Men pay slightly more than women for car insurance, based an EverQuote analysis of costs reported by EverQuote users.
Car insurance companies base their rates on the claims they've paid out. When they see that claims correlate to factors such as sex, marital status, location and vehicle type, they'll adjust rates based on those factors -- assuming state law allows it.
Based on insurance claims, women are safer drivers than men, according to a 2016 report from the Federal Insurance Office.
Men pay slightly higher car insurance premiums
| Average annual premium | |
|---|---|
| Women | $1,755 |
| Men | $1,794 |
| Source: EverQuote, based on premiums reported by users who had good driving records and liability limits of 100/300/50 and uninsured motorist limits of 100/300. We analyzed data collected between Jan. 1, 2017, and Dec. 31, 2018. | |
Not all states let auto insurance companies use sex as a basis for rates. Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana and North Carolina don't allow it.
Here's a look at other data showing the differences between men and women drivers.
Men are more likely to be drivers in fatal car crashes
| Number of deaths | Percent of fatalities | |
|---|---|---|
| Women drivers | 5,151 | 29% |
| Men drivers | 12,500 | 71% |
| Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 2017 fatalities in passenger cars | ||
Men are more likely to cause fatal drunk driving accidents
| Number of deaths with driver who had blood alcohol content at or above 0.08% (the legal limit) | Percent of total fatal accidents for the sex | |
|---|---|---|
| Women drivers | 1,026 | 20% |
| Men drivers | 4,037 | 32% |
| Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 2017 fatalities in passenger cars | ||
Men are more likely to cause fatal car accidents due to speeding
| Number of deaths with driver who was speeding | Percent of total fatal accidents for the sex | |
|---|---|---|
| Women drivers | 913 | 18% |
| Men drivers | 3,345 | 27% |
| Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 2017 fatalities in passenger cars | ||
Whether you're male or female, being a safe driver can help you save on car insurance. Accidents, tickets and claims are often causes for a car insurance premium increase.
There are many mobile apps that can help improve your driving, such as the free EverDrive app from EverQuote. It will track your phone use, speeding, and hard braking and acceleration. You'll be able to see a score for your driving and how well it improves.