In general, car insurance companies charge male drivers more for coverage because they’re more likely to get into accidents. But while most states allow insurers to consider gender when setting rates, your age, location, insurance provider and driving record usually make a bigger difference.
We at the MarketWatch Guides Team will explore which gender pays more for car insurance by looking at average rates in each state and from some of the most popular insurance providers. We’ll also give our recommendations for the best auto insurance.
Key Takeaways
- The national average cost of car insurance is $1,340 per year for women and $1,391 per year for men for full coverage.
- Six states ban insurers from using gender to help set rates.
- The biggest discrepancy is in Wyoming, where male drivers pay 13% more than women on average.
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What Gender Pays More for Car Insurance?: Overview
Male drivers (especially teens and young adults) get into more fatal car accidents, according to 2021 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They’re also more likely to drive under the influence. Because people who are considered high-risk drivers are more likely to file claims, car insurance companies tend to charge them higher premiums.
Average Car Insurance Costs for Men and Women
According to Quadrant Information Services, the national average cost of car insurance is $1,340 per year or $112 per month for women and $1,391 per year or $116 per month for men for full coverage. That means men pay about $51 more per year or about 4% more than women on average.
The table below lists average costs of full-coverage auto insurance for men and women throughout the country. Florida is the only state to have a lower average rate for male drivers, but the difference is only $1.
| Location | Average Annual Cost for Women* | Average Annual Cost for Men* | Difference Between Genders |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $1,117 | $1,164 | 4% |
| Alaska | $1,022 | $1,095 | 7% |
| Arizona | $1,347 | $1,435 | 6% |
| Arkansas | $1,127 | $1,161 | 3% |
| California | $1,585 | $1,585 | 0% |
| Colorado | $1,332 | $1,375 | 3% |
| Connecticut | $2,562 | $2,720 | 6% |
| Delaware | $1,757 | $1,798 | 2% |
| Florida | $2,478 | $2,477 | 0% |
| Georgia | $1,412 | $1,472 | 4% |
| Hawaii | $1,225 | $1,225 | 0% |
| Idaho | $808 | $855 | 5% |
| Illinois | $1,122 | $1,160 | 3% |
| Indiana | $1,016 | $1,063 | 4% |
| Iowa | $870 | $908 | 4% |
| Kansas | $1,106 | $1,150 | 4% |
| Kentucky | $1,486 | $1,495 | 1% |
| Louisiana | $2,205 | $2,382 | 7% |
| Maine | $796 | $840 | 5% |
| Maryland | $1,547 | $1,603 | 3% |
| Massachusetts | $1,831 | $1,831 | 0% |
| Michigan | $2,870 | $2,872 | 0% |
| Minnesota | $1,278 | $1,345 | 5% |
| Mississippi | $1,146 | $1,222 | 6% |
| Missouri | $1,283 | $1,356 | 5% |
| Montana | $1,385 | $1,385 | 0% |
| Nebraska | $1,210 | $1,210 | 0% |
| Nevada | $1,610 | $1,714 | 6% |
| New Hampshire | $1,058 | $1,137 | 7% |
| New Jersey | $1,697 | $1,750 | 3% |
| New Mexico | $1,120 | $1,170 | 4% |
| New York | $2,242 | $2,255 | 1% |
| North Carolina | $966 | $966 | 0% |
| North Dakota | $980 | $1,026 | 4% |
| Ohio | $771 | $795 | 3% |
| Oklahoma | $1,225 | $1,313 | 7% |
| Oregon | $1,144 | $1,145 | 0% |
| Pennsylvania | $1,292 | $1,292 | 0% |
| Rhode Island | $1,524 | $1,621 | 6% |
| South Carolina | $1,381 | $1,421 | 3% |
| South Dakota | $1,093 | $1,160 | 6% |
| Tennessee | $936 | $986 | 5% |
| Texas | $1,416 | $1,504 | 6% |
| Utah | $1,231 | $1,265 | 3% |
| Vermont | $850 | $917 | 7% |
| Virginia | $979 | $998 | 2% |
| Washington | $1,111 | $1,132 | 2% |
| Washington, D.C. | $1,402 | $1,526 | 8% |
| West Virginia | $1,220 | $1,319 | 8% |
| Wisconsin | $947 | $977 | 3% |
| Wyoming | $1,197 | $1,382 | 13% |
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*These averages include data from the 50 to 100 most populous cities and the five to 10 most popular car insurance providers in each location.
Does Gender Affect Car Insurance Rates in Every State?
Not all states allow insurers to use the gender listed on your driver’s license as a factor for determining your car insurance premium. These are the states that don’t allow someone’s gender to influence their insurance rate:
- California
- Hawaii
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
Average Car Insurance Cost by Company
While the gender listed on your driver’s license can affect how much you pay for car insurance, so can the insurance company you choose. The table below shows some of the largest providers’ average full-coverage rates for men and women.
| Insurance Provider | Average Annual Cost for Women* | Average Annual Cost for Men* | Difference Between Genders |
|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | $799 | $820 | 3% |
| Geico | $944 | $963 | 2% |
| State Farm | $1,096 | $1,171 | 6% |
| Nationwide | $1,113 | $1,193 | 7% |
| American Family Insurance | $1,199 | $1,242 | 3% |
| Travelers | $1,260 | $1,294 | 3% |
| Progressive | $1,371 | $1,378 | 1% |
| Allstate | $1,482 | $1,537 | 4% |
| Farmers | $1,650 | $1,708 | 3% |
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*These averages include data from the 50 to 100 most populous cities and the five to 10 most popular car insurance providers in each location.
Other Factors That Impact Your Car Insurance Premium
There’s no one formula that insurance providers follow to set rates. So while one company might put more emphasis on gender, another might care more about your age, location or marital status.
How Age Influences Your Insurance Premium
A driver’s age has a big impact on their insurance rate, particularly for teenagers. As new drivers, teenagers are typically the riskiest motorists on the road.
Once drivers age out of their teens, rates start to decrease substantially. For instance, 21-year-old drivers pay an average of about 60% less for full coverage than 16-year-old drivers do. From there, rates steadily decline until drivers hit their mid-70s.
Seniors are expensive to cover because they statistically get into more accidents and have more severe injuries than their younger peers. Older drivers also require more expensive medical treatment after accident-related injuries.
How To Save Money on Car Insurance
When shopping for auto insurance, ask if there are any discounts you qualify for. Many car insurance companies offer savings for things like being a customer for a number of years, belonging to a professional organization or having certain safety features in your car. And if there’s a teenage driver on your insurance policy, ask providers about discounts like those for good students or for college students who are living away from home without cars.
Telematics Insurance Could Reduce Your Rate
If you have safe driving habits, telematics insurance could lower your rate. Also known as usage-based insurance, these programs track your driving through a mobile app or a device that plugs into your car.
Source: MAPFRE Insurance
Telematics insurance can reduce your premium if you avoid things like driving late at night or speeding. While some insurers will just not give you a discount if you show risky driving habits while enrolled in a telematics program, others will raise your rate.
Allstate DrivewiseⓇ stands out with its large discount and its promise not to increase your auto insurance premium based on bad driving habits. State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save™ discount is ideal for someone who doesn’t drive much.
| Telematics Program | Discount | Can Your Premium Increase? |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm Drive Safe & Save | Up to 30% | Yes, if you get a low-mileage discount and exceed the limit |
| Geico DriveEasy | Not specified | Yes, depending on the state you live in |
| Progressive SnapshotⓇ | An average of $94 when you sign up and $231 when you renew your policy after completing the program | Yes |
| Allstate Drivewise | Up to 40% | No |
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What Gender Pays More for Car Insurance?: Conclusion
While the gender listed on your license is typically a factor in how much you pay for insurance, several other elements come into play. In general, female drivers pay less for car insurance coverage. However, your age, your insurance provider and where you live also have a major impact on your premium.
Top Auto Insurance Recommendations
Shopping around for car insurance can make a big difference in what you pay for coverage. Get insurance quotes from at least three providers and compare car insurance rates before choosing a policy. We recommend starting with State Farm and Geico.
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State Farm: Best Customer Experience
State Farm’s coverage options and its low average rates for many types of drivers helped it earn the title of Best Customer Experience in our review of car insurance companies. Safe drivers can save money on their coverage with State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save telematics program, good driving discount and accident-free discount.
Keep reading: State Farm insurance review
Geico: Best for Budget-Conscious Drivers
Geico’s average rates tend to be significantly lower than national averages, which is part of why we named it Best for Budget-Conscious Drivers. The insurer also has 16 discounts, including its DriveEasy telematics program, defensive driving discount and good student discount.
Keep reading: Geico insurance review
What Gender Pays More for Car Insurance?: FAQ
Below are frequently asked questions about how gender affects car insurance premiums.
Yes, female drivers pay less for car insurance on average, but the difference is only about 4%. On average, women pay $1,340 per year for full coverage, while men pay $1,391 each year.
Men pay more for auto insurance on average because they’re statistically more likely to get into accidents and to have major injuries. However, male drivers only pay about $51 more per year than their female counterparts on average.
The average difference between full-coverage car insurance rates for males and females is about 4% on average. This comes out to men paying an average of about $51 more per year.
Each company calculates auto insurance rates differently, but these are some of the factors they commonly use to determine premiums:
- Age
- Gender
- Location
- Driving history
- Credit score
Our Methodology
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car insurance companies. We collected data on dozens of auto insurance providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the insurers that scored the most points topping the list.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
- Cost: Auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services and discount opportunities were both taken into consideration.
- Coverage: Companies that offer a variety of choices for insurance coverage are more likely to meet consumer needs.
- Reputation and experience: Our research team considered market share, ratings from industry experts and years in business when giving this score.
- Availability: Auto insurance companies with greater state availability and few eligibility requirements scored highest in this category.
- Customer experience: This score is based on volume of complaints reported by the NAIC and customer satisfaction ratings reported by J.D. Power. We also considered the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each insurance company’s customer service team based on our own shopper analysis.
Our credentials:
- 800 hoursresearched
- 45 companiesreviewed
- 8,500+ consumerssurveyed
*Data accurate at time of publication.
If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at [email protected].
