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Auto Insurance for Same-Sex Couples (How to Save)

Things to Remember

  • Auto insurance companies don’t discriminate based on sexual orientation, but they do use 11 other factors to determine your rates
  • Even though same-sex married couples have the same rights as other married couples on a federal level, state auto insurance laws can still discriminate based on gender, marital status, and other factors
  • At the state level, a total of seven states have banned gender-based rates, three states have banned credit history based rates, and 21 states have banned basing rates on other socio-economic factors
  • Bill S.4755 – Prohibit Auto Insurance Discrimination Act is currently in review by the senate. If passed, it will prohibit auto insurance companies from determining rates based on anything but driving record
  • A company’s public support of the LGBTQ+ community often holds stronger than getting the best price; those companies include Allstate, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, Progressive, and State Farm

Auto insurance for same-sex couples is no different than auto insurance for heterosexual couples — the issue comes into play when you look at the legal status of the relationship as well as what state you live in.

In 2015, Congress granted same-sex couples the same legal rights as any married couple, but same-sex couples don’t always choose to get married just because it became legal. These marital rights were granted on a federal level; however, auto insurance laws are handled at the state level.

Read our guide to car insurance for same-sex couples to find all of the state-level legalities, the best auto insurance companies for same-sex couples, and possible rates and discounts based on each company. Enter your ZIP code above to get free quotes from auto insurance companies that support the LGBTQ+ community.

Table of Contents

What is auto insurance for same-sex couples?

Ultimately, auto insurance companies are more concerned about other factors besides sexual orientation. Some states recognize domestic partnerships and others even allow roommates to share a policy. The main factors upon which your rates are based are (depending on the state):

  1. Where you live
  2. Age
  3. Driving record
  4. Your vehicle
  5. Commute distance
  6. Gender
  7. Marital status
  8. Credit history
  9. Homeownership
  10. Occupation
  11. Level of education

Items 1 through 5 are legitimate: state laws largely determine rates, your age is a reflection of how much driving experience you have, and your driving record will attest to your documented level of risk.

Also, if you drive more, then your chances of being in an accident or getting a ticket increase, and comprehensive and collision rates are always based on the value of the car you choose to drive.

However, items 6 through 8 have been largely debated as discriminatory factors, and each state takes a different stance on them.

Some states have outlawed one, two, or all three; some states have advanced towards more equitable methods (California, for example); some states have proposed bills in review; other states are far from considering these as discriminatory factors.

Items 9 through 11 are just assumptions auto insurance companies make, and we don’t have any data that proves otherwise.

Generally, factors such as gender, marital status, credit history, homeownership, occupation, and level of education are, supposedly, based on statistics and attest to how much of a responsible person you are.

The more signs of responsibility, the less likely you are to file a claim and cause an auto insurance company to lose money.

What are the auto insurance laws for same-sex couples?

We don’t have data on all 11 factors auto insurance companies use to determine rates, whether discriminatory or equitable.

We do have rate data based on gender, marital status, and credit history, regardless of state laws. We don’t know which states have bills proposed or the level of advocacy at a legislative or grass-roots level.

To find out if your state is on this track, and maybe become part of the movement, contact your state’s department of insurance. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) provides contact information for each state.

The good news is that bill S.4755 – Prohibit Auto Insurance Discrimination Act was submitted by the house on September 29, 2020, by Sen. Cory A. Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey.

The bill’s status as of February 3, 2021, is that it has been read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

The bill, if passed, prohibits an auto insurance company from considering specified factors when determining rates or eligibility. These prohibited factors include:

  • gender
  • employment status
  • zip code
  • census tract
  • marital status
  • credit score

Until this federal bill is passed, the following states are an exception to these discriminatory assumptions.

These states have laws prohibiting auto insurance discrimination based on race, gender, and other socio-economic status factors, ruling that “price optimization” is a violation of state law:

  1. California (gender, credit score)
  2. Colorado
  3. Connecticut
  4. Delaware
  5. District of Columbia
  6. Florida
  7. Hawaii (gender, credit score)
  8. Indiana
  9. Maine
  10. Maryland
  11. Massachusetts (gender, credit score)
  12. Michigan (gender)
  13. Missouri
  14. Montana (gender)
  15. North Carolina (gender)
  16. Ohio
  17. Pennsylvania (gender)
  18. Rhode Island
  19. Vermont
  20. Virginia
  21. Washington

Car insurance for gay couples will often be higher if your state bases auto insurance rates on the standard factors because men are typically charged higher insurance rates than women. On the other hand, car insurance for lesbian couples will often be lower.

A number of states are now offering a third gender option on documents such as driver’s licenses and birth certificates. Check LGBTmap.org for more details.

State laws are always changing. Make sure you check out your state’s auto insurance guide for more precise details and to find out which states have the cheapest auto insurance rates.

What auto insurance companies support the LGBTQ+ community?

There’s an unspoken rule among the community: a company’s credibility with the LGBTQ+ community often holds stronger than getting the best price. You’ve likely at least seen these auto insurance companies at Pride festivals:

  • Allstate
  • Liberty Mutual
  • Nationwide
  • Progressive
  • State Farm

With that said, we highlight auto insurance discounts and rates for the above five auto insurance companies that publicly show their support of the LGBTQ+ community.

This isn’t to say other auto insurance companies aren’t supportive; however, these five companies have a strong track record of showing their support.

Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates for Same-Sex Couples by Gender and Marital Status
Marital Status, Gender, and AgeAllstate Average Annual RatesLiberty Mutual Average Annual RatesNationwide Average Annual RatesProgressive Average Annual RatesState Farm Average Annual Rates
Single Females Under 25$9,282$11,621$5,756$8,690$5,954
Single Males Under 25$10,643$13,719$7,175$9,625$7,324
Unmarried Female Couple Age 25 to 34$6,850$7,919$5,373$5,395$4,672
Unmarried Male Couple Age 25 to 34$7,142$9,006$5,778$5,517$5,109
Married Female Couple Age 35 to 59$6,312$7,606$4,721$4,594$4,163
Married Male Couple Age 35 to 59$6,246$7,714$4,775$4,351$4,163
Married Female Couple 60 and Older$5,827$6,890$4,261$3,983$3,748
Married Male Couple 60 and Older$5,981$7,361$4,429$4,097$3,748
Compare RatesStart Now →

The data above is calculated by doubling the rate for the same gender and age. These figures don’t take into account applied discounts such as having multiple cars or multiple policies.

Discounts from the Best Auto Insurance Companies for Same-Sex Couples
DiscountsAllstate Discounts (Percentage)Liberty Mutual Discounts (Percentage)Nationwide Discounts (Percentage)Progressive Discounts (Percentage)State Farm Discounts (Percentage)
Anti-lock Brakes1055N/A5
Anti-Theft102025N/A15
Claim Free35N/A10N/A15
Daytime Running Lights255N/AN/A
Defensive Driver10105105
Driver's Ed1010N/A1015
Driving Device/App2030402050
Good Student2022.510N/A25
Multiple Policies1020101217
Multiple VehiclesN/A10201020
Paperless Documents10N/A5$50N/A
Paperless/Auto Billing5N/A$30N/A$2
Passive Restraint30N/A20N/A40
Safe Driver45N/A353115
Vehicle Recovery103525N/A5
Compare RatesStart Now →

In the table above, percent discounts from the five best auto insurance companies for same-sex couples are those discount types that are offered by at least three of the five companies.

Allstate was one of the first auto insurance companies to provide equal discounts in states that had already had legalized same-sex marriage, domestic partnerships, and civil unions. Allstate has been particularly supportive in its ad campaigns. One of their commercial slogans was “Being visible should never leave you feeling vulnerable.”

Liberty Mutual has sponsored Pride parades since 2012. Liberty Mutual is extremely participatory in law-making efforts to overturn the Defense of the Marriage Act and showed support for the Transgender Rights bill in Massachusetts. They have also been recognized by the Shorty Awards for their LGBTQ+ rights messages on social media platforms.

Nationwide is most supportive of the LGBTQ+ community through their employees. For 10 years running, they have earned a perfect score on their Corporate Equality Index. Employees participate in LGBTQ+ associate research groups. The company has also been very active with the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Progressive has also earned perfect Corporate Equality Index scores. They also offer healthcare benefits to their employees and their domestic partners as well as transgender employees. Progressive’s ad campaigns have featured LGBTQ+ couples and were recognized by the GLAAD Media Awards for their inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender images. Progressive has been featuring LGBTQ+ promotional materials since 2010.

State Farm was also one of the first auto insurance companies to provide equal discounts in states that had already had legalized same-sex marriage, domestic partnerships, and civil unions. They also offer LGBTQ+ programs and resources for their employees and the community-at-large.

Get free quotes from the five best auto insurance companies for same-sex couples and many other companies by entering your ZIP code below.

FAQ: Auto Insurance for Same-Sex Couples

#1 – When should I keep my auto insurance policy separate from my spouse?

If your spouse, domestic partner, or significant other has a bad driving record, has poor credit, or drives an expensive car, you should consider keeping your policies separate. However, some insurance companies will not allow dual policies for the same address.

#2 – When do I add my spouse to my auto insurance policy?

If you and your spouse, domestic partner, or significant other live together and share one vehicle, then you will enjoy extra savings by having to insure only one car and adding an additional driver to the policy.

References:

  1. https://content.naic.org/state_web_map.htm
  2. https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/4755/text
  3. https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/identity_document_laws/drivers_license

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