Is Car Insurance Gender-Biased For a Reason?

By Jay Tillotson

It's public knowledge that car insurance is often cheaper for women than it is for men, but just why is this? The old joke is that women cannot drive as well as men, but this simply isn't the case. It's based on a number of sound facts which have been proven time and again by expert statisticians and psychologists.

According to a report done by the Home Office in 2002, men were responsible for 88% of all road accidents and 82% of speeding violations in the UK alone. This could be explained by the fact that male drivers aged 17-35 are among the most aggressive on the roads, whereas females of the same age tend to be more easy-going. In addition, male drivers were found to be less likely to obey all traffic laws, choosing to ignore the ones that didn't suit them, such as a 30mph speed limit on a long straight quiet road.

Because of this, 40% of male motorists are classed as 'high violators' compared to just 20% of their female counterparts. Besides speeding, other common violations included running red lights, driving under the influence and street racing - illegal racing held on public highways, usually with the aim of winning the loser's car. Frighteningly, the 2002 HO report stated that a massive 97% of all drink driving offences were committed by men.

It's not known precisely why men are more prone to risky behaviour behind the wheel, but it's thought to have something to do with the differing levels of testosterone, cortisol and serotonin - all connected with the feelings of adrenaline achieved by driving too fast. Men have higher levels of these hormones and neurotransmitters in their genetic makeup, hence the increased risk-taking.

It could also have something to do with evolution; Early Man was the protector, the hunter, the warrior. They had to be fast in order to catch food, strong in order to carry the food back to the cave, and so on. It's a crude analysis but one which does bear some elements of logic. The man sees his car as a weapon to take out the competition - other drivers.

Whatever the reason, the fact remains that women's car insurance is generally cheaper than men's. More and more car insurance companies are offering cheaper car insurance for women specifically because they recognise the reduced risk that most women pose.