Getting Best Car Insurance For 22 Year Old Male / Female

There is nothing more liberating than being young and having a vehicle that can take you where you want to go. The only catch is that since you’ve only been driving a short time, you haven’t accumulated a lot of experience; as a result, your insurance premiums will be higher.

The average full coverage insurance premium for a 22-year-old is $4,304 a year.

However, just because you’re young doesn’t mean your premiums will be astronomical; there are ways to shrink your rates; read on to find out how!

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How Much Is Car Insurance For A 22 Year Old?

Even though a 22-year-old has more experience than a teenager, their rates are still higher than an adult. Inexperienced, also called “high risk drivers“, lead to rate increases because it means you are more likely to be involved in an accident. Gender also plays a role in determining car insurance rates as young men are more likely to get into an accident or receive a citation than female drivers of the same age. Further factors that go into deciding car insurance rates for a 22-year-old are:

Driving frequency: Do you drive often or occasionally?
Residency: Where you call home influences your rates.
Driving record: Is your record clean?
Marital status: Being married reduces rates.
Credit history: Depending on the state, poor credit results in higher rates.

Rates By Age

From 19 – 24 years old, you can expect to pay higher premiums; although, your rates decrease the closer you get to 25. As mentioned, this age bracket is high-risk because they are more likely to get into a car accident. However, consider your youth as a time to show your insurance company that you’re a good driver, as this will influence your future rates!

The national average for a 22-year-old’s insurance premiums stands at $4,128 per year, or $350 a month. The good news is that by 25, the average rate drops to $3,207 annually, so you can look forward to some savings in the upcoming years.

Rates By Gender

Teenagers and young adults up to 25 are high-risk drivers, while young men within this demographic are even more likely to get a driving citation or get into an accident. In fact, in states that allow insurance companies to base premiums on gender, women pay 7-9% less than men. To put the gender difference into perspective, the average rate by gender is:

Males: On average, pay $4,425 annually.
Females: The average annual cost is $4,183.

These states have disallowed insurers to use gender as a factor:

California
Hawaii
Massachusetts
Michigan (some areas)
Montana
North Carolina
Pennsylvania

Rates By State

Where you live also contributes to how much you’ll pay in car insurance as every state has different regulations. The cheapest state comes in at $1,751 annually (North Carolina), while the most expensive by a landslide is $12,538 annually (Michigan). As you can see, some states come in below the national average, while others more than double it; either way, check with your provider to find out what the average is in your state.

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How To Shrink Your Rates?

Just the same with any insurance product, before you sign with an insurance company, you should shop around so you can make the right decision for you.

Additionally, 22-year-olds can shrink their rates by:

Driving The Right Car: Without question, owning a new or high-performance car is tempting when you’re young, but it’s not a good idea if you want to save on car insurance. For more affordable rates, stick with an older model or low MSRP vehicles as they are cheaper to replace or repair.
Maintaining Good Grades: If you’re in school and maintain a B average or a GPA of 3.0+, you may be eligible for a good student discount. If this discount is available, you just need to send a copy of your transcript to your insurer to prove your good grades.
Taking A Defensive Driving Course: Some insurance companies will lower your premiums if you complete a professional or defensive driving course.
Living Away From Home Discounts: If your insurer offers this discount, you can shrink your rates if you’re a college student living more than 100 miles away from home and drive infrequently.
Good Driving: As mentioned, consider your youth a time to showcase your good driving habits as some insurers offer discounts for a longstanding clean driving record, i.e., no stunt driving or DUIs. Bear in mind; if you commit either of these offenses, your premiums could rise by 40%!
Telematics: To those willing to drive with an in-car system that monitors your driving habits, telematics could help convince your insurer to reduce your premiums.
Staying Insured With Your Parents: One of the most cost-effective options for a 22-year-old wanting to save money on insurance is to remain on your parent’s policy. Additionally, by staying on your parent’s policy, your folks will benefit from cost savings.

Getting Car Insurance When You’re 22

As a young adult, you have enough to worry about, so don’t let finding affordable car insurance stress you out, not when options are available to help reduce your rates.

Jessica Fox Jessica Fox has been a freelance writer for five years, with a specialty in health, wellness, and insurance. During this time, she’s written for some of the biggest B2B and B2C brands from around the world. Jessica is also the mother of two young daughters and loves coffee, writing, and working out.