Who Pays More for Car Insurance - Men or Women?

Who are better drivers - men or women? As with most Battle of the Sexes debates - each gender can make a legitimate case. Women may claim they're safer drivers and less prone to road rage, while men may argue they're more adept at driving at high speeds and avoiding obstacles on the road. The debate can continue ad nauseam. But insurance companies can use statistics to answer the question - who pays more for car insurance - men or women?

Do Men Pay Higher Auto Insurance Rates than Women?
Car insurance companies base your rates on how high of a risk you are to insure. In 2006, nearly 30,000 male drivers died in car accidents, while only 13,000 women suffered the same fate (IIHS).

Because male drivers are more likely to die in a car accident, car insurance companies perceive them to be a higher risk to insure, especially young male drivers who just got their license. Consequently, young male drivers aged 16-25 typically pay more for auto insurance than young female drivers in the same age group.

Good News for Male Drivers
The good news for male drivers is that they are only perceived as a higher risk to insure from the ages of 16 to 25. Once you reach age 25, as long as your driving record is devoid of accidents and tickets, your car insurance rates should start to decrease and will eventually become level with your female counterparts. While this news can be disheartening to young male drivers, they can take solace that their car insurance rates will gradually decrease over time as long as they maintain a clean driving record.

Men and Women Can Both Save on Car Insurance
While both genders can continue to argue which sex is the better driver, one thing we all can agree on is that saving money on your car insurance benefits everyone. If you have a teenage driver, especially a male teenage driver, you can still find discounts on your car insurance. While you are in school, car insurance companies usually offer good student discounts if you maintain a "B" average or better. Men and women alike can raise their deductibles to make their car insurance rates a little lower as well. When looking for car insurance at any age, comparing quotes is the best way to find the best rates.