Unfair Discrimination

Unfair discrimination in insurance refers to the act of insurers treating individuals or groups differently in an unfair or discriminatory manner. This is prohibited by law, and insurance companies must treat all policyholders and applicants equally. Discrimination based on race, gender, age, religion, or disability is illegal and can result in legal action against the insurer.

An example of unfair discrimination in insurance could be an insurer charging higher premiums to a person solely based on their race or religion, or denying coverage to an applicant with a disability. Key features of unfair discrimination in insurance include:

  • Unequal treatment: When insurance companies provide different services, coverage or pricing for the same policy based on factors that are irrelevant to the policy, such as race or religion.

  • Violation of laws: Unfair discrimination violates state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on factors like race, gender, age, or disability.

  • Legal consequences: If an insurer engages in unfair discrimination, they can face legal action, fines, and penalties, as well as reputational damage.

  • Impact on policyholders: Unfair discrimination can negatively impact policyholders, including limiting their access to insurance coverage, increasing their premiums or policy costs, and reducing the quality of coverage they receive.

Next Up

Mployer is pleased to announce the winners of its sixth annual Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for 2026, recognizing brokerage offices nationwide that deliver exceptional value and client satisfaction in employee benefits. The program highlights nearly 1,000 brokerage office locations, approximately 10% of offices nationally, that have demonstrated excellence in benefit strategy and client outcomes, underscoring the critical role advisors play in shaping the health, welfare, and employee experience of more than 160 million Americans.
This month, Catalyst makes prospecting and outreach easier with AI-powered email creation, more powerful search filters, improved industry and Workers' Comp data, broader access to Mployer data through AI assistants, and improvements to Advanced Analytics.
According to Mployer Insights’ 2026 analysis of 76,000+ employer benefit plans, basic group life insurance achieves near-universal participation with an 83% employer offer rate and a 97% employee enrollment rate, driven by the fact that 96% of basic plans are noncontributory (100% employer-paid). While 47% of employers structure life insurance as a variable multiple of earnings—with 1x salary serving as the dominant national standard (62% of multiple-based plans)—flat-dollar benefit options vary widely from $8,500 (10th percentile) to $48,793 (90th percentile). Additionally, 92% of employers offer employee-paid voluntary life insurance to allow workers to bridge the gap toward the recommended 10–12x salary coverage target.