Your age and gender can cause what you pay for car insurance to be more expensive. Car insurance can cost thousands of dollars more per year for young drivers than for older drivers, and rates are 6% higher on average for male drivers than female drivers of the same age.
While your cost of car insurance will be more expensive if you’re younger, companies like State Farm, GEICO, and others still offer affordable auto insurance quotes to these drivers.
How we calculated car insurance rates by age and gender
Policygenius calculated the cost of car insurance for drivers of different ages and genders by analyzing rate data from every ZIP code in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These rates were for full-coverage policies, for male and female drivers who were 16 through 70 years old.
Our sample driver owned a 2017 Toyota Camry, driven 10,000 miles per year. Sample rates reflect the following coverage limits:
Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
Property damage liability: $50,000 per accident
Uninsured/underinsured motorist: $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
Comprehensive: $500 deductible
Collision: $500 deductible
Rates were supplied by Quadrant Information Services. Some carriers may be represented by affiliates or subsidiaries. Rates provided are a sample of costs. Your actual quotes may differ.
Average car insurance rates by age and gender
On average, the car insurance costs more for younger drivers. Auto insurance rates for drivers who are 16 years old are 314% more expensive than for drivers 30 to 45 years old. As a group, drivers 25 and younger can pay hundreds or even thousands more per year than older drivers.
Car insurance is also more expensive for male drivers. On average, auto insurance costs male drivers 6% more per year than female drivers of the same age (that’s a difference of about $245 a year).
Annual cost of full-coverage car insurance.
Cheapest car insurance companies by age and gender
The cheapest companies vary by age and gender. We found that GEICO is often cheaper for male drivers compared to other top companies, but State Farm is usually the cheapest company for female drivers.
USAA tends to be the company with the absolute lowest auto insurance rates, but it’s only available to active and retired members of the military and their families. USAA has the lowest rates for men and women from 21 to 70 years old, but its limited availability means many drivers won’t qualify for coverage.
Age | Cheapest for male drivers | Cheapest for female drivers |
|---|---|---|
16 | State Farm | State Farm |
17 | GEICO | GEICO |
18 | GEICO | State Farm |
19* | GEICO | GEICO |
21* | GEICO | GEICO |
25* | GEICO | State Farm |
30* | GEICO | State Farm |
35* | State Farm | State Farm |
45* | State Farm | State Farm |
55* | GEICO | State Farm |
60* | GEICO | State Farm |
65* | State Farm | State Farm |
70* | State Farm | State Farm |
Cheapest of the ten largest companies for male and female drivers. Ages with an asterisk next to them indicate that USAA is actually the cheapest company.
Car insurance rates by age
The average cost of car insurance decreases as drivers age. But while rates get cheaper once you turn 25, car insurance can still cost the youngest drivers thousands of dollars a year.
Although car insurance is much more expensive for younger drivers, auto insurance does get more affordable each year a driver remains accident-free. From ages 17 to 21, rates drop 17% each year, on average.
Age | Monthly cost | Yearly cost |
|---|---|---|
16 | $565 | $6,779 |
17 | $489 | $5,862 |
18 | $411 | $4,931 |
19 | $319 | $3,822 |
21 | $226 | $2,708 |
25 | $161 | $1,929 |
30 | $142 | $1,705 |
35 | $138 | $1,654 |
45 | $132 | $1,582 |
55 | $122 | $1,462 |
60 | $121 | $1,449 |
65 | $125 | $1,494 |
70 | $132 | $1,585 |
Table shows the average monthly and annual costs of car insurance for drivers of different ages.
What age group has the lowest insurance rates?
Drivers ages 55 to 60 have the lowest car insurance rates of any age group. That’s because of their decades of experience behind the wheel — but rates start ticking up again around age 65, when the risk of accidents and claims start to rise again.
Age | Difference from average | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
16 | 314% | $6,779 |
17 | 258% | $5,862 |
18 | 201% | $4,931 |
19 | 133% | $3,822 |
21 | 65% | $2,708 |
25 | 18% | $1,929 |
30 | 4% | $1,705 |
35 | 1% | $1,654 |
45 | -3% | $1,582 |
$55 | -11% | $1,462 |
60 | -12% | $1,449 |
65 | -9% | $1,494 |
70 | -3% | $1,585 |
Table shows the difference between the average cost of car insurance for each age compared to the national average rate of $1,638 per year.
Why does age affect your car insurance rates?
The cost of car insurance for younger drivers is higher because they tend to get in more accidents. Despite making up at least 9% of the nation's licensed driving population, drivers younger than 25 years old were drivers in 21% of fatal crashes from 2016 to 2020. [1] [2]
As drivers age and use their cars less or avoid accidents, the high rates that their group faced when they were younger go down as well.
Age | Total crashes | Percent of all crashes |
|---|---|---|
15-24 | 46,368 | 18% |
25-34 | 55,257 | 21% |
35-44 | 41,901 | 16% |
45-54 | 39,437 | 15% |
55-64 | 36,163 | 14% |
65-74 | 21,088 | 8% |
75+ | 15,341 | 6% |
Total fatal crashes from 2016 to 2020, analyzed from data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
Car insurance rates by age and state
Age isn’t the only thing that matters when it comes to car insurance rates — your location also has a big effect on what you’ll pay for coverage.
Louisiana and Florida are two of the most expensive states for car insurance for drivers of all ages. Car insurance rates for 16-year-olds are 102% more expensive than average in Louisiana, while rates for Florida drivers who are 25 and 45 years old are 77% higher than average.
While the most expensive states for car insurance tend to be the same no matter a driver’s age, Hawaii, North Carolina, and Ohio all have the cheapest average auto insurance rates for drivers of different ages.
State | 16-year-olds | 25-year-olds | 45-year-olds |
|---|---|---|---|
$7,606 | $2,028 | $1,648 | |
$5,128 | $1,553 | $1,311 | |
$7,158 | $1,838 | $1,500 | |
$7,182 | $2,093 | $1,704 | |
$5,530 | $2,223 | $1,785 | |
$7,345 | $2,018 | $1,691 | |
$9,721 | $2,119 | $1,734 | |
$10,247 | $2,414 | $2,058 | |
$8,021 | $2,098 | $1,754 | |
$10,564 | $3,294 | $2,812 | |
$7,168 | $2,057 | $1,664 | |
$1,472 | $1,200 | $1,200 | |
$5,241 | $1,346 | $1,053 | |
$6,202 | $1,671 | $1,320 | |
$4,512 | $1,411 | $1,147 | |
$4,265 | $1,350 | $1,099 | |
$5,756 | $1,863 | $1,529 | |
$8,937 | $2,558 | $2,059 | |
$13,666 | $3,418 | $2,807 | |
$4,431 | $1,395 | $1,084 | |
$7,255 | $2,166 | $1,721 | |
$6,855 | $1,809 | $1,548 | |
$8,300 | $2,873 | $2,314 | |
$4,794 | $1,655 | $1,366 | |
$6,759 | $1,997 | $1,591 | |
$6,376 | $1,894 | $1,492 | |
$7,878 | $2,189 | $1,817 | |
$6,063 | $2,005 | $1,657 | |
$9,174 | $2,470 | $2,054 | |
$5,245 | $1,650 | $1,172 | |
$11,148 | $2,588 | $2,209 | |
$5,795 | $1,653 | $1,432 | |
$6,723 | $2,415 | $2,133 | |
$3,185 | $1,060 | $1,000 | |
$6,415 | $1,578 | $1,331 | |
$4,434 | $1,238 | $982 | |
$7,819 | $2,209 | $1,839 | |
$5,973 | $1,675 | $1,403 | |
$7,154 | $1,955 | $1,509 | |
$10,524 | $2,195 | $1,782 | |
$7,031 | $2,201 | $1,782 | |
$5,567 | $1,836 | $1,565 | |
$6,178 | $1,563 | $1,265 | |
$7,371 | $2,199 | $1,754 | |
$7,789 | $1,729 | $1,451 | |
$4,231 | $1,340 | $1,080 | |
$5,742 | $1,615 | $1,220 | |
$6,899 | $1,925 | $1,600 | |
$6,889 | $2,045 | $1,625 | |
$5,108 | $1,228 | $1,015 | |
$5,649 | $1,591 | $1,354 |
Average yearly costs of full-coverage car insurance.
Car insurance rates by gender
On average, car insurance costs for male drivers are higher than for their female counterparts. The cost of insurance still goes down for men over time, but male drivers pay an average of $16 more per month, or $189 more per year, for coverage.
It’s still possible for men to find affordable insurance, even if their coverage tends to cost slightly more than the average female driver’s. And some states don’t allow car insurance providers to charge more based on gender, so male and female drivers will pay the same rates.
Driver's gender | Monthly cost | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
Female | $199 | $2,385 |
Male | $215 | $2,574 |
Difference | $16 | $189 |
Cost of full coverage car insurance.
Which gender has the lowest insurance rates?
Male drivers have slightly higher insurance rates than female drivers in most states, but the difference in the costs of car insurance for by gender depends on the state. In some states, auto insurance companies aren’t allowed to set rates based on gender. These states are:
California
Hawaii
Massachusetts
Michigan
Montana
Pennsylvania
Among the states where car insurance can consider a driver’s gender, the difference in the cost of car insurance for women and men is the smallest in North Carolina, where coverage costs men just $3 more per year. In Louisiana, male drivers pay an average of $404 more per year for coverage than their female counterparts — the biggest disparity of any state.
State | Female drivers | Male drivers | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | $2,574 | $2,873 | $300 |
Alaska | $1,886 | $2,060 | $173 |
Arizona | $2,359 | $2,571 | $213 |
Arkansas | $2,543 | $2,735 | $192 |
California | $2,523 | $2,523 | $0 |
Colorado | $2,507 | $2,738 | $231 |
Connecticut | $2,894 | $3,156 | $262 |
Delaware | $3,183 | $3,505 | $323 |
District of Columbia | $2,661 | $3,024 | $363 |
Florida | $4,057 | $4,275 | $218 |
Georgia | $2,498 | $2,782 | $284 |
Hawaii | $1,236 | $1,236 | $0 |
Idaho | $1,696 | $1,854 | $158 |
Illinois | $2,064 | $2,267 | $203 |
Indiana | $1,669 | $1,809 | $139 |
Iowa | $1,551 | $1,669 | $117 |
Kansas | $2,176 | $2,333 | $157 |
Kentucky | $3,101 | $3,371 | $270 |
Louisiana | $4,389 | $4,793 | $404 |
Maine | $1,639 | $1,814 | $174 |
Maryland | $2,632 | $2,901 | $268 |
Massachusetts | $2,549 | $2,549 | $0 |
Michigan | $3,429 | $3,429 | $0 |
Minnesota | $1,874 | $2,015 | $140 |
Mississippi | $2,378 | $2,600 | $222 |
Missouri | $2,200 | $2,427 | $227 |
Montana | $2,861 | $2,861 | $0 |
Nebraska | $2,280 | $2,500 | $220 |
Nevada | $3,143 | $3,428 | $285 |
New Hampshire | $1,852 | $2,037 | $185 |
New Jersey | $3,535 | $3,812 | $277 |
New Mexico | $2,120 | $2,250 | $130 |
New York | $2,837 | $3,093 | $256 |
North Carolina | $1,328 | $1,331 | $3 |
North Dakota | $2,014 | $2,217 | $203 |
Ohio | $1,534 | $1,650 | $116 |
Oklahoma | $2,733 | $3,027 | $295 |
Oregon | $2,153 | $2,235 | $83 |
Pennsylvania | $2,488 | $2,488 | $0 |
Rhode Island | $3,077 | $3,412 | $335 |
South Carolina | $2,635 | $2,844 | $210 |
South Dakota | $2,120 | $2,323 | $202 |
Tennessee | $2,009 | $2,204 | $195 |
Texas | $2,631 | $2,873 | $241 |
Utah | $2,368 | $2,579 | $211 |
Vermont | $1,578 | $1,759 | $182 |
Virginia | $1,922 | $2,146 | $223 |
Washington | $2,453 | $2,606 | $153 |
West Virginia | $2,415 | $2,678 | $263 |
Wisconsin | $1,618 | $1,759 | $141 |
Wyoming | $1,921 | $2,246 | $324 |
Table shows the average annual costs of car insurance for drivers of different genders.
Why does gender affect your car insurance rates?
Auto insurance coverage for women is slightly cheaper than it is for male drivers because men tend to get into more accidents than female drivers, which means they have to make more claims. From 2016 to 2020, men were drivers for an average of 24,701 more fatal crashes per year than women.
During this five-year period, men were the drivers in 72% of fatal crashes
At the end of 2020 the number of fatal crashes involving female drivers fell by 3% compared to 2016, while it actually increased by 4% for male drivers. Since car insurance companies use data to predict how likely you’ll be to file a claim, more accidents involving male drivers can lead to higher car insurance rates for men.
Year | Male drivers | Female drivers |
|---|---|---|
2016 | 37,941 | 13,376 |
2017 | 38,028 | 13,673 |
2018 | 37,406 | 13,379 |
2019 | 37,196 | 13,000 |
2020 | 39,393 | 13,033 |
Total fatal crashes for male and female drivers from 2016 to 2020, analyzed from data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does gender affect the cost of car insurance?
Yes, generally the cost of car insurance is slightly more expensive for male drivers than it is for female drivers. On average, car insurance costs about $189 more per year for men than women — or $16 per month.
Does your car insurance get cheaper when you turn 25?
Your car insurance rates typically go down as you age, and the biggest drop happens as you turn 25. Still, there are many things that can impact your rates. For example, if you go from being a 24-year-old with a clean driving record to being a 25-year-old with a DUI, your insurance rates will go up instead of down.
Why does gender affect car insurance?
Men tend to get into more car accidents and file more claims than women. For example, from 2016 to 2020, men were the drivers in 72% of fatal crashes in the U.S., according to data we analyzed from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Why does age affect car insurance?
Car insurance is more expensive for younger drivers because they’re more likely to have accidents and need to file claims than older drivers. From 2016 to 2020, drivers under 25 made up 18% of the country’s fatal crashes despite only representing 9% of the population.
