Women in New Mexico Are Paying Too Much for Car Insurance
Jane Lu
· 3 min read
We know that the type of vehicle you own and your driving records have a huge impact on how much you pay for
car insurance
. But there are a lot of other factors that companies use to determine your rates
. What many of us don't realize is that gender also influences our insurance premiums. Women in
New Mexico
typically pay more than men for coverage, but it’s not just about the way people drive.
Why do women pay more for car insurance in New Mexico?
According to
New Mexico Political Report
, a study by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) found that some women pay more than men for car insurance in New Mexico. But it seems that credit score plays the biggest role in the rate differences.The study found that a female with a perfect driving record and poor credit pays, on average, $621.20 more annually than a male with the same driving record but better credit. This didn’t apply to drivers aged 16 to 25.
Michael DeLong, a research and advocacy associate for CFA, said that this disparity can come down to the fact that women make less money than men on average. As a result, they may rely more on credit cards and not be able to make big purchases like a home which could help improve their credit score.
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Are women riskier drivers?
This difference can’t just be explained away by the assumption that women are worse drivers. According to data collected by the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
(IIHS), men are far more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than women drivers. The IIHS reported that in 2019, 71% of all fatal
car collisions
involved men, while women were only involved in 29% of the accidents.Your credit history has a lot bigger impact on your insurance premiums than you might think. Some states are working to ban the use of credit scores to determine insurance rates, which can disproportionately impact lower-income groups.
How to lower your car insurance rates
MORE: Self-Driving Car Insurance May Be an Emerging Market
There are some things you can do to help lower your monthly insurance premium. If your state allows insurance companies to perform credit checks, it’s a good idea to try to improve your credit score. The better your overall credit rating is, the lower your car insurance.
If you’re shopping for a new vehicle, you might want to find one that’s equipped with better safety features. Newer cars with improved safety technology are far less likely to be involved in a fatal accident. This means a decreased risk of claims, which in turn makes insurance companies more likely to lower your premiums.
You can use the
Jerry
app to compare rates across 50 name-brand car insurance companies. Jerry makes it easier than ever to shop for affordable insurance. In under a minute, the app will gather the best quotes for the coverage you need.
