Men are more likely to default on credit obligations including credit card repayments, and have a higher rate of bankruptcy than women, a study has found.
The research, over a five-year period, also shows women make fewer credit applications than men.
The credit reference company Veda Advantage found men accounted for 62 per cent of all defaults on personal loans and overdrafts.
Men also accounted for 56 per cent of all mortgage defaults and 54 per cent of the 16,000 bankruptcy cases reviewed by Veda.
The most common ages for bankruptcy were between 28 and 37.
"This study indicates women appear to be more reliable payers than men," one of Veda's general managers, Erica Hughes, said in a statement.
"Although it's important to note that across the five-year period women applied for less credit."
Men accounted for 71 per cent of individual commercial inquiries and 56 per cent of credit card, overdraft and personal loan inquiries.
Young people, between the ages of 18 and 30, accounted for the greatest percentage of overall credit applications and eventual defaults.
During the study period, they made 35.8 per cent of all inquiries and registered 44.8 per cent of all defaults.
Young men had slightly higher credit application and default levels than young women.
