Car and house insurance faces scrutiny

THE City regulator is to investigate how home and car insurance policies are priced after finding “hidden” discrimination between customers.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will study the scale of the issue, whom it affects, and possible solutions.

Insurance customers may pay different prices depending on how loyal they are, their age, and whether they are online.

Marital status, home postcode and employment status may also have a hidden effect on price, the FCA said.

Citizens Advice has already warned loyal customers are being “ripped off”.

It launched a super-complaint claiming that customers who stick with the same supplier for a variety of household services are losing a total of £4.1bn a year. That amounts to an average of £877 per person.

Failing to shop around, or the inability to do so, costs people hundreds of pounds.