A major shake up appears to be on the cards for insurance premiums, particularly for young female drivers, thanks to an expected EU ruling.

The European Court of Justice is due to rule on whether using a person's sex to calculate their insurance premiums breaches equality legislation. Legal experts expect the court to say it is a breach and the implication of this is that women drivers could face a 25% premium hike.

If as expected, it becomes illegal for insurers to use sex to assess risk, younger women will face paying the same rates as young men, who it is statistically proven cause far more serious road accidents. In theory it could also mean a drop in premium costs for young male drivers, although most observers think this unlikely.