Your age and gender can affect how much you pay for car insurance. Young drivers, in particular, face high rates because they have less experience and an increased risk of distracted driving and auto accidents. The combination of age and gender influences costs, too. For example, male teenagers typically face higher rates than female teenagers.
Here’s what you need to know about insurance costs by age and gender.
Teenagers pay the highest car insurance rates by driver age.
Insurance costs often increase for drivers with past accidents.
Your driving record, location, credit-based insurance score, and vehicle type also affect premiums.1
Your age has a big effect on what you pay for car insurance. Teenagers pay the most, with an average monthly cost of $369 for full coverage. Younger drivers get into more accidents than middle-aged and senior drivers, based on data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).2
Prices decrease as you get older, and drivers in their 60s pay the least — around $155 per month for full coverage. But once you reach your 70s, rates start to go back up.
See how age affects full-coverage car insurance costs in the U.S. below.
Men pay higher rates than women, on average. According to the IIHS, men tend to drive more miles on the road and engage in riskier behaviors like speeding and not wearing seat belts.3 Teen drivers have the largest gap in cost by gender. The average monthly premium for a male teenage driver is $89 more than that for their female counterparts.
Though the categories of male and female don’t represent all gender identities, keep in mind that most auto insurance companies only differentiate between men and women when setting prices.
The table below shows how full-coverage premiums vary by age and gender.
Age directly relates to driving experience and accident risk. Car insurance for young drivers, especially teens, costs more due to a lack of experience behind the wheel. Teens are more prone to distractions and speeding, and they have more fatal car accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).4
As you get older, your driving skills improve and the risk of accidents decreases, leading to a drop in prices. But insurance premiums can start to climb again once you reach age 70. The fatal crash rate of older drivers is higher than middle-aged drivers, making insurance companies consider them high-risk drivers and charge them more for coverage.
Consider the table below to see how much car insurance costs on average for 18- and 19-year-olds. As you can see, these teens pay some of the highest rates for coverage. Teenage drivers pay $350 per month, on average, for full-coverage car insurance.
Car insurance companies charge high rates for new drivers for a reason. These young adults lack driving skills, making them more likely to get into car crashes and file claims. Teens between the ages of 16 and 19 have higher accident rates than any other age range.5
You can earn car insurance discounts for having good grades or taking a driver’s education or defensive driving class. You should also try to join your parents’ policy since it’s usually cheaper than buying your own car insurance policy. Be sure to shop around and compare a wide range of offers to get the best rates.
Middle-aged drivers typically enjoy lower car insurance rates, with the average cost of car insurance being $187 per month for a full-coverage policy. Car insurers charge less because they see middle-aged motorists as more experienced and less likely to get into accidents or file insurance claims.
Check out the table below to see how much you might pay for coverage in middle age.
As drivers enter their golden years, car insurance costs creep back up. Seniors generally pay about $156 per month for full coverage. While it’s still less than what teens pay, it’s higher than the average rate for middle-aged drivers.
The data in the table here shows how average premiums change for seniors.
Age and gender are significant factors in car insurance costs, but insurers also consider other factors. Here are some other things that can affect how much you pay for insurance coverage.
Knowing how age affects rates for auto coverage and other insurance products is important. The following information can help answer your remaining questions.
Men sometimes pay higher car insurance rates because of statistics that indicate higher crash fatality rates and a greater likelihood to engage in risky driving behavior. In most cases, rates level out by gender as people age, but auto insurers view male teens as particularly risky drivers to insure.
To find the best car insurance for your age and gender, compare quotes from multiple insurance companies. It’s a good idea to look at savings like good student discounts for younger drivers or low-mileage discounts for seniors who don’t drive much.
Typically, yes. Car insurance usually gets cheaper as you reach your 40s because insurers see you as a safe driver with more experience.
Generally, drivers in their 50s and 60s pay the lowest rates for car insurance. They have many years of driving experience, making them less risky behind the wheel.
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3+ years writing about auto, home, and life insurance
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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
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Ph.D. in Computational Biology
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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Featured in
30+ years in financial services
Clinical Professor of Finance, University of San Diego
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
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