Insurers have previously judged women to be safer drivers - on average - than men. This meant that until 2012 women were almost always able to find cheaper deals on their car insurance. But since European law made it illegal for insurance providers to use gender as a consideration when calculating insurance, this is no longer the case.
Don't worry though, there are still many ways to save money on car insurance for women. What type of insurance for women do I need? There are three main types of car insurance for women to choose from:
1. Fully comprehensive
A fully comprehensive car insurance policy will cover you for damage, repairs, medical expenses, fire damage and theft, as well as damage done to someone else, their car or their property.
2. Third-party, fire and theft
Third-party, fire and theft policies offer cover for other people, their vehicles and their property, as well as protection for your own vehicle if it’s stolen or damaged by fire.
3. Third-party only
Third-party only car insurance is the least comprehensive type of cover available, and it’s the minimum legal requirement you must meet to drive on UK roads. It’s also usually the most expensive of the three.
How to get cheaper car insurance for women?
Even though women can no longer get cheaper car insurance just because they're women, most will find they're offered cheaper premiums for other reasons. Things like tending to drive smaller, safer cars and getting into fewer accidents on average, which means a better no-claims bonus.
There are many things you can do as a woman (and as a man!) to cut costs even further:
* Drive a safe car
Choose a car in a lower insurance group, as they’re safer on the road and so often cheaper to cover.
* Invest in security
You’ll save a lot of money by parking your car off the street or in a garage, and by using features such as an immobiliser.
* Increase your excess
Asking for a higher voluntary excess should reduce your premiums, because it shows you’ll only make a claim when you really need to.
* Reduce mileage
The less you drive, by and large, the less insurance you pay – simply because you’re less likely to get into an accident. Consider a low-mileage policy.
* Add a named driver
For younger women, adding a named driver (like a parent) to your car insurance policy could earn you reduced premiums.
* Drive carefully
One of the biggest factors affecting cost is your driving history. If you go years without making a claim, your premiums will fall.
* Telematics
Using telematics or ‘black box’ insurance means your premium is based on how safely you drive.
* Pay annually
Paying annually may seem like a big upfront cost initially, but it will cost less overall than if you were to pay monthly instalments
How does age affect the cost of women's car insurance?
Whilst gender no longer contributes to the cost of your car insurance, age definitely does. Typically, you will find that young drivers pay a lot more for car insurance than drivers 25 and over. This is because you are believed to have less driving experience, and therefore pose more of a risk for making a claim. Women drivers over the age of 50 pay, on average, £281 for their car insurance premium, that’s only a fifth of what under 25s pay ( £1308).
