Female car insurance is priced according to the safety levels observed of women drivers, it has been claimed.

A gender-specific car insurance provider  explains that women are statistically safer.

This is due not only to the number of crashes they have, but also to the value of the resultant claims, a spokesperson notes.

Niki Bolton of Sheilas Wheels says: "Youre more likely to have the closer to home bumps and scrapes and lower value claims."

Men, she adds, more frequently crash on the motorway, at higher speeds where injuries and third-party involvement are more likely.

As a result of this, premiums for male car insurance may be elevated to a level not seen for their female counterparts.

However, whether searching for gender-neutral or specifically female car insurance, the advice on some points is the same.

Women and men alike should "shop around at renewal for their car insurance and not only look for a good price but also a quality product", Ms Bolton concludes.