California begins process to eliminate marital status-based auto insurance rates

Your auto insurance could be going down if you’re single, divorced or widowed.

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is moving to stop auto insurers from using marital status when setting rates.

“The price of your auto insurance should be based on how you drive, not whether you’re married,” said Lara. “For 30 years, insurers have been allowed to use marital status when setting rates. Today, we are taking action to end that outdated practice and reinforce a simple principle: insurance rates should be grounded in actual driving risk, not personal circumstances that have nothing to do with how someone behaves behind the wheel.”

The department previously argued unmarried drivers were more likely to be in crashes but now says other factors may better explain the difference.

The proposed change must still be reviewed, with a goal of eliminating marital status from rate-setting by July of next year.