March 27--Being female, married and older will likely mean cheaper rates for car insurance, according to a report released Thursday.
A 20-year-old man pays 22 percent more than a 20-year-old woman for the same coverage, says InsuranceQuotes.com, an insurance shopping website.
Also, a married 20-year-old pays 21 percent less than a single 20-year-old for the same policy.
Car insurance costs also drop every year until age 60, with the sharpest drop -- 41 percent -- between the ages of 20 and 25.
The penalty for being a senior citizen isn't as steep as it is for being a younger driver.
People who are age 75 pay 17 percent more than a 60-year-old. And that 75-year-old still pays 43 percent less than a 20-year-old.
InsuranceQuotes.com is a unit of Bankrate.com. It commissioned Quadrant Information Services to measure the affects of gender, age and marital status on car insurance premiums from the carriers accounting for more than 60 percent of the market in each state and in Washington, D.C.
Assumptions include that the driver is employed, drives a 2012 sedan, and has a bachelor's degree, clean driving record, excellent credit score and no lapse in coverage.
byerak@tribpub.com
