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Married People Pay 8% Less for Auto Insurance

And in some states the difference is as much as 15%

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By Susan Meyer
Updated October 22, 2025
Reviewed By Beth Swanson
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Susan Meyer

Senior Editorial Manager

Susan is a licensed insurance agent and has worked as a writer and editor for over 10 years across a number of industries. She has worked at The Zebr…

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  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
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Beth Swanson

Insurance Analyst

Beth joined The Zebra in 2022 as an Associate Content Strategist. A licensed insurance agent, she specializes in creating clear, accessible content t…

Credentials
  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
  • Associate in Insurance
  • Professional Risk Consultant
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  1. Marital status and car insurance
  2. State differences
  3. Reasons married couples could pay more
  4. Differences for widowed and divorced people
  5. Changing laws
  6. Tips for married couples insurance shopping

The Joys and Financial Benefits of Marriage

Married couples enjoy a number of financial benefits from tax breaks for filing jointly, Social Security benefits based on their spouse’s work history, and combining policies for health insurance for potentially lower premiums.

But did you know that married people also save money on auto insurance? While your personal relationship status doesn’t impact how you drive, insurance companies see married drivers as more financially stable and less likely to file claims. In some states, insurance companies aren’t allowed to consider personal rating factors like age, marital status, and credit score. However, in those where it is a factor, married people often pay less. 

In this article, we’ll explore how marital status affects car insurance rates, why insurers consider it a rating factor, and why married couples sometimes end up paying more.

How Marital Status Affects Car Insurance

Insurers have long used marital status as a proxy for risk. Traditionally, data has shown that married drivers tend to be less likely to file claims compared to single drivers. Because of this lower perceived risk, insurers often offer a slight discount to married policyholders.

We recently ran the numbers and found that the average married American pays $2,101 yearly for auto insurance, while the average single (either never married or divorced) American pays $2,297 a year. That’s nearly a 9% difference.

Differences by State Between Being Married and Being Single

As mentioned above, not every state allows using personal rating factors to price insurance. In the following states, insurance companies are not allowed to consider marital status as a factor: Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan. For the rest of the states, there are some differences in how much or little your marriage makes. 

The state where we see the largest difference is in Missouri, where there is a 15% difference on average between what married people pay for car insurance and what single people pay. Its neighbor to the south, Arkansas, also has a significant difference between single and married drivers, with single drivers paying premiums that are about 13% higher. 

By contrast, in other states, the difference is nominal. In Montana, which previously was another state that considered marital status as a rating factor but changed to allowing it in 2021.[1] Here, the difference between what single and married drivers will pay is a little over 2%.

Here’s what the differences are in your state:
Marital Status and Insurance Premium by State
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Updating data...

Marital Status Avg. Annual Premium
Divorced $1,931
Single $1,918
Widowed $1,852
Married $1,775

Source: The Zebra

Interestingly, there doesn’t seem to be a correlation between where there is a higher percentage of married people and where married people get a bigger break. The states that see the largest differences between married and single people’s insurance costs have an average rate of marriage. And the states with the highest percentage of people who are married (Utah and Idaho) are just about in the middle of the pack in terms of how big the percentage difference is between single and married drivers.

However, the relationship between marriage and car insurance rates isn’t as straightforward as it used to be. Several factors can lead to higher premiums for married couples, even when insurers generally view them as lower-risk.

Reasons Married Couples May Pay More

Here are the most common reasons why car insurance premiums can rise after marriage:

1. Combining Driver Profiles and Vehicles

Car insurance pricing is highly individualized. When a couple gets married, they often combine their car insurance policies. While multi-car policies often come with discounts, adding a partner’s car and driving history to the policy can raise the overall premium.

For example:

  • If one spouse has a poor driving record (accidents, DUIs or traffic violations), that history affects the combined policy.
  • If the couple adds a newer or more expensive vehicle, the cost to insure it can push premiums higher.

2. Change in Location

Marriage often involves a change in address. If the couple moves to an area with higher traffic density, higher theft rates or higher accident rates, their car insurance premium can rise—even if their individual driving records remain spotless.

3. Adding Teenage Drivers

Some married couples eventually add teenage drivers to their policy. Teen drivers are statistically among the highest-risk groups on the road, and their addition can significantly increase premiums. While this isn’t directly tied to marital status, it’s often part of the life changes that come with marriage.

Widowed, Divorced, Single? The Subtle State Differences in How Insurers See Your Relationship Status

So far in this article, we’ve focused on the difference between two key groups: single and married, as that’s where we see the greatest difference. However, there are some more subtle differences when divorced people and those who have lost a spouse are added into the mix. 

When we look at the difference nationally, there is only a dollar difference between the amount paid by divorced drivers and single drivers. Both are about 8% higher than the premiums paid by married drivers. Widowed drivers are somewhat in between, paying an average of 3% more than married drivers and 5% less than single or divorced ones.

However, yet again, we see some differences by state.

Here are the more interesting ones:

  • Washington, D.C., is the only place in the U.S. where widowed drivers actually pay (on average) less than married ones. It is, however, a small (less than 1%) difference.
  • Connecticut, Arizona, Nevada and Maine see widowers paying more than 6% more than married people. In these states, they pay closer to the amount paid by single people. 
  • In some states, divorced people pay slightly more than single people, and in others, single people pay slightly more. In only one state (Georgia) is the difference more than 1%, and in that case, single people pay more.

The Changing Landscape: Less Reliance on Marital Status

In recent years, there has been growing scrutiny over the use of personal factors like marital status, gender, and credit scores in car insurance pricing. Consumer advocates argue that these factors don’t directly reflect driving ability or accident risk.[2]

As a result:

  • In addition to the states that already disallow marital status as a rating factor, other states like California, that already outlaw other non-driving rating factors are challenging the practice.[3]
  • More insurers are shifting to telematics-based pricing (using driving data such as speed, braking, and mileage), which provides a more individualized assessment of risk.

This shift means that marital status may become less significant in determining car insurance rates in the future.

Tips for Married Couples Shopping for Car Insurance

If you’re getting married or recently married, consider these steps to keep your car insurance premiums as low as possible:

Compare Rates

Shop around to see how different insurers weigh marital status and other rating factors.

Multi-Car Discounts

Combining policies can save money if both drivers have clean records.

Review Driving Records

If one spouse has a significantly higher risk profile, it may be worth exploring whether separate policies are cheaper.

Telematics

Many insurers offer usage-based insurance that rewards safe driving habits regardless of marital status.

Bundle

Combining car insurance with homeowners or renters insurance often yields discounts that offset any increases

Wrapping Up

While marriage has historically been associated with lower car insurance rates, it’s not a guarantee. In some cases, merging policies or changes in household circumstances can increase premiums. As the industry moves toward data-driven and behavior-based pricing, marital status is becoming less influential.

For now, the key for married couples is to shop carefully, compare policies, and focus on the factors they can control—like driving habits and coverage choices.

Methodology

In September of 2025, The Zebra conducted a comprehensive auto insurance pricing analysis using its proprietary quote engine, comprising data from insurance rating platforms and public rate filings. The Zebra examined more than 83 million rates to explore pricing trends across 34,500 U.S. ZIP codes and Washington, D.C. 

Analysis used a consistent base profile for the insured driver: a 30-year-old single male driving a 2017 Honda Accord EX with a good driving history and coverage limits of $50,000 bodily injury liability per person/$100,000 bodily injury liability per accident/$50,000 property damage liability per accident, with a $500 deductible for comprehensive and collision. This was then compared to a profile with the marital status changed from single to married, divorced and widowed. 

Finally, some rate data may vary slightly throughout this report based on rounding.

Sources

  1. Montana law allowing marriage, sex to factor into insurance rates challenged. [KTVH]

  2. Consumer Advocates Urge Court to End Marital-Status Discrimination in Auto Insurance. [Consumer Watchdog]

  3. Proposition 103: Consumer Invervenor Process. [California Department of Insurance]