You may be surprised to find out that car insurance rates can differ by gender, but it’s true. Women are actually known to be safer drivers than men. Men are more prone to speeding tickets, traveling at higher rates of speed and reckless driving. Thus, women’s car insurance rates are slightly lower, at least for women under the age of thirty. However, women over thirty often tend to pay more for car insurance than men of the same age with the same driving record.
Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for Women?
In our analysis, Nationwide offers the cheapest average car insurance for women, at $95/month, followed by Geico, at $101/month, and Farmers at $132/month. However, the average premium for women in general might not your premium and the insurance company that offers the cheapest average premium for women might not offer you the cheapest. So, be sure to always price shop around with at least 3-5 insurers and compare your car insurance quotes to find the cheapest premium and the most suitable for you.
| Insurers | Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Allstate | $158 |
| Farmers | $131 |
| GEICO | $101 |
| Liberty Mutual | $162 |
| Nationwide | $94 |
| Progressive | $144 |
| State Farm | $134 |
Why Car Insurance Is Cheaper For Women Than Men (Under Thirty)
Car insurance companies have found that women tend to be involved in less accidents than men. Therefore, simply being a member of the female gender can garner you a lower rate on your car insurance. One of the main reasons that women are in less accidents is that women as a whole tend to drive less than men. Thus, women are in less accidents because the less frequently you drive, the less chance that you will be involved in an accident.
And, of course, another primary reason that women are in less accidents is that they are less likely to be involved in risky behavior while driving. Men are more likely to engage in action such as speeding, reckless driving, and drunk driving than women are. In fact, younger males are actually twice as likely to die in fatal car crashes while operating a motor vehicle than their female counterparts. And according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, in 2017 four times as many male drivers were involved in alcohol related fatal crashes than women. Insurance companies take these facts into account in assessing a driver’s risk factors when determining their car insurance rate.
How Much More Do Younger Males Pay Than Females?
Males under 25 tend to pay 10% more than their female counterparts for automobile insurance on average. Thus, if a 22-year-old female goes into a car insurance company and is offered a rate of $1000 six-month premium, a male of the same age with the same driving record will probably be quoted a rate of $1100 six-month premium.
Teen males pay an even higher rate compared to their female counterparts. Car insurance companies, on average, charge teen males 13% more than teenage females. This means that a 17-year-old male will be charged a six-month premium of $1130 from the same car insurance company that charges a female of the same age $1000 for a six-month premium with all factors but gender being equal.
There are some states in which car insurance companies are not allowed to charge males and females different rates. In these states, both sexes tend to pay the average of the male and the female rate.
Women Over Thirty Pay More Than Men For Car Insurance
Even though young women are statistically safer drivers than men, this changes over time. By the time people pass the age of thirty, car insurance companies start to charge women more for car insurance than their male counterparts. Males typically become more responsible drivers over time, and car insurance companies change the rate advantage accordingly. This is not to say that rates for women go up over time. In fact, the opposite is true. Automobile insurance rates for women fall approximately 52% from the age of twenty to their lower thirties. However, rates for men fall by 60% during this same time period. As a result, women tend to end up paying approximately 1% more for car insurance than men in the same age range. Thus, although there is a difference, 1% is hardly a reason to shop around.
States Where Men and Women are Paying the Same for Car Insurance
Car insurance companies do not charge women and men different rates everywhere. Some states have banned the practice of charging people different rates on car insurance solely based on gender. These states include California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Montana, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
Rate Differences Between Men and Women Are Not Substantial As You Get Older
Even though gender may be a factor in car insurance pricing in all but the states listed above, it is not a big factor for people over 25. Other factors such as age, driving history, and location have a far bigger impact on your insurance premium price. According to an article appearing on The Zebra’s website entitled, “Study: Women Now Pay More Than Men for Car Insurance in 25 States,” in 2018, women paid approximately $10 more a year for car insurance than their male counterparts. Thus, it may be wise to shop around to see where you can get the best price for your gender, but you should also keep in mind that the rate difference between the genders, especially those over 25, is rather unsubstantial.
Final Thoughts
Women often get charged more for products and services such as buying cars and other similar experience due to a lower negotiation rank. Car insurance, however, is not one of these things. Younger women are, in fact, charged less than their male counterparts for car insurance. This is due to the fact that younger males are statistically risker drivers. Another significant factor that many people fail to consider, is that men simply drive more in general which exposes them to the chance of having more accidents. After the age of thirty, however, car insurance premium rates for both men and women drop, with the rates for men falling more substantially. Thus, women end up paying more for car insurance than men. Yet, keep in mind that the impact of gender on car insurance rates is still much less than other important factors when shopping for car insurance.