Diversity Council Australia has applauded NRMA Insurance and Allianz for enabling motor customers to select non-binary as their gender, despite recent criticism over pricing.

As previously reported, some mainstream media outlets slammed the insurers after discovering non-binary customers were provided lower quotes, and some individuals on social media implied they would tick the box just to access the cheaper offer.

Allianz matched non-binary pricing to females, which was cheaper than males, while NRMA’s non-binary quotes were cheaper than both.

The insurers said the pricing would be refined as evidence was gathered. NRMA’s website today still shows a significant discount for non-binary customers, but its gender question’s wording has been updated to read: “What is your gender as shown on your passport or official documentation?”

A DCA spokesperson told insuranceNEWS.com.au: “Giving customers the option to identify as non-binary is a positive step towards ensuring products and services reflect the diversity of our community.

“For many people, having to choose ‘male’ or ‘female’ simply doesn’t reflect who they are.”

The DCA says there is limited data available about non-binary people and their experiences.

“By making data collection more inclusive, organisations can build a clearer picture of people’s needs, leading to more accurate decisions and better outcomes for employees and consumers,” the spokesperson said.

“As part of our Diversity & Inclusion Data at Work guidelines, we provide practical sample questions to help organisations collect data, including on gender and sex, in an inclusive and respectful way. These questions are informed by our own research as well as peak organisations representing people with lived experience. 

“Ultimately, recognising non-binary customers is about fairness, dignity and making sure everyone can access services without having to misrepresent themselves.”

While gender and sex are interrelated, they are two distinct concepts. 

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, “sex recorded at birth refers to what was initially determined by sex characteristics observed at birth or infancy”, although a person’s sex can change over their lifetime.

Gender identity is about “who a person feels themself to be” and non-binary is “an umbrella term describing gender identities that are not exclusively male or female”.