Women: should you ditch and switch your car cover? It doesn't help that many are giving out contradictory messages. While Aviva admitted that many younger women could benefit from switching now, Direct Line is advising customers "not to panic" as most won't be affected. Its advice is "to wait for a renewal quote and contact their insurer then if they have any concerns." The only steer being given is from the Association of British Insurers, which has said younger female drivers can expect to see premiums increase by about 25pc as a result of the EU ruling. But it added that this "typical" increase would mask considerable variation, with other "risk factors," such as where you live and the type of car you drive, determining exactly how much more you'll pay. A 25pc increase could add almost £500 to average car insurance costs. According to the AA, the typical cost of car cover for women aged 17-22 is £2,125 (compared with more than £3,000 for men in this age bracket), while women aged 23-29 pay around £1,200 (men pay £1,840). The difference narrows as motorists reach their thirties and by the time they are in their forties both men and women pay around £700 for annual cover. While the change may mean significantly higher premiums for women, it should bring down the cost for male drivers, although not by the same margin. However, given that it is a legal requirement for drivers to have insurance, men whose policies are due for renewal before the deadline can't delay purchase to take advantage of the rule change, as this could lead to gaps in cover. So why aren't insurers giving clearer information? Leading brands such as Direct Line, Aviva, Churchill, Sheilas' Wheels and the AA said they could not give existing customers an indication of likely rises because of "competition issues." Any attempt to signal future pricing could lead to accusations of price fixing. But this hasn't stopped annuity providers and some life insurers, which are also affected by the EU rule, disclosing their pricing plans. Some have suggested that this reluctance may also be about preserving a competitive advantage over rival firms. Ian Crowder of AA Insurance said: "No one wants to be the first to put their heads above the parapet and reveal their pricing strategy." This could enable others to reprice their own insurance to steal market share. He said few insurers would set their gender-neutral price exactly midway between current male and female rates; it was likely to be closer to the rate currently paid by males, because they don't want their prices to look too appealing to boy racers and see their cost of claims escalate. "However, they won't want to price themselves out of the market completely, which is why they are all keeping their cards close to their chest," Mr Crowder added. Car insurance premiums have risen significantly in recent years, and there are concerns that providers will use the gender directive as an opportunity to sneak in additional increases. Kevin Pratt of Moneysupermarket.com said insurers should be far more open about potential price rises as this would allow consumers to budget accordingly or switch where necessary. Everyone knows price rises are coming. After December 21, insurers will be able to see how rivals are pricing, so why not be upfront with this information now? As he said, some young women are going to get a nasty shock with huge premium increases from December. Similarly, we may see some older women switching now but ending up worse off as a result if they lose their no-claims bonus. If insurers were more upfront about changes, this would be less likely to happen. Tomas Barrett of GoCompare.com added: "With potentially significant increases looming, it would be helpful for consumers if they knew what to expect after December 21. No one is quite sure how insurers will react. Insurers have reported an increase in inquiries about this issue from their customers. A spokesman for Sheilas' Wheels, which insures more than half a million women drivers, said: "It's a small increase at present, more of a trickle, but we are expecting more of a flood as the deadline approaches." Sheilas' Wheels is the only insurer to at least announce when it will be moving to gender-neutral pricing. It will be from December 18 for new customers, with renewals sent out to existing customers priced on this basis from November 18. Other insurers remain tight-lipped about when such changes will be implemented. Aviva would confirm only that for new customers changes would be "in early December." It said it was unlikely to announce the date of any switchover in advance. One possible way to sidestep these rules is to get a quote now which is "guaranteed" for 90 days. Insurers such as Direct Line are saying that, provided the customer "commits" to buying the policy, it will honour the quote even if the policy starts after December 21. But other insurers have questioned whether a quote that has been calculated using the driver's sex will be valid after this date. Sheilas' Wheels, for example, is gradually reducing its 30-day "guaranteed quote" period, so a price quoted before December 18, when the insurer moves to gender-neutral pricing, won't be valid after December 21. For many younger drivers, the best option after December 21 will be installing a "black box" in their cars which will ensure that their insurance premium is based on their individual driving habits. This should benefit the majority of women - who, statistically, are safer drivers - but it should also benefit young men who drive sensibly, avoid night driving and don't exceed speed limits. Until now these drivers have paid shockingly high premiums just because others of their age are not so careful.