According to a comparison site’s research, male motorists pay £101 more a year for their car insurance than women.
Confused.com found that the average annual premium for men was £812 for comprehensive car insurance in the last quarter of 2016, whereas women’s was only £711. It added that the gap had widened since 2015.
UK law mandates that insurance firms not consider gender when considering setting premiums, however they are entitled to considering wider risks.
Amanda Stretton, from Confused.com, said that insurance firms were “becoming more astute” in weighing particular risks. She further explained that as men drive more miles in more expensive cars and are most often driving to work, their risk of accident or repair was automatically increased, and hence the premiums.
The director of general insurance policy at the Association of British Insurers, James Dalton, said: “Motor insurance remains a highly competitive market, with motorists shopping around for the best deals. But pressure is growing on premiums.
“Cold callers and ambulance-chasing lawyers are still finding ways to exploit the system, with government data suggesting a 5% increase in whiplash style claims. This is driving up costs for honest motorists.
“In addition, the government has doubled Insurance Premium Tax in just over a year, and repair bills are going up as cars get more sophisticated. So while insurers are doing all they can to control costs, these pressures show how important it is that the government’s latest proposals to tackle low value whiplash style claims are implemented fully and as quickly as possible, and that there is no rise in Insurance Premium Tax.”
