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Why Men Pay More for Car Insurance

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Jason Metz

Car insurance rates depend on a variety of factors, including: age, location, driving history, and credit scores. Your gender is also going to be factored in. Men pay more for car insurance. Why? Simply put, men are statistically more likely to be involved in accidents and traffic violations. Insurance companies are all about factoring in risk when setting rates, and the numbers speak for themselves.

According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, “men typically drive more miles than women and more often engage in risky practices including not using seat belts, driving while impaired by alcohol, and speeding. Crashes involving male drivers often are more severe than those involving female drivers.” Furthermore, an analysis of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Reporting System (FARS), “for every year from 1975 to 2015, the number of male crash deaths was more than twice the number of female deaths.” According to FARS, 71 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths in 2015 were males. The report further states that “each year from 1982 to 2015, the proportion of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with blood alcohol concentration at or above .08 percent has been substantially higher for males than females.” Expounding on this, the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report reveals that in 2014, three times as many men were arrested for driving under the influence than women (401,904 vs 130,480). Additionally, the FARS report shows that “from each year in 1985 to 2015, speeding was identified as a contributing factor for a greater proportion of male drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes than for female drivers killed in a crash.”

The above statistics illustrate a higher risk amongst male drivers, which in turn results in higher premiums, although the difference in rate will vary greatly depending upon your state. According to a 2012 CBS News article, an 18-year-old male in Nevada would pay 51 percent more than his twin sister, though the cost differential narrows as both drivers reach middle age. However, in Pennsylvania, male drivers may pay up to 25 percent more than female drivers throughout the entirety of their lifespan. In Washington, Texas, and Illinois, the gender differences narrow as drivers reach middle age, and then reverse, with women paying 2-5 percent more between the ages of 35 and 50.

How your insurance carrier interprets the above information and sets the rates in your state may be out of your control, but regardless of gender, there are multiple ways to save and plenty that you can control. Adopting safer driving habits decreases your risk for traffic violations and accidents, which over time, should result in a safe driver discount with your carrier. Apps like EverDrive run in the background and scores you on speeding, acceleration, cornering, braking, and phone distraction, providing you with valuable information that you can use to improve your safe driving habits. You can also consider taking a defensive driving course, which could net you a 10 to 15 percent discount. Shop around and compare quotes, you’re likely to find a carrier that recognizes safe driving and rewards their customers, whether they’re male or female.