Which gender gets cheaper car insurance?

Generally speaking, female drivers get cheaper car insurance only when they are young, but rates become nearly identical or occasionally higher as they get older.

How Gender Affects Rates by Age

• Young Drivers: Teenage males (under 20) pay significantly more—often 11% to 14% more—than teenage females because data shows young men exhibit riskier driving behaviors and are involved in more fatal crashes.
• Adult Drivers: After age 25, the gap in insurance costs between men and women largely disappears, amounting to little more than a rounding error in most adult age brackets.
• State Variations: Recent industry data from sources like The Zebra shows that women actually pay slightly more on average than men in a handful of states (such as Florida, New York, and Oregon), depending on coverage types and local risk calculations.

Where Gender Does Not Matter

• Banned States: Insurance companies cannot use gender as a rating factor in seven states: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

Other Important Rating Factors

Insurers determine your rate based on risk, which is heavily influenced by factors beyond gender:

• Age and driving experience
• Location (ZIP code and state)
• Driving record (accidents and tickets)
• Vehicle make and model
• Credit history (in states where allowed)

The term "gender rule" in insurance usually refers to either an older Coordination of Benefits (COB) guideline for children's health plans or modern regulations regarding gender-based pricing and discrimination.

1. The Coordination of Benefits (COB) Gender Rule

When a child is covered under the health insurance plans of both parents, insurance companies use a tie-breaker rule to decide which plan pays first (the primary insurer).

• The Old Rule: Historically, the "gender rule" stated that the father’s plan was automatically primary over the mother’s plan.
• The Modern Shift: Most insurance plans have replaced this with the birthday rule, which assigns primary coverage to the parent whose birthday falls earlier in the calendar year, regardless of gender.

2. Gender Rating and Anti-Discrimination Rules

In pricing and underwriting, "gender rules" refer to laws that dictate whether insurers can charge men and women different rates.

• Health Insurance: In the United States, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) banned gender rating, meaning health insurers cannot charge women higher premiums just because of their gender.
• Auto and Life Insurance: Rules vary by region. For example, the European Union banned gender-based pricing for motor and life insurance, requiring unisex rates. Several U.S. states (like California and Hawaii) also prohibit using gender to calculate auto insurance rates.

Men generally pay more for car insurance because statistical data shows they are involved in more severe accidents and take more risks on the road.

Why Insurers Charge Men More

• Risky driving habits: According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), men are more likely to speed, drive without a seatbelt, or drive under the influence of alcohol.
• Severe accidents: Data shows men are nearly twice as likely to die in car crashes and tend to cause more expensive, high-cost claims.
• More miles driven: Men statistically drive more total miles per year than women, which increases their overall exposure to accidents.

The Age Factor

• Young drivers: The price gap between genders is highest for teenagers and drivers under 25, where young men pay significantly higher rates due to inexperience combined with higher risk-taking.
• The gap shrinks: As men get older and gain driving experience, the price difference between genders narrows, often becoming equal by the mid-30s.

State Rules and Exceptions

• Gender-neutral states: A few states—including California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania—ban insurance companies from using gender to calculate rates.
• Where women pay more: In a handful of states or specific age brackets, women may pay slightly more due to other risk factors like local traffic density, vehicle type, or driving record. You can check The Zebra to see how gender pricing breaks down across different states.

Paying $200 a month for car insurance is right around the national average for a full-coverage policy, but whether it is "a lot" depends heavily on your specific coverage and personal risk factors.

When $200 a Month is Normal

• Full Coverage: The national average for full coverage (which includes liability, collision, and comprehensive) is about $195 to $209 per month.
• Higher-Risk Profiles: If you are a young or newly licensed driver, have a recent ticket or accident on your record, or live in a high-cost state like Florida or California, $200 is very common or even low.
• Newer or Expensive Vehicles: Insuring a brand-new or financed car costs more because replacement and repair parts are expensive.

When $200 a Month is Too High

• Minimum Coverage: If you only carry basic state-minimum liability insurance, $200 a month is expensive. Minimum coverage normally averages around $55 to $64 a month.
• Clean Record and Older Car: If you have a clean driving record, drive an older car that is paid off, and only have basic protection, you are likely overpaying.

Many users on Facebook Groups discuss paying well over $200 depending on their location, while others find ways to lower bills by shopping around.

Car insurance for males typically decreases gradually starting in the late teens, with a major, noticeable drop occurring around age 25, according to data from Progressive.

Key Age Milestones for Males

• Ages 16 to 19: Rates are highest for teen drivers due to a lack of experience. The biggest percentage drop often happens between ages 18 and 19 if you keep a clean driving record.
• Ages 20 to 24: Prices continue to fall slowly each year as you gain more driving experience.
• Age 25: This is a major milestone. Insurers view drivers at this age as more mature and lower risk, which triggers another drop in your price.
• Ages 30 to 60: Rates reach their lowest and most stable levels during these middle years, provided you have no accidents or tickets.
• Ages 65 and Older: Rates may start to rise again as drivers get older because of slower reflexes and vision changes.

Other Things That Lower Your Rate

• Clean Record: Avoiding speeding tickets and accidents is the best way to see your rates drop.
• Good Grades: Young male drivers can get discounts for good grades in high school or college.
• Safe Cars: Driving a car with high safety ratings keeps insurance costs lower.