Filenews 14 October 2025 - by Despina Psyliou
In 2022, 70,343 seniors aged 70 and over were at the wheel, a number that accounts for 10.5% of all drivers. Of these, 58 drivers (7.2%) were involved in road collisions, of which 32 were responsible.
These figures were reported to the Parliament's Human Rights Committee during a debate on elderly drivers, who are alleged to be required to pay gold insurance. With the aim of ensuring the rights of drivers aged 70 and over and avoiding incidents of profiteering, MP Alexandra Attalidou submitted two bills, with fines of up to €100,000 at the expense of insurance companies. However, disagreements were expressed on these proposals.
The first draft law prohibits an insurance company from directly or indirectly discriminating against a person aged 70 or over when concluding, renewing or pricing an insurance contract. In addition, the insurance company may not use a driver's age as the sole or exclusive criterion for concluding a contract or imposing unfavourable conditions. The insurance company may also not vary or change the premium to those over 70 years of age, unless the differentiation of premiums is based on evidence of the risk that exists. In case of violation of the above, a fine of up to €100,000 will be imposed on insurance companies.
The second draft law provides that the insurer may not refuse to any person the conclusion of an insurance contract without providing sufficient and documented justification, which must be transmitted to him in writing. Otherwise, the Insurance Commissioner may impose an administrative fine of up to €3,500.
At the beginning of the debate on the issue, which is being examined for the umpteenth time in Parliament, Ms. Attalidou referred to the two law proposals, citing evidence submitted by the competent authorities and which highlight discrimination against elderly drivers.
In particular, data from last May sent to Parliament by the Minister of Transport, Alexis Vafeadis, stated that the number of registered drivers over 70 for 2022 amounted to 70.343 (10,5%), while under 70 years old it was 600.814 (89,5%).
In addition, in a letter, the director of the Traffic Police, Haris Evripidou, stated that the percentage of drivers over the age of 70 who were involved in road collisions in 2022 amounted to 7,2% (58 drivers), while the remaining 92,8% (740 drivers) were aged 14 to 69.
In addition, the general director of the Motor Vehicle Insurers' Fund, Akis Papachristodoulou, stated that the total number of valid claims under the responsibility of drivers up to 70 years old for 2022 was 32 cases (4%), while with the responsibility of drivers up to 70 years old it was 772 cases.
TOM: Fewer traffic accidents, but also shorter journeys
For his part, the officer of the Department of Road Transport, Giorgos Louka, expressed reservations about what should be examined to see if an elderly person is safe to drive. "The data show that those over 70 are less involved in road accidents, but the data shows that these people travel much shorter distances than other ages." He also pointed out that the elderly are not controlled how quickly they react. However, he said, they understand as a Department that the deprivation of the ability to drive means a reduction in the self-sufficiency of the individual and his social life.
The Police spokesman noted that they cannot take a position on the law proposals. However, after a question from an MP, he noted that it is not customary to identify elderly drivers who have used drugs or drunk.
Premiums will increase for everyone, companies say
The general director of the Association of Insurance Companies, Andreas Athanasiadis, warned that there will be changes to the premiums of all drivers in case the law proposals are passed.
Some companies, he said, put an additional premium at 70 years, others at 75 as they judge that there are increased risks. "Just as the premiums for young people aged 23 or even 25 are increased." In some companies, he said, they increase premiums by 10%, in others by 20% or 30%.
In addition, Mr. Athanasiadis underlined that the increase in premiums against those over 70 has not been proven. On the contrary, he underlined, it will be necessary to change the insurance market and premiums for everyone if insurance companies stop modifying their claims according to the driver's risk.
Of the 70,000 drivers, over 70 years old, he said that only 3.000 were forced to take out insurance in the consortium, i.e. they did not continue to be insured where they were before. In addition, he hastened to examine the cases where insurance premiums were unreasonably increased, and which proceeded to complaints. The insurance policy and the history of claims should be submitted, he said, to see whether there is profiteering.
The Association of Mediators expressed reservations about the law proposals, as the cost of the decisions will be passed on to other policyholders. Reservations about the law proposals were expressed by an official of the Ministry of Finance.
"The elderly have become beggars for insurance"
The president of the Observatory for the Elderly, Dimos Antoniou, referred to the impasse experienced by the elderly. "We have reduced the elderly beggars of insurance. My mother-in-law received a text message when she turned 80 that she would no longer be insured. She was a customer of the insurance company for 30 years, paying thousands of euros," he said. He pointed out that elderly people are trapped in their homes as we do not have transport in Cyprus.
A gap in the legislation was found by the Commissioner for Administration, whose office received several complaints from elderly drivers. As mentioned, there is no prefecture that refers to age. "There is no legislative framework," an official underlined and added that they agree with the law proposals for insurance companies to personalize their premiums.
At the end of the meeting, the president of the Committee, IriniCharalambidou, stated that they will wait for the position of the Legal Service and the Bar Association so that the law proposals can be shaped accordingly.
In addition, Alexandra Attalidou said that she will send a letter to the European Commission, requesting that an independent investigation be carried out in Cyprus in relation to the profit margin of insurance companies and the elderly.
