Average premiums for men have risen to £886 - £386 more than the average for women. And the gap is even wider for teenage males, with 18-year-old men paying £1,081 more for cover than females of the same age.Women get a better deal because insurance companies continue to regard them as safer and more mature when they’re behind the wheel.

Analysis of more than six million quotes supplied between June 2008 and June 2009 has revealed that men have to pay 71 per cent more for car insurance. But teenage males with a few years’ driving experience can expect premiums to drop from £2,318 to £1,004 when they reach the age of 20.

Men have historically had to pay higher motor premiums than women and this is reflected in the different prices insurers charge for male and female drivers. Many insurance companies view women as safer and more mature motorists and this is why their premiums are not only cheaper but also decrease with age at a much faster rate than those of men.

Likewise, younger drivers, especially males, will find themselves having to fork out for expensive motor insurance as they are perceived as a high risk category.