While female drivers statistically have certain driving habits that usually allow them to pay lower rates for for female care insurance, new reports are popping up indicating that trend may not last forever.
Female drivers traditionally less of a risk than men for insurers
Women pay 9 percent less for car insurance then men, with the average national rate set at $698 for women compared to $765 for men. Inexpensive female car insurance is usually available because statistically, they are 50 percent less likely to have a DUI violation, buy less expensive cars and aren’t as likely to purchase a policy with multiple drivers or vehicles.
Insurers also assume men drive more aggressively than women since they are traditionally involved in more traffic accidents. The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that 11,902 male drivers died in a traffic accident in 2009, making up 71 percent of all passenger vehicle driver deaths that year, while only 4,887 female drivers succumbed to a collision. Furthermore, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says men also tend to engage in riskier driving practices such as neglecting to wear seat belts and speeding, which are both behaviors that can lead to traffic violations and higher auto insurance premiums over time.
Driving under the influence is on the rise for insured female drivers
However, some reports suggest ladies may be picking up bad habits that could make it more difficult to find cheap female car insurance. More female drivers are starting to get behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol, reported the National Highway Traffic Safety Institute, with DUI arrests among the fairer sex climbing 30 percent from 1998 to 2007, while similar arrests for men only increased by 7.5 percent.
Fashion and makeup causing female car insurance rates to climb
Primping while driving is also a problem insurers are beginning to recognize, as it leads to higher accident and injury rates. Research discovered 7 percent of women apply make-up while they’re on the road and 25 percent said they regularly check their appearance in their rear-view mirror, habits that take their eyes off of the road in front of them. A quarter of women also wear high-heeled shoes when operating a car, which can be dangerous if the heel breaks, the shoes fall off or get stuck in the pedals while the car is in motion.