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Cheap car insurance for women

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Statistically, women are considered to be safer drivers than men, according to insurers. However, while this previously meant women could enjoy cheaper car insurance, this all changed in 2012. In December of that year, the European Court of Justice made it illegal for insurers to use gender as a consideration when calculating insurance premiums. And as a result, insurers can no longer base their quotes on whether a driver is male or female.

But the good news is, there are still plenty of ways for women to save money on car insurance. This guide explains all you need to know about car insurance for women.

How to find cheap car insurance for women

Up until 2012, women could benefit from cheaper car insurance premiums than men because they are generally considered safer drivers by insurance providers. Women tend to make fewer claims than men and when they do claim, the value of those claims is usually lower. 

But, since the Gender Directive was passed by the European Court of Justice, gender can no longer have an impact on the cost of someone’s car insurance premiums. This rule also applies to other forms of insurance, such as life insurance.

While women can no longer be offered lower insurance premiums based on their gender, there are several factors that affect the cost of car insurance and ways women can save money on their premiums. When calculating your car insurance premium, providers will consider factors, such as the type of car you drive, whether your car has any modifications, how secure your car is, your job title and your driving history. Because men tend to have higher risk jobs, such as construction workers or delivery drivers, their car insurance premiums can still end up being higher than women’s. Men are also more likely to have points on their licence and drive a more powerful car with modifications, and these factors can push up the cost of premiums too. According to insurer Admiral’s Car Insurance Price Index, in August 2023 men paid 14 per cent more for their car insurance premiums than women. Men paid an average of £1,150.79, while women paid an average of £1,003.87.

The three most common types of car insurance for women include:

  • Fully comprehensive: This is the highest level of car insurance available. It covers you for damage caused to someone else or their car or property, and will also cover damage to your own car, as well as any injuries sustained by you or your passengers in an accident. Some policies also offer cover for vandalism and legal expenses. 
  • Third party, fire and theft: This type of policy provides cover for other people, their vehicles and property, and will also cover your car if it’s damaged by fire or stolen. 
  • Third party: This is the minimum legal requirement for drivers and the most basic level of cover. You’ll be covered for injuries to other people or damage to their property, but your own vehicle or any injuries you suffer as a result of a car accident won’t be covered.

Tactics for cheaper women’s car insurance deals

Women’s car insurance premiums are an annual average of £1,003. However, there are several steps you can take to reduce the cost of women’s car insurance. Take a look at the tips below to get started: 

  • Choose a car in a lower insurance group: All cars are put into one of 50 car insurance groups. If you’re buying a new car and want to reduce your premium, try to choose one in a lower group as these tend to be safer to drive and cheaper to repair, which means they are also cheaper to insure. Those in high groups tend to be high performance vehicles and prestigious brands, which is why they cost more to insure.
  • Reduce your mileage: The fewer miles you drive, the less chance there is of being in an accident, which means your car insurance premiums will be cheaper. However, it’s important that you remain honest when estimating your annual mileage on your car insurance application, otherwise you risk invalidating your policy.
  • Invest in safety features: If your car doesn’t already have them, it’s worth investing in an industry-approved immobiliser or tracker to reduce the chance of your car being stolen – or if it is stolen, there’s more chance of you getting it back. 
  • Park safely: If you can, park your car in a garage or on the driveway overnight, rather than on the street, where it is more likely to be damaged. 
  • Add a named driver to your policy: If you’re relatively new to driving, it could be worth adding a more experienced driver, such as a parent, to your policy as a named driver. This can reduce premiums as the risk of a car accident is lowered if the younger driver is behind the wheel less often. Just make sure the named driver uses the car less often than the main driver.
  • Pay for your car insurance annually: Paying for your car insurance in one go each year will be cheaper than paying in monthly instalments, when interest is often added. However, it does mean you’ll need to have enough cash available to foot the bill each year. 
  • Consider telematics: Choosing telematics or black box insurance means a black box tracker will be fitted to your car to monitor your driving habits. Insurers will be tracking your speed, how sharply you brake, what time of day or night you drive, where you drive and how far you drive. They then use this data to adjust your insurance premium. If you always stick to the speed limit and drive on quieter roads in the daylight, you’re likely to pay less compared to someone driving too fast on busy roads. 
  • Increase your excess: If you need to make a car insurance claim, you’ll need to pay both a compulsory excess and a voluntary excess. The compulsory excess is fixed by your insurer, but you can select how much you want to pay for your voluntary excess. Choosing a higher voluntary excess is one way to lower your insurance premiums, but you must be sure you could still afford to pay it if you had to claim. 
  • Drive carefully: Driving sensibly will help reduce your risk of being involved in an accident and making a claim. Each year you don’t claim, you can build up a no claims bonus (NCB) which will reduce your premiums when you renew. Driving carefully will also lower the chances of you getting points on your licence or even being disqualified from driving, which can make it harder to get cheap car insurance in the future. 
  • Think about your job title: If an insurer classifies your occupation as higher risk than others – if you’re regularly on the road, for example – you’re likely to pay more for your car insurance premiums. But, while you can’t lie about your occupation (you risk invalidating your cover if you do), you can alter the job title slightly when you run a quote to see what impact it has. For example, a journalist could describe themselves as a ‘writer’ or ‘editor’ to see if this reduces their premiums. 
  • Shop around: Use a price comparison website each year to find the best car insurance deal for you. Don’t simply renew with your existing provider. 
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What affects ladies’ car insurance premiums?

There are several factors that affect women’s car insurance premiums. These include:

  • Age: This is the primary factor that affects the cost of premiums. Younger drivers are generally charged more for their car insurance because they are considered higher risk due to their lack of driving experience. Statistically, younger drivers are more likely to cause more expensive car accidents than older drivers. Younger drivers are generally classed as those aged between 17 and 24, so if you’re 25 and over, your car insurance premium will likely be lower compared to someone who is younger.
  • Where you live: If you live in an area with a high rate of car-related crime, for example, you’ll pay more for your car insurance premiums as there’s a higher risk of your car being stolen or vandalised.  
  • The type of car you drive: Those who drive a car in a lower insurance group with good safety features and no other modifications will pay less for their insurance. On the other hand, someone with a car in a higher insurance group that has modifications such as upgraded exhaust systems and spoilers, will pay more for their cover.
  • Your driving history: If you’ve made a claim in the past or you have a motoring conviction, you’ll pay more for your car insurance compared to someone with no claims history and a clean driving licence. 
  • The type of policy you choose: You might think that paying for a fully comprehensive policy will cost you more because it covers you for more, but this won’t necessarily be the case. Statistically, drivers taking out third party policies are more likely to claim, which means premiums for third party cover are often higher compared to fully comprehensive policies.
  • The number of add-ons you select: When buying car insurance, you’ll usually be able to choose from a range of optional extras such as breakdown cover, windscreen cover and lost key cover. The more of these you select, the higher your premiums will be. 
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Are there women’s car insurance specific companies?

Before the Gender Directive came into force, there were a number of car insurance firms that exclusively targeted women. And, while these companies must now insure all genders, many of them still exist and often offer extras that are specifically aimed at women. Some of these companies include:

Sheilas’ Wheels

Sheilas’ Wheels was established in 2005 and came about following research that women have different car insurance needs compared to men, in terms of possessions they are likely to carry with them. Handbag insurance is included as part of the provider’s comprehensive cover, along with a free over-the-phone counselling service, personal belongings cover, legal liability, windscreen cover and courtesy car cover. Its mechanics also follow guidelines so they are better suited to working with young families, whether that’s advising on how to fit child car seats or arranging customer appointments around the school run. Sheila’s Wheels is part of the esure brand.

Diamond Car Insurance

Diamond car insurance launched in 1997 to specialise in cheaper car insurance for women drivers. But, while it can no longer base car insurance premiums on gender, it still offers a range of benefits as standard on its comprehensive policies that are generally aimed at women. These benefits include courtesy car cover, roadside recovery helpline, handbag cover, and child seat cover. Diamond is owned by the Admiral Group.

GoGirl

GoGirl is an online insurer that is aimed at women and young drivers. Its comprehensive policies offer a number of benefits as standard, including courtesy car cover, personal accident cover, child car seat cover, windscreen cover and handbag cover. If you, as the policyholder or named driver, are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, you won’t lose your no claims discount, nor will you be charged any excess in relation to the claim. GoGirl is the trading name of Sabre Insurance Company, which has been underwriting since 1982.

Frequently asked questions about car insurance for women

The EU insurance gender ruling came into force in December 2012. The ruling by the European Court of Justice prohibited insurance companies from calculating premiums based on gender. The ruling applies to all insurance products including car insurance, life insurance and annuities.

Telematics insurance can be a good way to lower your car insurance premiums, particularly if you’re a young driver. You’ll need to agree to having a black box fitted in your car (some insurers use a smartphone app instead) and this will monitor your driving habits. If you drive carefully and stick to the speed limit, you’ll be rewarded with cheaper car insurance premiums.

Yes, some insurers will include certain female-friendly add-ons as standard on their comprehensive car insurance policies. For example, some might offer cover for your handbag and its contents if it’s stolen from your car or is damaged if you’re in a road accident. Policies might also provide cover against damage to child car seats, if you regularly drive your children around. And some policies also include a priority breakdown service, providing priority roadside assistance and protection for those who might be driving alone in a dangerous or remote area or with children in the car.

amy

Amy Reeves

Editor

Amy is a seasoned writer and editor with a special interest in home design, sustainable technology and green building methods.

She has interviewed hundreds of self-builders, extenders and renovators about their journeys towards individual, well-considered homes, as well as architects and industry experts during her five years working as Assistant Editor at Homebuilding & Renovating, part of Future plc.