AUTO INSURANCE ARTICLE

Why Women Get Cheaper Auto Insurance

By: AutoInsuranceGuy

The stereotype of dangerous women drivers has been going on, like a long playing urban legend, for generations, and is the subject of jokes or even accepted as facts, in many countries. This is despite the fact that there is no documented evidence as to who are the better drivers – whether men or women. However, many studies say that gender does say something about driving habits. And contrary to the stereotype, it is often women who are found to be on the safer side of the road all the time.

A researcher who co-authored a major new U.S. road risk analysis in 2007, the TrafficStats, had this to say: male drivers have a 77 percent higher risk of dying in a car accident than women, based on miles driven. And this is even taking into account that women drivers are getting more and more in numbers.

Many experts in the auto insurance industry are of the opinion, as well, that males, especially those of the younger set, tend to drive more aggressively than women. And that they express their aggression in a direct manner, rather than indirectly. On top of these, male drivers have been documented to have a double likelihood of breaking the law than women drivers. The prevailing notion too is that males tends to be more adventurous while females are more risk-averse. The choice of cars seem to have a gender dimension as well, with men generally choosing more powerful cars which have more expensive parts to replace if they are damaged or stolen.

And the auto insurance industry is one of the institutions following this gender differences in driving and motorist behavior. And from which decisions in setting up insurance premiums for men and women are partly based. Some claim that auto insurance premiums is a subtle recognition of women’s safer, if not better, driving skills.

All things being equal however, women drivers may indeed get cheap auto insurance rates than men. But they are still subjected to all of the factors that determine whether or not they will be approved for car insurance, and what auto insurance quote will be offered to them. The driving record and history of the policyholder and anyone else who will be driving the vehicle will still be a factor. They will look at the location where the policyholder lives, and where the car will be parked. Companies also consider the car make, model and year and it has to pass safety inspection. Credit score and history also counts as well as the age and experience of the driver.

With the greater participation of women in the workforce as well, the statistics of women being involved in accidents are also changing over time, that by sheer numbers alone, the difference between men and women involved in accidents may soon close. Police records also show more and more examples of women showing road rage and reckless driving. So much so that many say, the gap for auto insurance rates between men and women might soon be closing.