Average car insurance rates vary widely depending on the age of the driver. When all other factors are the same or equal, older, more experienced drivers pay lower premiums than younger drivers. In order to better illustrate how age affects car insurance rates, here is a sampling of rates collected from CarInsurance.com for a 2004 Honda Civic LX. For the purposes of this comparison, the vehicle has been paid off (no loan) and has a manual transmission. The owner is male and drives the vehicle an average of 40 miles per day.
Coverage for our comparison includes a full comprehensive and collision policy that includes standard coverage limits in most states.
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Policy Coverage Limits
- Bodily Injury Liability Coverage: $100,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
- Property Damage Liability Coverage: $50,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
- Medical Payments Coverage: $10,000 per person, no accident cap
- Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage: $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Uninsured Property Damage Coverage: $50,000 per accident
Deductible Amounts
- Uninsured Motorist Deductible: $500
- Comprehensive Deductible: $250
- Collision Deductible: $250
The sample policy also includes coverage for towing and standard rental-car coverage. As for the driver, he has no tickets or infractions in 5 previous years and has an average credit score.
Drivers Aged 24 Years and Younger Averages
For drivers under the age of 24, rates for this automobile on a 6-month policy are as follows:
- Travelers Insurance: $1,948
- Direct Insurance: $1,954
- Esurance: $2,339
- Safeco Insurance: $2,921
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Drivers Age 25 to 29
For drivers age 25 to 29, the average rates for the same 6-month coverage and with the same vehicle are:
- Travelers Insurance: $649
- Direct Insurance: $1,117
- Esurance: $1,200
- Safeco Insurance: $1,485
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Drivers Age 30 to 39
For drivers age 30 to 39, the average rates for the same 6-month coverage and the same vehicle are:
- Travelers Insurance: $566
- Direct Insurance: $1,003
- Esurance: $1,147
- Safeco Insurance: $1,249
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Drivers Age 40 to 49
For drivers age 40 to 49, the average rates for the same 6-month coverage and the same vehicle are:
- Travelers Insurance: $536
- Direct Insurance: $943
- Esurance: $1,082
- Safeco Insurance: $1,188
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Drivers Age 50 to 59
- Travelers Insurance: $480
- Direct Insurance: $868
- Esurance: $1,032
- Safeco Insurance: $1,058
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Senior Citizen Policy Considerations
When drivers reach the age of 60, pricing for car insurance starts to make less sense. Some companies reward our most experienced drivers with lower rates, while some choose to start charging senior citizens higher premiums. Here are the rates for the same coverage as above.
- Travelers Insurance: $529
- Direct Insurance: $838
- Esurance: $1,022
- Safeco Insurance: $1,053
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As you can see, Travelers Insurance charges about 10 percent more for seniors than it does for drivers in their 50s. The other three companies offer very minimal reductions in premium rates charged to senior citizens.
Women's Policies are Cheaper
All of the above price comparisons are for male drivers. Women drivers always enjoy slightly lower rates for the same coverage. This is because most major insurance carriers consider women safer drivers than men. Until age 55 or so, women usually enjoy a 10% rate reduction versus men. After age 55, the gap closes to only about a 5% cost difference.
Related Questions and Answers
Does Car Insurance for a Senior Citizen Automatically Go Down, or is it Only AARP Discounts?
Seniors often enjoy great car insurance discounts as long as they do their homework and maximize their opportunities. While AARP is the best-known car insurance discount for seniors, there are others available, like AAA, that offer discounts. Other opportunities include enrolling in and passing a defensive-driving course and maintaining a good driving record. Some seniors may also find they're spending less time on the road and this can make them eligible for a low-mileage discount. Deals for senior citizens vary by insurance company, so ask your insurance carrier about the discounts available for senior drivers.