Law help for insurance firms

Seminars are to be held to show insurance companies how to charge high-risk customers greater premiums without falling foul of new anti-discrimination laws.

The Hong Kong Federation of Insurers will hold the briefings with the new watchdog body the Equal Opportunities Commission, said federation chairman Steven Lau Hon-keung.

Insurance companies may charge higher premiums based on someone's gender or disability provided there is accepted scientific evidence there is a higher risk.

But the federation is also lobbying the Equal Opportunities Commission, headed by Dr Fanny Cheung Mui-ching, to extend exemptions to cases where experience has shown risks are higher but where scientific proof does not exist.

On Monday, the Post wrongly quoted Dr Cheung as saying insurers could be guilty of discrimination even when relying on scientific evidence.