It has long been contended that female drivers pay lower car insurance premiums than men. This has mainly been so because the accidents they are involved in costs insurance companies much less to put right. The type of road accidents involving men tend to involve speed and be more serious whereas accidents of women drivers are normally much less dramatic and at slower speeds. They tend to involve parking and "narrow streets", therefore resulting in a smaller claim.

Yet new research submitted to the Telegraph newspaper suggest that women drivers are overpaying up to £300 a year for motor insurance. The surprising finding came from a poll of nearly 19m female drivers in Britain and suggested that female-friendly car insurance providers might be so competitive and that female drivers should be broad minded when picking an insurance provider.

Although these female-friendly providers have long targeted female drivers, the new research suggests that now might be a good time to shop around for car insurance-especially given the recent rises in petrol prices. It seems that narrowing the search to a few providers simply because they provide extra incentives like handbag cover, is simply not worth it. Many of those who were in the poll commented that they would forego these perks if it meant they could get a quote that reflected the reduce risk a female driver poses to insurance companies. On a wider level, car insurance quotes from general providers confirm the standard trend-that car insurance for women is cheaper than for men.

The average quote for a 20-something woman was £320 over the past year – 16 per cent cheaper than for their male counterparts. In some cases, the degree to which female motorists are favoured over their male counterpart can be quite startling. For example, a seventeen year old male would find his policy quotes substantially more expensive than those received by his twin sister. In general, though, the difference in premiums between males and female drivers does decrease with age.

Data also shows a marked difference in car choice between male and female drivers, with women tending to opt for cars with modest engine sizes and a lower spec in total. The obvious benefit to the insurance company is that repair costs are cheaper, parts are easier to source and bodywork damage is less costly than it is with high performance cars. With men accountable for approximately 90% of all driving bans and convictions on Britain's roads, it was inevitable that someone would see the marketing potential in offering cheaper car insurance to the statistically safer woman driver.

Although they are designed for women, most insurance policies will usually take into account the need for a boyfriend or husband to drive the car occasionally, so with most female car insurance there will be an option to allow them as named drivers. Though, the understanding is that the woman shall always be the main driver of the vehicle, so any quotes obtained for women's car insurance will still reflect the reduced risk a female poses.