A survey of car insurance prices among the seven leading companies in the Irish market has revealed that the market for women drivers is the most competitive, with prices lower than men in all categories.
"It seems that all the insurers are aggressively after the female business," according to the AA, which commissioned the survey. "So shopping around can secure very good value at the moment."
The survey, released yesterday, compares the cost of comprehensive motor insurance for male and female drivers in different age categories between 28 and 56. Since the AA is itself a significant provider of motor insurance, the survey was commissioned from an independent source, Covanberg Consultants, on its behalf. The seven companies are AA Insurance, First Call Direct, Guardian, One Direct, PMPA, Premier Direct and Quinn Direct.
The survey gives an overview of scheduled tariffs from each of the seven companies for comprehensive cover for a Dublin-based driver of a 1999 1242cc Fiat Punto. The imagined driver has a sedentary occupation, a full licence, clear record and maximum no-claims discount.
Quinn Direct, at £744 and Premier Direct, at £609 for a male aged 28, top the tariff poll. At £417, the AA itself provides the best value in this age group on cost grounds and on the basis of particular cover options listed. The Quinn tariff for a 28-year-old female, at £420, contrasts sharply with its rate for a male of the same age.
Guardian offers the lowest price for a 28-year-old female, at £354; for a woman aged 56, Guardian charges £288. For PMPA, part of the same group, male and female drivers pay the same tariff, £332.
Cost trends in middle-age groupings, say 34 to 45, vary considerably, so it would be advisable to shop around for the best deals. Women, as usual, are at an advantage, though the cost gap is less pronounced than at the lower and upper age categories.