressing statistics from the government about the economy and atrocious weather that supports the global warming theories. But, at least the UK seems to be doing rather well at the Olympics especially if it involves wheels or water – which gives us all something to feel good about.

It was great not having access to newspapers or television while I was away and I certainly had no intention keeping up with what was happening in the media on my BlackBerry.

September is fast approaching and it’s time to get the crystal ball out and look ahead and plan for 2009.

Defending and promoting our sector’s issues remains a pressing need. BIBA is firmly at the centre of issues both current as well as those bubbling under and we intend to stay there.  Undoubtedly, members will voice their opinions too about where BIBA should be focusing its efforts in the coming months during my travels round the UK.

Access to advice and broker services is also something that I believe commercial clients and individuals find difficult. How to find a broker and what a broker does is clouded by technology and commoditisation. The media tends to be focused on personal lines issues and raising the status of commercial business is one of the many challenges that BIBA will be embracing in the coming months.

Regulation is a subject that will continue to perplex and perhaps one day we can look into that crystal ball and see principles based regulation working as it should be for our sector with a subsequent reduction in FSA staff numbers and costs. This should not be an area of increasing costs: now that would be an interesting target.

Now, while I’ve got my crystal ball warmed up I must plan my next holiday.