Sexist jokes aside, we all know at least one lady who is a total disaster on the road – cannot ignite the engine without turning the windshield wipers on, files claims for fender benders every couple of months and cannot do a side parking in less than fifteen minutes. However, little do some know that women drivers usually get cheaper car insurance than men; there are many reasons why insurers reward women drivers, and none of them has to do with the fact that they can’t drive!
In no particular order, here are the main reasons why women drivers pay less for auto insurance than men.
Statistics show that women have caused fewer accidents in the last few years than men. Official numbers are relevant – according to TrafficSTATS, a study conducted by the Carnegie Mellon institute, men are more than twice likely to die in an accident compared to women. The total number of fatalities in the last decade was of 329,176 for men and only 154,857 for women.
55% of all students enrolled in defensive driving courses in the United States in 2011 were females. Since women show a higher interest in learning how to be safer drivers, insurers reward them with better rates. Trends, however, seem to be shifting, as the percentage of male motorists who take these courses is constantly increasing – could it be that men understand they need help?
Women tend to drive less than men. The average woman in the United States drives less than two thirds the number of miles driven by the average male motorist. And the more often you drive, the chances are that you get involved in an accident. Fewer women commute long distances to get to work or school, whereas a lot of men may spend as much as two hours on the road to/from work, crossing major interstates and exposing themselves to the risk of an accident.
Men are more prone to driving aggressively and often cross the speed limits. Women, on the other hand, are more likely to follow all traffic rules and, thus, get involved into fewer accidents.
All in all, there is no sexism involved. Women aren’t offered cheaper rates because they are women, but rather because they tend to be safer on the road. Keep in mind, however, that insurers don’t all evaluate risks the same way, so it’s important that motorists of both genders shop around carefully before contracting an insurance policy.