Aussie drivers who identify as non-binary can save hundreds of dollars a year in car insurance, a young road user has discovered.
Radio 2GB host Ben Fordham was left stunned when a listener, also named Ben, 22, laid out the difference on Monday morning’s program.
He claimed his NRMA comprehensive car insurance quote dropped $800 annually when he selected the non-binary option instead of the male option, from $2,700 to $1,900.
‘I found the box on there and thought I’m just going to give it a tick and see what it comes out with, you know, it might be a bit of a joke,’ he said.
‘A joke is right, I was absolutely stunned at what I found.’
Fordham agreed, saying simply: ‘I can’t believe it.’
‘The best deal goes to the non-binary driver… just tick the non-binary box, because no-one is going to be able to disprove how you are identify, you’re going to get a better deal.’
All other specifications being equal, including the vehicle model, his age, and driving history, the quotes fluctuated dramatically based on gender identity alone.
Aussies were stunned by the findings, with many claiming they would simply claim to identify as non-binary come insurance time.
NRMA car insurance quote drops by $800 when driver selects non-binary instead of male
Fordham was stunned to find out a male could pay less for insurance by identifying as non-binary
‘No problem, I’m non binary too then,’ one man wrote on social media.
‘Well, I know what box I’ll be ticking,’ a woman added.
Daily Mail has confirmed the trend – finding the costs of a comprehensive policy for a 2016 Hyundai i30 was about $700 cheaper for a 25-year-old non-binary customer than a male – bringing the cost from $2354 per year to $1678.
The same policy for a female customer landed about $1970.
Meanwhile, Daily Mail confirmed Allianz comprehensive car insurance quotes are lower for non-binary customers than male customers.
However, unlike NRMA, the valuations appear to be identical between non-binary and female applicants.
Costlier car insurance policies for males have been justified on the basis that they are more likely to be involved in crashes, particularly for younger drivers.
Finance comparison site Mozo found men pay about 17 per cent more for car insurance, though the gap narrows with age.
Research published by the University of New South Wales in 2021 found male drivers in NSW are more likely to crash for up to 13 years of attaining their licence.
Research published by the University of New South Wales in 2021 found male drivers in NSW are more likely to crash for up to 13 years of attaining their licence.
Professor Rebecca Ivers, head of UNSW’s School of Population Health said there was a need for data that goes beyond traditional sex delineations.
‘Because current data is generally limited to binary notions of sex, there is a critical need for more nuanced research that investigates the gendered dimensions of mobility, transport and safety,’ she said at the time.
While the difference is clear for males and females, data on the impact of gender identity, as opposed to sex, is more difficult to find.
Other major insurers, including AAMI, GIO and QBE only have male and female options, without a specific box for non-binary applicants.
However, AAMI and GIO’s websites include notices inviting customers who do not identify as male or female to ‘select the gender you are most comfortable with’.
‘We’re reviewing our system as they currently only request Male and Female,’ both websites read.
‘Once you have a Quote or policy number handy, please give us a call so we can acknowledge your correct gender and ensure you are included in future system changes.’
Daily Mail has contacted NRMA and Allianz for comment.