Reader’s Question:

Why is it that female auto insurance policies cost less than those for male drivers?

Brenda

Cincinnati, OH

Auto insurance premiums vary for a lot of reasons. When pricing, there are things to consider such as the type of your vehicle, your credit history and driving record, your lifestyle, your job and personal profile, such as your age, residence and gender. Now, what you have noticed regarding the price of female auto insurance policies, it is true.

Female auto insurance is cheaper than auto insurance for male drivers. Why? Well, it is just a matter of which gender tends to be more hazardous when on the road, and guess what, males are higher-risk drivers. This may sound like a hasty generalization, but this is not so. Statistics done annually to see which sex gets into accidents more frequently within a year show that males tend to be more reckless, to get into more accidents and to have more DUI (driving under the influence) offenses. How come? It may be testosterone. It may be ego. It does not really matter. The fact is there, and this fact is what auto insurance companies base their clients’ premiums on. Auto insurance companies give more expensive prices to balance out the financial risk in insuring a high-risk gender.

So, needless to say, female drivers get discounts which make their premium generally cheaper. But the gender of a person is just a part of the entire criteria for judging the final price of the policy. Between a male driver with a clean driving record and a female driver whose driving record is full of speeding offenses, I bet the male driver would have a lower premium.

Reader’s Question:

I am a physicist in a university, and my husband is a lawyer. Between the two of us, who would get cheaper car insurance? Would it still matter that female car insurance is cheaper than those for males?

Bella

Boston, MA

Hmm, Bella, you gave me there a tough question. I shall try to give you the best answer that my mind can actually produce. It is true that female car insurance is cheaper than car insurance policies for male drivers. This is because statistics show that male drivers are higher-risk drivers compared to female drivers. But the important thing is that the gender of the driver is but only one factor that affects the pricing of your car insurance policy. And a very good point that you are trying to make is that our jobs also affect our car insurance premiums.

So, who would receive a cheaper premium? Now let us study your case.

Since your female car insurance instantly gives you the upper hand, it may be safe to assume that you might be the one to receive the lower premium between you and your husband. Plus your job as a physicist trains you to be adept at pinpointing details. This prompts you to be less risky on the road. More often than not, we retain in practical life the skills that we learn at work.

On the other hand, your husband is a lawyer. His line of work is highly stressful. And I am guessing that he spends a lot of time talking on the phone while driving. People who have high-stress occupations are usually seen by the car insurance industry as high-risk drivers, hence they receive higher premiums.

But then again, still, there are other things to consider aside from your gender and your line of work. I suggest that you contact a broker to have more accurate comparisons.

Reader’s Question:

I noticed that my wife’s auto insurance is cheaper than mine. Why is this so? Is female auto insurance cheaper than those for male drivers?

Chuck

Los Angeles, CA

I do not know how you may interpret this, but the answer to your question is a simple yes. Female auto insurance policies generally cost less than auto insurance policies for male drivers. It may seem a bit sexist, but really it is not. Auto insurance companies base their auto insurance prices for particular groups of people on how much it would actually cost them to insure a person. High-risk drivers receive higher premiums than standard, and male drivers are considered high-risk drivers. Why? This is because it is very apparent in annual figures that male drivers get into more accidents than the female drivers. Experts attribute this pattern to a lot of different reasons. But no matter what the reason is, the figures are there as evidence of male drivers’ tendency to be high-risk drivers. So, we cannot really blame auto insurance companies for giving higher premiums because it is basic business sense to balance out the financial risk they would be taking in insuring high-risk drivers.

Now as to why your wife’s auto insurance is cheaper than yours, female driver discounts may be a reason for this, but you should not make the mistake of singling out this reason. There are a lot of other factors that may affect your premium, like driving history, driving habits, job, etcetera. I think that you should contact your carrier in order to be enlightened regarding this matter because you have the right to know what you are paying for.

Reader’s Question:

I just got my driver’s license a few days back. I’m about to purchase a car, too. Consequently, I have to find a cheap female insurance. Any tips?

Carita

New Orleans, LA

Good news for you, Carita, and to all girls out there! This is one time that being a female is to your advantage. It’s no secret that female car insurance is generally cheaper than men’s auto insurance. Why, you ask? Well, statistics show that females are better drivers than their male counterparts. There are fewer accidents involving females than males. And when females do figure in an accident, the damage to the vehicle is usually lower than when a male gets in an accident. That converts to lower car insurance claim which is what car insurance companies favor. This shows the tendency for female drivers to be more careful on the road, prompting car insurance companies to list them in the low risk category. That’s why there’s cheap female insurance that offers lower rates for women like you.

Females also tend to choose less extravagant cars, while males opt for more flashy sports vehicles and muscle cars. This automatically equates to lower premium. Let that be a guiding principle for you before you purchase your own car.

All these details show that it would be easy for you to find cheap female car insurance. All points favor women like you to get car insurance policies at low rates.

Reader’s Question:

Is a car insurance female driver affordable?

Sasha

San Jose CA

In a car insurance female driver is often given a favorable rating because statistics show that women are more careful in driving, does not drive too fast, and know how to take care of their cars. While these traits are also true for many men, the general opinion among insurance companies is that females are less risky compared to men. In a car insurance female driver generally pays a lower premium compared to a male counterpart if they are both below 25 years old. If older, car insurance female driver and male driver are of the same rates. Age is an important factor when computing for insurance premiums. It is assumed that the older the person is, the more responsible he is and less involved with traffic violations. An insurance for a female driver becomes more affordable especially when she has a relatively good driving record and follows traffic rules. Furthermore, a female driver with a moderately-sized car without modifications tend to save more on premiums since additions or changes to the car’s exterior will make insurance companies think of risk. Overall, female and male drivers can get the same amount of insurance if they are both violations-free and drive modest cars.

Reader’s Question:

How and where can I obtain a used car cheap female insurance at the shortest time possible?

Anna

Los Angeles CA

In obtaining a used car cheap female insurance can be had at the shortest time possible if you have all of the necessary documents and have no pending violations. Insurance companies also value providing quick services to their clients and that includes giving you your car coverage after you have completed the application form, submitted the required forms and pass the required tests. When buying a used car cheap female insurance quotes can be obtained from many companies, both locally and online. The best way for you to do is to shop from among the hundreds of registered insurance firms and brokers.

Since you are specifically looking for used car cheap female insurance, you may want to focus your search on companies that specialize in providing coverage for female drivers. These organizations will have better offers with discounted rates. Needless to say, your insurance premium rate will be considerably lower if you have been keeping your records clean. That means, no major accidents and traffic violations. Another thing you may consider is the vehicle you are driving. If it is the fast type and has a big engine, like a pick-up, you should seriously think about shifting to a sedan-type with a four-cylinder engine to shave a few hundreds off your premiums.

Reader’s Question:

Does it always follow that in car insurance quotes female drivers get lower premiums?

Myra
Boise ID

In car insurance quotes female drivers may or may not get lower premiums compared to their male counterparts. Gender is only one aspect of insurance premium computation. For young persons, female drivers will definitely be charged lower compared to young male drivers. But with people older than 25, male or female drivers are often charged the same rates. There are other factors that insurance companies take into consideration aside from gender. It may seem though that in car insurance quotes female drivers often get the lower premiums because they also score high on other factors. For instance, in computing for car insurance quotes female drivers will often register low mileage, few traffic violations and they drive slower cars.

Combining all of these factors will definitely result to a lower premium. However, if a female driver has a bad driving history because of a number of accidents in a one-year period, a lot of traffic tickets, and driving a fast car, the gender will matter very little in the computation. This person is likely to find herself with a substantially high premium quote. The same could be true for a male driver. Other factors will apply to him. If he is a good driver and has not committed a lot of violations, that person will get a more affordable insurance quote.