The FINANCIAL — A record number of women – 11,196 – obtained their primary driving licenses in 2011. The information was exclusively provided to The FINANCIAL by Zurab Gvenetadze at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
Leading Georgian insurance companies conclude that there is no big difference in their risk assessments of men and women for car insurance purposes.
According to the official statistics of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, over the past five years the largest number of primary driving licenses were issued in 2011, when the amount reached 45,092. 11,196 females successfully passed a primary driving test in 2011 beating the record for the past five years. However the number is still almost three times less than men’s achievement.
The smallest demand for driving licenses was recorded in 2008, when just 18,709 citizens obtained a license.
33,946 men obtained their primary driving licenses in the same year. The total amount of all types of driving licenses issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia in 2011 was 110,134. From this figure 94,383 were taken by male motorists and the remaining 15,751 by the fairer sex.
In 2011 another record was beaten. Out of 53,041 applicants the largest share successfully passed the test – 85.1%. The poorest result was fixed in 2009, when just 74.3% managed to get a license.
As the statistics of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia show, 64% of males who pass their driving exams are aged between 18 -26 and almost half of females, 49% – from 21 to 30 years.
Driving licenses in Georgia cost 57 GEL, that includes the cost for practical and theory tests and colour blindness. The license is permanent.
A ten day driving course in Tbilisi costs 300 GEL.
The penalty for driving without a license is 250 GEL. The owner of the car in such an event is also fined 250 GEL, if he or she allowed the offender to drive the vehicle without a license that is.
According to Irakli Izoria, Director of the Fund Partnership for Road Safety, the number of registered cars in Georgia as of April 2011 is 725,231, this includes all types of cars.
Police are using computer based exams to test applicants. Each applicant should answer 30 questions during 30 minutes. In order to successfully pass the written part of the driving test an applicant must give correct answers to a minimum of 27 questions. The rest is up to the practical test.
Georgia leads the South Caucasus in reported road traffic accidents, according to a study by the Safe Driving Association, a Georgian non-governmental organization. The World Health Organization puts the number of fatalities at 16.8 per 100,000 people each year (compared with Azerbaijan at 13 and Armenia at 13.9).
Tinatin Stambolishvili, Head of the Marketing Communications Division of GPI Holding, one of Georgia’s leading insurance companies, says that there is no big difference in the risk assessments of men and women for insurance purposes.
“Women are prone to cause damage more frequently resulting in small monetary compensation compared to men, who tend to cause serious damage less frequently, though with bigger compensation necessary when they do,” Stambolishvili told The FINANCIAL.
“As our experience shows, our clients suffer from small accidents more frequently – 3,000-5,000 GEL of value on average. However even such small amounts are not easy to compensate without valid car insurance,” Stambolishvili said.
GPI Holding is one of the leaders of the motor insurance market with a market share of 25%.
Last year the sum compensated to our clients in this direction totalled 3,200,000 GEL.
During the last year 2,568 vehicles were insured by International Insurance Company Irao.
The total compensation for car insurers of the company Irao in 2011 was 351,325.84 GEL. The company compensated 122,073.04 GEL less for female drivers.
“The total sum of compensation for damage during 2011 for men was equal to 236,699.44 GEL, and for women – 114,626.40 GEL,” said Zviad Shalamberidze, Deputy Director of Sales and Marketing of International Insurance Company Irao.
“Based on the assessment of the National Bank of Georgia, for three quarters of the year 2011 the total sum of transport damage compensation provided by Irao equalled 708,074.40 GEL,” Shalamberidze told The FINANCIAL.
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