Bill to raise insurance rates for women

Men and women will be subject to the same insurance and pension savings rates, according to a bill that was approved on Wednesday by the lower house of Parliament. Currently, Czech insurance companies and private pension funds offer lower premiums for women on many of their products. According to the Finance Minister, Miroslav Kalousek, the new bill had to be introduced in order to comply with the decision of the European Court that said the current system conflicts with the principle of gender equality. Opposition parties as well as Mr Kalousek himself have criticized the new regulation, which may cause insurance rates for women to drastically increase in some cases.