Gender bias costs male motorists £17,000

http://www.insurancedaily.co.uk/2009/07/06/gender-bias-costs-male-motorists-17000/
July 6, 2009 by Gill Montia
Story link: Gender bias costs male motorists £17,000

New research from moneysupermaret.com puts the average annual premium for male motorists across all age groups at £743, compared to just £454 for women.

According to the price comparison website, male drivers can therefore expect to pay around £17,000 more than women for car insurance during a motoring lifetime.

Several factors play a part in the gender bias but Moneysupermarket does make the point that Home Office research in 2006 found 97% of motorists convicted of dangerous driving, and 94% of those convicted of causing death by dangerous driving, were male.

In addition, the average distance covered by men in the UK over a 12 month period is 12,000 miles, whereas for women the figure drops to 8,000.

Women are also more likely to take shorter journeys than men and at lower speeds.

The cost difference between cover for men and women is also skewed by age, with the average premium for an 18-year-old male driver in excess of £2,200 a year, or £1,905 more than the average premium for a male driver in his 40s.

Moneysupermarket recommends the following ways of reducing premiums for either gender: fitting an immobiliser or alarm; garage parking overnight and opting for a conventional model with a small engine.

Motorist can also check their annual mileage and see if savings can be made with a mileage restricted policy.

Finally, new drivers can cut premiums by as much as 35% by taking the Pass Plus test once they have gained a driving licence.