Which Gender Pays More for Car Insurance?

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Written by Ray Prince Edited by Nick Versaw

Updated November 21st, 2023

One major deciding factor auto insurance companies use to determine rates is gender. Typically, males and females have radically different driving habits, so auto insurance companies price policies differently. The other main factors that insurance companies consider when calculating premiums include your driving behavior, the number of at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and the average number of annual miles you drive.

This guide will help answer all of your questions about which gender pays more for car insurance, including examples that show how much males pay on average compared to females for full coverage and minimum liability premiums. We’ll also discuss those other factors that affect insurance rates and ways to save on your next premium.

If you feel your current auto insurer overcharges you on your premium and that better deals might be available elsewhere, enter your ZIP code below to receive an online quote from highly rated auto insurance companies such as Liberty Mutual, Progressive, and GEICO.

How Does Gender Affect Auto Insurance Rates?

Auto insurance rates are determined by dozens of factors, with gender being one of the main ones. Reasons for this are the different driving habits of each gender in a general sense regarding the number of miles driven annually, risky driving habits (e.g., speeding), the average number of at-fault accidents, and even the type of vehicle they drive.

One way gender affects auto insurance rates is reflected in the average number of annual miles driven. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, male drivers average a higher number of miles. For example, males ages 20-34 drive an average of 17,976 miles annually versus 12,004 miles for female drivers of the same age.

Another way gender affects insurance rates is through the lens of crash data. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, more men than women die in auto crashes each year. For example, in 2021, men accounted for 28,033 total motor vehicle deaths versus 10,690 for women. The year prior saw similar results (25,819 motor vehicle deaths for men and 10,495 for women).

These statistics also relate to speeding-related fatalities. For example, in 2020, male drivers experienced 3,948 speeding-related deaths versus only 1,039 for female drivers.

In short, gender is a major consideration when determining auto insurance rates. However, other factors such as age, ZIP code of residence, and driving record apply.

Which Gender Pays More for Car Insurance — Men or Women?

Generally, men pay slightly higher premiums than women, as statistics show they are more likely to be involved in auto accidents.

According to data gathered by Quadrant Information Services, men pay an average liability-only monthly premium of $131 versus $126 for women. For a full coverage monthly premium, males pay an average of $312 versus $292 for females. 

Do Any States Prevent Car Insurance Companies From Using Gender to Determine Premiums?

Yes. According to Insurance Business Magazine, only seven states ban auto insurance companies from using gender as an underwriting criterion. They are California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

Remember, even if car insurance premiums are priced the same between all genders in these states, other underwriting criteria affect the premiums paid by individual policyholders, such as the driver’s age and driving history, and their chosen liability limits and amount of deductible.

What Are Other Factors That Affect Auto Insurance Rates?

It’s not all about which gender pays more for car insurance. Other factors that cause lower or higher rates include your age group, driving record, type of vehicle, number of at-fault car accidents, and ZIP code of residence.

Generally, younger drivers (regardless of gender) pay more for auto insurance than older drivers. For example, the average monthly cost of a full coverage insurance policy for an 18-year-old driver is $676, an astronomical sum compared to an average monthly cost of $266 for 25-year-olds, $232 for 40-year-olds, and $221 for 65-year-olds.

Where you live also affects your auto insurance rate. For example, Louisiana has one of the highest costs of auto insurance in the country thanks to a higher-than-average vehicle theft rate, with the average monthly premium for a liability-only policy at $322, a far cry from cheaper states like Florida ($186) and Maine ($71).

Men and women in urban areas can also expect higher auto insurance premiums, paying out an average monthly full coverage premium of $473, versus $376 for suburban residents and $311 for rural residents.

How Can Men and Women Save on Auto Insurance?

Fortunately, there are many ways both men and women can save on auto insurance and close the gap, at least partially.

The number one way to save is by maintaining a clean driving record. Drivers with a clean record pay an average monthly full coverage premium of $274 versus $347 for drivers with one speeding ticket, $390 with one at-fault accident, and a whopping $536 for drivers with one DUI conviction.

Expect to be eligible for good driver or safe driver discounts if you have three to five consecutive years of no claims, moving violations, or at-fault accidents. Different insurance companies will require different amounts of time before you’re eligible for these discounts. 

Another way men and women can save on auto insurance is with a multi-policy discount or a multi-vehicle discount (assuming you’re insuring two or more vehicles within the same household). According to Kelley Blue Book, multi-policy discounts can save as much as 25%. GEICO promises discounts of up to 25% when bundling auto and homeowners insurance.

Multi-vehicle discounts can be just as generous. Top-rated auto insurers offering multi-vehicle discounts include GEICO (up to 25% off your premium) and State Farm (up to 20% off).

Lastly, remember to consider making changes to your insurance policy that make you less of a risk to the insurer. For example, increasing your deductible, lowering your liability limits, and eliminating collision insurance and comprehensive coverage if you have an older vehicle can all play a significant part in keeping your premium low.

To stay on top of all the discounts available, we recommend calling your auto insurance provider every few months to see if you qualify for any new discounts. One phone call could easily cut 5% off your annual premium, making quite a bit of a difference to your monthly budget.

All Genders Should Shop Around

Men pay more than women for car insurance on average. As a group, male drivers are considered a higher risk due to the greater average amount of miles they drive and their increased likelihood of being involved in a fatal car crash. Now that you know everything there is to know about which gender pays more for car insurance, you may have a newfound motivation to lower your premiums, regardless of your gender.

Ready to see your premiums drop? We highly recommend shopping around for an affordable auto insurance policy using Compare.com’s rate comparison tool, offering quotes from top companies like GEICO, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, and Progressive. It only takes two minutes to learn what you could be paying.

Methodology: All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a Honda Accord driver. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.

Ray Prince Insurance Writer

Ray Prince is an auto insurance writer for Compare.com based in Miami. He specializes in writing long-form content and product descriptions for the automotive and auto insurance industries. His work appears on sites such as Freeway Insurance, Auto Guide, Turn5, Mercedes Benz U.S.A., and Pelican Parts, with past and current roles as a digital operations manager at Pandora Media and iHeartMedia.