The British Insurance Brokers' Association (Biba) has said this week that it hopes the new equality bill will exempt insurance, so people can get discounts when they deserve them.

Last month the minister for equality Harriet Harman set out plans in the House of Commons to address the inconsistencies which pervade society.

The new bill will replace 166 pieces of equality legislation that are currently in force, meaning that under the new legislation car insurance firms will no longer be able to refuse to cover old drivers.

Many pressure groups such as Age Concern have welcomed this as they say that in the past it has been too hard for older drivers to get insurance for their vehicles.

However, as the BBC notes there are a range of businesses that have built their model around catering preferentially for a specific age group or gender.

Sheila's Wheels, for example, operates on a basis that it will offer more attractive rates for women.

The Association of British Insurers told the BBC: "Our expectation is that the government will accept the principle that age is a valid [criterion] to base insurance risk pricing on, as long as it is backed up by actuarial data."

Graeme Trudgill, technical and corporate affairs executive at Biba, said that his organisation hopes the government will include an insurance exemption.

"We actually called for a review of the age criteria. With travel insurance, you shouldn't just double the premium when people get to 65; we want fairer pricing across all age groups," he explained.

Brokers, Mr Trudgill added, are agents of the clients and therefore are trying to get them the fairest deal.

"We do believe in the equality bill, but we do believe that the insurance industry needs to be dealt with accordingly so that people should be able to get discounted products when they deserve them."

A rise in prices due to the equality bill for some motorists could come at a bad time.

The AA's quarterly British Insurance Premium Index reveals that the cost of car insurance premiums is on the increase, costing the average motorist an extra £20 for comprehensive cover.

Furthermore, young drivers who already pay the highest car insurance premiums are the hardest hit because they are the most likely to make a claim.

Such news could mean ensuring there is an exemption clause in the new bill to enable motorists to secure the best deal is imperative.