The answer is no. Women used to receive cheaper car insurance premiums but new legislation has changed this. Read more below:
Women drivers used to be associated with receiving cheaper car insurance policy, however, this is very much a thing on the past. Why? It is to do with EU regulations that came into force in 2012. The European Court of Justice implemented legislation called the EU gender directive that means that that car insurance based on gender is now deemed unconstitutional, meaning the appeal of insurances companies like Sheila’s Wheels aimed at female drivers, has seen a decline.. Prior to the ruling, many car insurance companies commonly offered cheaper car insurance for women due to statistics that showed that women tended to drive safer than men.
Women drivers safety statistics
In fact, figures show that women drive much more safely than men. In the UK, over 92% of all driving convictions, as well as a colossal 98% of all convictions for dangerous driving in the country are by men.
As women had far fewer accidents, it meant that they were then less likely to make a claim and therefore insurers gave women drivers lower insurance rates. In addition, women tend to make claims for minor damages, such as bumps to a vehicle, rather than complete write-offs. This means that claims for insurance are generally speaking considerably less expensive than those made by male drivers.
Conversely, men typically were charged a higher premium due to higher accident rates. But now as a result of the ruling, it is now illegal under EU equality legislation so gender can no longer form the criteria when it came to deciding premiums for people. This has seen premiums now calculated on other factors, and since the directive came into effect, female drivers have seen their insurance policy rise by 30%.
How much is car insurance for women?
According to figures provided by MoneySupermarket, the typical cost of a women’s fully comprehensive premium is about £487.20, in 2014 the price was around £377.
Drive Like A Girl insurance company
There are ways in which female drivers between the age of 17 and 25 can reduce their premium, through companies like Drive Like A Girl. This company specifically helps young women to prove that they can drive safely, and pay an insurance price that reflects their reliable driving. Since the EU Directive, young female drivers have been particularly affected by the ruling, and have seen their premiums rise as a result of it, even though young male drivers have a much higher chance of having an accident, in fact, according to figures from GOV.UK, young male drivers make up over 75% of all injuries or fatalities in the 17-24 category.
But how does telematics and Drive Like A Girl work exactly? An in-tele-box is placed inside the car (which looks like a small black box) and this tracks the way in which you drive, it also can work as a theft tracking device too, so in the event the car is stolen it can be traced, and also alerts the insurance company if it has been involved in an accident. Telematics help to prove that statistically young female drivers are safer, and provide them with a lower premium as a result.
Ways to save money on your car insurance
If you are a female driver and have found your premiums have increased and you are not between the ages of 17 and 25, there does exist other ways you can make savings on your car insurance. For example
Use comparison websites
Comparison websites such as Fleets Insurance are an excellent way to save money on almost anything these days, whether it be electricity or gas bills, phone providers, even comparing photo-printing websites, and the same goes for car insurance. There are many different policies out there, and by using a comparison website you can look at all the deals available all at once, making it easy to see which one will offer the best value for you ,and far less time-consuming than individually contacting insurers for quotes.
Pay upfront for your insurance
If it is possible, one of the best way to lower your car insurance premiums is to pay upfront. A considerable number of car insurance companies will charge you more for monthly instalments, so it worth considering if it is financially viable.
Additional security
If you add features to your car to increase its security, such as by adding an alarm, a tracker (by using GPS) or a immobiliser (which prevents the engine from starting unless the correct car key has been used, and can be easily fitted in a car) you could be rewarded with a lower premium for your car insurance.
Avoid modifications
Modifications deemed as necessary (meaning they do not enhance the security of the car) are known to increase car insurance premiums. If you are aiming to lower your car insurance premium, you should avoid adding spoilers or boosting the engine size as these are known to increase costs.
Adding a second driver
Another great way to save on your car premiums is to add an additional driver to your policy, especially one that has more experience on the road. This is because it helps to give car insurance companies more confidence, in the sense that they believe it will then be less likely a claim being made due to an accident on the road. Adding a second driver who is between the age of 40 to 55 is recommended, as young drivers are associated with increasing the cost of car premiums.
Increasing the excess
Choosing a higher voluntary excess is a way to reduce your car insurance policy and is a common method for many drivers to choose. Again, this is another way to increase the confidence of the insurer, as it demonstrates that you would be willing to pay more of the bill in the event of an accident. However, in a similar way to paying upfront for your car insurance, it isn’t advised to do this if you do not have the financial means to do so, but if you can it’s a great way of lowering your premium.