To all those who did a PhD so they could use the gender-neutral title "Dr"...

[Yellowstripe00]

You might want to avoid registering with Compare the Market.

This has really annoyed me!!

What!

Why would anyone think that was a good idea? Assume it's for their statistics/marketing, but that would really kill my pig.

Pfft, that's nothing. When I went to carphone warehouse (ten years ago, but still), their computer system automatically registered you as male if you were a doctor! The poor sales assistant was really embarrassed when they tried to explain it to me.

I would hope they have changed it now.....

I can't tell you how much it has really pissed me off. What a backwards step.

If I'm, being generous I could imagine that they want it because certain kinds of insurance will charge differently for men and women.

But home insurance doesn't. And they could ask for it at the time when it becomes relevant, alongside all of the other extra information that they need.

I'm pleased to say that women and men in the EU cannot be charged differently for the same insurance product, thanks to an ECJ ruling which came into force in 2012.

ec.europa.eu/justice/newsroom/gender-equality/news/121220_en.htm

I love this judgement, i could get really boring about it

That Dr male female thing is grim - and any provider is using sex in pricing is in breach of EU and UK law. More likely to be collected for internal CtM marketing data, or some insurers/pension providers still use sex of their customers in deciding how much money to set aside for future claims - that is within the law.

If you're of a mind to, I'd make a complaint suggesting you're aware the law doesn't allow differential pricing but you're concerned that data might be used in that way, particularly as CtM don't actually need to know what sex you are and as per the Data Protection Act:
Personal data shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the purpose or purposes for which they are processed.

They may fob you off, in which case twitter is good and also a CEO complaint. If they want it for diversity monitoring then they can say so when they ask for you that data.

I work in finance and it infuriates me when we do stuff like this as an industry, we look like twats.

Would anyone actually undertake a PhDjust to use the gender neutral title Dr?

You could become a vicar and use the gender neutral title Rev if you didn't have the resources for a PhD I suppose...

I was sufficiently interested to check - no Rev option on CtM

They seem to have updated since the OP, and say Our providers do not rate on gender, however title is often used to personalise communications or for analysis.

That gives you 0 information as a consumer, doesn't tell you why they need to know your sex, and IMHO is still worth a tweet at least.

A PhD for a gender neutral title

Oh don't be twattish about it Cats, we all understood that the intention was not to address us as if that was the only reason to do a PhD.

Would anyone actually undertake a PhDjust to use the gender neutral title Dr?

I am sure some would, but I think most people do a PhD just because they can. I certainly would have, if I was academically gifted enough to do so.

Having a neutral title would just be an additional benefit.

Even so, if you think the Mrs/Miss problem is behind you and you mgiht be able to pass as male and be treated with the respect a male Dr is treated with, it must be a massive disappointment to have people not respect this.

Ah so are Compare the Market reading this thread?

If so then the added 'explanation' still doesn't help, or make sense - an email to Dr Yellow doesn't need personalising in a male/female way.

Thank you for the info Anlaf!

This is actually progress, the alternative is that all Drs. are assumed to be male, they just use the title to denote sex instead of asking separately.
I found this out when I got stopped at airport security because my boarding card said I was a man, nearly missed the plane as I had to have it reissued. That was with Thompson and obviously I kicked right off at them. They have now changed their system so it has the Dr - male and Dr - female option although when they wrote back to me, they addressed it to my husband.

At least they have Dr I guess. Hate it when the only options are Mrs or Miss and they want me to define myself by my relationship to a man. I generally avoid using any titles as I feel that as a concept they are outdated, but when pushed I am pleased I have a gender neutral title.

Sorry to derail but I would like to know why removing sex as a pricing factor in insurance is a good thing? In car insurance young males cost a lot in claims, now females have to subsidise them.