Do men or women pay more for auto insurance? Recent analyses show the answer depends on age, state rules, and the insurer. For example, the Insurance Journal writes, “What? Women Pay More Than Men for Auto Insurance? Yup.” while Esurance has a page titled “Why Women Pay Less for Car Insurance.”
Current 2024–2025 market data indicate that men generally pay slightly more on average nationwide, with the largest differences among teen and early-20s drivers; by the mid-30s, gaps are often small or near zero for many carriers and states. In jurisdictions that prohibit gender as a rating factor, no male–female difference is filed by law.
These rates are a sample set meant only for general comparison. Your own premium will vary. Learn how we tested rates for men and women age 23 to 35 below.
Why gender differences vary — and why young men often pay more
Auto insurance prices are all about risk, and crash and fatality data show men engage more in risky driving behaviors and are overrepresented in severe crashes. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
- Men are involved in more fatal collisions than women
- Men are involved in more speeding-related collisions than women
- Men are involved in more DUI-related collisions than women
These disparities in driving habits tend to shrink through the 20s and are often minimal by the mid-30s, which helps explain why many adult drivers see little or no gender price difference.
There’s also speculation that men tend to choose riskier cars than women, which would raise rates by default as insurers consider a vehicle’s safety rating when setting premiums. However, this applies on a case-by-case basis and rates will vary depending on your own vehicle.
Related: Learn how a DUI affects auto insurance rates
Where gender-based auto rating is banned (and where it isn’t)
If you think this pricing system seems unfair, you aren’t alone. In recent years, some states — including California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Michigan — and the District of Columbia have prohibited gender-based rating altogether. Many of these jurisdictions also limit or prohibit practices like credit-based insurance rating in favor of a more merit-based pricing system.
In places that ban gender-based rating, male–female premium differences are eliminated by rule for equivalent profiles. Elsewhere, outcomes vary by insurer and profile — and some recent consumer analyses even find cases where women pay more. Concerns about redistribution in the risk pool remain, as reported by CBS News. However, it’s hard to attribute any single outcome to one factor given broader market shifts.
California was among the first large states to eliminate gender-based auto rates (effective in 2019), and Michigan followed with reforms that prohibit sex-based rating (effective in 2020). In states that still allow gender, adult differences are typically small on average, with the largest gaps among teen and young adult drivers.
The States Where Men Pay Significantly More for Auto Insurance
Gender gaps vary by insurer and age group, and they tend to be widest for teen and early-20s drivers in states where gender remains an allowed factor. If you find yourself paying high auto insurance premiums (regardless of gender), use these tips to get a lower rate while still keeping great coverage.
Based on data for drivers age 23 to 35. Learn more about how we tested rates below.
Auto Insurance Rate Gap for Men and Women by State
Based on data for drivers age 23 to 35. Learn more about how we tested rates below.
Methodology
Our comparisons reflect current market patterns: small average gender differences for most adult drivers, larger gaps among teen and young adult drivers, and no gender-based differences in jurisdictions that ban the factor. Overall premium levels have risen since 2022–2024 due to higher claim costs; the incremental effect of gender is comparatively small versus drivers like age, location, vehicle, coverage, violations, and (where allowed) credit.
Results vary by insurer and state. Where gender is prohibited, carriers file gender-neutral rates by rule; where allowed, some carriers show negligible adult relativities while larger differences are concentrated in youthful driver classes.
Figures shown are for general comparison only and may differ from individual quotes. Always align coverage, driver profile, vehicle, and location when comparing rates across sources.
We worked with Quadrant Information Services to provide data on men’s and women’s auto insurance rates in all 50 states. Quadrant makes this information available using rate data insurers are required to file with state Departments of Insurance. Rates are based on sample profiles created by Reviews.com for comparative purposes.
Auto insurance prices shown here include drivers age 23, 27, 31, and 35, both male and female, driving a 2017 Toyota Camry with annual mileage of 15,000. All driver profiles have a credit tier of “good” and a clean driving record. We tested for six different coverage levels, including:
- State minimum liability coverage, with and without collision and comprehensive coverage with a $500 deductible
- 50/100/25 liability coverage, with and without collision and comprehensive coverage with a $500 deductible
- 100/300/50 liability coverage, with and without collision and comprehensive coverage with a $500 deductible
We checked rates for the top four to 10 insurers in every state by market share, with data from more than 34,000 ZIP codes across the U.S. These rates are a sample set meant for comparison only. Your own rates will vary.
