JEDDAH: The move to allow women to drive in Saudi Arabia is expected to give impetus to the economy in several sectors from car sales to insurance.
Despite competitive pressure on car insurance companies to lower their prices and credit conditions in the Saudi market, it is expected that the Saudi index will rise 1.8 percent through wide gains in insurance, banking and petrochemicals now that women are allowed to drive.
In some countries, prices differ from men to women for car insurance services. However, here are some examples of how car insurance companies will deal with women driving.
An insurance company in Saudi Arabia offered a 15 percent discount for women. The offer is valid until July 24.
Samer Mohammed, a customer services worker at the company, told Arab News: “Women’s insurance documents will include a roadside assistance service to assist women in the event of an emergency.
“This service is provided as an additional service for women and it is not available for men. If a case is complicated the employee will take the car to one of our centers to make sure everything goes smoothly.”
Sara Al-Moaibed, a customer service employee at another insurance firm, said there will be no changes in prices for women. “Prices for men and women will be the same.”
In fact, insurance companies are also planning to hire women and plans are afoot to develop a special section for female employees, according to sources in the insurance sector.
Women driving will have the greatest impact in improving and reducing traffic accidents because of the nature of women and their keenness to follow traffic laws and regulations.
Statistically, women are safer drivers, which means they are also less likely to file a claim than men. Therefore, they will generally pay less for car insurance.
Women to pay less for auto insurance in Saudi Arabia
Women to pay less for auto insurance in Saudi Arabia
- Women’s insurance documents will include a roadside assistance service to assist women in the event of an emergency
- Insurance companies are also planning to hire women and plans are afoot to develop a special section for female employees
‘Cake not hate’ campaign becomes ‘Dates not hate’ in Madinah
- Dan said he was very impressed by Saudi hospitality and that his family was warmly welcomed
- He said being in Madinah exposed him to the true diversity of Islam
LONDON: A British autistic and non-verbal boy who has been visiting UK mosques and distributing cakes to promote solidarity amid an increase in far-right support in the country has taken his message of love to Madinah.
Joshua Harris, or “The Joshie-Man” as the 12-year-old is known to his social media fans, has handed out hundreds of his baked goods to worshipers at mosques in major British cities over the last few months.
The “Cake not hate” campaign came about after an Islamophobic attack on a mosque in his home city of Peterborough in October 2025.
Harris and his father visited Masjid Darassalaam, the mosque that was targeted, with cakes that the boy had baked and distributed them to the congregation soon after the attack. Since then, Harris has visited dozens of mosques in the UK.
On a recent trip to the Middle East, he and his father visited Madinah. In a local twist that pays tribute to the holy city’s famous date varieties including ajwa and ambar, Harris handed out dates to people in the courtyard of the Prophet’s Mosque. The “Cake not hate” campaign became “Dates not hate” for Saudi Arabia.
“He was greeted really, really warmly. There were some really touching moments where people were kissing his hands and his head. It was really lovely,” his father, Dan Harris, said.
Dan, the founder of global charity Neurodiversity in Business, said being in Madinah exposed him to the true diversity of Islam.
“We met people from all around the world. It was amazing. It’s like the United Nations there, you get people from different countries and it just goes to show you that the Muslim community, or the Ummah more generally, is not a homogeneous group,” he said.
“We saw people from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and it was really interesting for us.”
Dan said his visit to Madinah, considered the second holiest city in Islam after Makkah for Muslims, was “profound and life-changing.”
He added: “I would say it’s my favourite city in the world due to the peace and tranquillity I felt there.”
Dan added that he was very impressed by Saudi hospitality: “Everywhere we went, people were taking down my number and insisting that we come for dinner, insisting they pick us up from the location. They were extremely attentive to Joshie as well, making sure his needs were met. We felt a great sense of welcome, something Saudi Arabia is known for.”
