Gender-Neutral Car Insurance

How do car insurance companies account for gender-fluid and non-binary drivers?
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By Ava Lynch Info icon
Updated September 22, 2023
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Ava Lynch

Senior Analyst

Credentials
  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty

Ava joined The Zebra as a writer and licensed insurance agent in 2016. She now works as a senior analyst, providing insights and data analysis as one…

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Gender identity and car insurance: what to know

While many U.S. states recognize non-binary gender identity on official driver's licenses and IDs, the auto insurance industry has been slower to adapt, continuing to use gender as a rating factor when pricing policies.

Currently, the below states require auto insurance companies to either offer non-binary gender options on insurance applications or require companies to discount gender as a rating factor:

Learn more about the current state of gender-based pricing in the car insurance industry.

How gender is used as an auto insurance rating factor

Gender is one of the primary factors used by car insurance companies to assign premiums.
 
It's worth noting that gender only impacts insurance costs substantially for teen drivers, as young male drivers pay a premium compared to their female counterparts. Once a driver leaves their teen driving years behind, the difference between car insurance rates for women and men is relatively small. Because historical data show young male drivers get into more accidents and file more claims, insurers charge higher premiums to account for the additional risk.
Car Insurance Rates for Male and Female Teenage Drivers
Gender Avg. Monthly Premium Avg. Annual Premium
Female $457 $5,479
Male $531 $6,372
Updated: 09/21/23.

Auto insurance data methodology

The auto insurance rates published in this guide are based on the results of The Zebra's State of Insurance car insurance pricing analysis. This analysis of more than 83 million insurance rates spans every U.S. ZIP code, using a sample user profile: a 30-year-old single male driver with a Honda Accord, good credit and full coverage at these levels:

  • $50,000 per person/$100,000 per incident for bodily injury liability
  • $50,000 per incident for property damage liability
  • $500 deductibles for collision and comprehensive coverage

To generate pricing for particular rating factors, we adjusted the driving profile based on common pricing factors used by major car insurance companies. These factors include credit score, coverage level, driving record and others.

In some instances, average rates from Liberty Mutual were derived from internally sourced sales data.

While a car insurance policy priced without gender taken into consideration might not affect older drivers, the stakes are higher when a young driver is involved.

 
 
 

Why do auto insurance companies use a driver's gender to set their rates?

Insurance companies — especially auto insurers — have specific ways of doing business from which they’re slow to deviate. Insurance companies determine what you will pay going forward — your premium — based on the previous year's historical data. They rely on the past to dictate how they do business in the future.

For an insurance company, it is hard to predict the risk a non-binary individual will present, as opposed to a driver identifying as female or male. It's hard for an insurer to provide a non-binary gender option to their client until a gender-neutral driving risk baseline is established.

 

 

How to Save

At the end of the day, adding up discounts can only do so much. Sometimes you’re paying too much for car insurance because you’re with the wrong company. The best way to find affordable car insurance is often by comparing car insurance quotes. Enter your ZIP code below to receive personalized quotes in minutes.  

Compare rates and find the right policy today!

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About The Zebra

The Zebra is not an insurance company. We publish data-backed, expert-reviewed resources to help consumers make more informed insurance decisions.

  • The Zebra’s insurance content is written and reviewed for accuracy by licensed insurance agents.
  • The Zebra’s insurance content is not subject to review or alteration by insurance companies or partners.
  • The Zebra’s editorial team operates independently of the company’s partnerships and commercialization interests, publishing unbiased information for consumer benefit.
  • The auto insurance rates published on The Zebra’s pages are based on a comprehensive analysis of car insurance pricing data, evaluating more than 83 million insurance rates from across the United States.