The cost of car insurance policies for young men, who have just passed his driving test, can be up to double that of a newly qualified female driver according to the insurance provider AA Insurance.

The premiums that male drivers have to pay have increased greatly over the years, while those of female divers have decreased. The gap between male and female drivers has been said to have increased by 59 per cent since 2003.

Simon Douglas explains. "Insurance premiums are based on claims experience and the unfortunate facts are that men aged below 21-years are 10 times more likely to have an accident than men aged 35 or more but young women are only five times more likely to have an accident than women aged 35 or over. The average car accident insurance claim for a young male driver is just under £4,500 compared to £2,700 for their female equivalent. For drivers aged over 30, the average cost is £1,400 for men and £1,200 for women."

He adds: "Regardless of gender, premiums quickly fall for drivers who remain accident blame-free and don't collect driving offences. After the first year, the premium falls by around 30 per cent and continues to fall over subsequent years provided their record is clean. In fact, a young person passing their test at 17 can expect the premium they pay to fall by up to 80 per cent by the time they reach age 21, assuming they are driving a similar vehicle and keep a clean driving record."