Car insurance for women

It used to be the case that female drivers enjoyed cheaper car insurance prices than their male counterparts. And the fact that they were female played a significant role in getting those cheaper prices.

But that hasn’t been the case for over a decade. So, are women’s car insurance prices now higher than before? And how do you keep your costs in check?

When we use the terms ‘men’ and ‘women’, we’re referencing the designations ‘male’ and ‘female’ that a driver has on their driving licence and car insurance application.

We appreciate that this doesn’t consider many gender identities that don’t fit within this binary system. For more information on the use of gendered titles in insurance, please see our general FAQs.

What changed for women’s car insurance prices?

In 2012, the EU Gender Directive came in.

This piece of law meant that car insurance companies could no longer use a person’s gender as a factor when working out how much to pay for car insurance.

Insurers calculate car insurance prices based on several risk factors including:

• How powerful and valuable your car is
• Your job title
• Where you live
• Your claims and convictions history
• Your voluntary car insurance excess

Before 2012, a driver’s sex was also considered.

This is because, statistically, it was shown that male drivers were at a greater risk of making a claim. This meant that women often saw cheaper car insurance prices than men.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) realised that this was discriminatory, and so abolished the use of gender when working out insurance prices.

So a man and a woman with the exact same insurance details and driving history should see the same prices.

Why do women get cheaper car insurance?

Women shouldn't pay less for their car insurance, but our data shows female drivers still typically get lower prices than males.

Right after the EU Gender Directive came into effect, the price gap between women and men shrunk from £121 in December 2011 to £27 in March 2013.

Many thought this would remain the case – a more event state between male and female drivers.

But over the years, the gender gap has widened again.

According to our car insurance price index, in Q4 2022 women paid £557 for their car insurance, on average. This is £116 less than men, who paid £672.

There could be several reasons why women's car insurance is cheaper:

• Male drivers tend to drive more powerful, more expensive cars.
• Male drivers tend to make more expensive claims, and make them more frequently.
• Men tend to have more motoring convictions, especially for speeding, drink-driving and driving without insurance.

So, even though gender is no longer a factor in insurance prices, there are other markers that seem to have the same effect.

Do younger women pay more?

In general, young drivers are among the hardest hit when it comes to car insurance prices.

In Q4 2022, 18-year-old drivers paid £1,715 for their car insurance on average, compared to £750 for 30-year-olds.

It’s interesting to see that the price gap between males and females is more pronounced in younger drivers.

In Q4 2022, female drivers between 17 and 20 years old paid £1,243 for their car insurance. This is £521 less than men of the same age, who paid £1,764.

This gap does shrink as drivers get older. For drivers aged 21 to 25, women paid £958, on average. Compared to men who paid £1,315, the price gap shrinks to £357.

The 2 big factors that determine how much you pay for your car insurance are your age and driving experience.

Insurers tend to see younger drivers as a bigger risk as they’re more likely to be involved in an accident due to inexperience.

So long as your driving record remains clean, this should improve over time. For every year you don’t make a car insurance claim, you add to your no-claims bonus (NCB). This offers you a discount on your insurance costs and, the bigger the NCB, the bigger the discount.

Has Brexit affected women’s car insurance?

At the time of writing, Brexit hasn’t impacted how much men and women pay for their car insurance.

The simple reason is that, although the UK has left the European Union, it has kept many aspects of EU law. One of these is the EU Gender Directive.

In theory, the UK government is free to get rid of that law at any time. If it does, this could mean a return to the larger gender price gaps we saw over a decade ago.

But car insurance pricing methods might have changed significantly over the last 10 years, so there's no guarantee that this would happen.

How can women get cheaper car insurance?

Even though women are still paying less, on average, than men, there are still savings to be had,

If you’re looking to cut the cost of your cover, here are some tips:

• Never let your car insurance renew automatically: Comparing car insurance prices and shopping around is one of the best ways to get cheaper cover. If you need cover while you compare insurers, consider temporary car insurance until you're ready.
• Increase your voluntary excess: The more money you’re willing to put forward for a claim, the lower your costs could be.
• Upgrade your car security: Investing in a decent car alarm and immobiliser, as well as a tracker, could help lower the risk of theft.
• Take an advanced driving course: Improving your driving skills with a course like Pass Plus could reduce your risk of an accident, which could help lower your costs.

For more tips, check out our guide on how to get cheaper car insurance.

Are there companies that specialise in women's car insurance?

Since the 2012 ruling, insurance companies aren't allowed to only sell insurance to either men or women. But there are still some companies that specifically target and focus their marketing efforts on women.

There shouldn't really be a need for specialist cover, but you might find that some of these firms offer additional benefits that target female drivers. This tend to include:

• Priority breakdown cover
• Handbag cover
• Child car seat cover