You’ve probably heard the old wives’ tale that “red cars cost more to insure.”
Is it actually true, though? When pricing out insurance, do you need to consider what color your car is?
Does color affect insurance rates?
No. At least not directly.
Age, driving history, location, and distance driven are all factors that can affect your rates. Color isn’t something an insurance company takes into account.
Your insurance agency probably doesn’t even know what color your car is. When you insure a car, they’ll ask for the VIN or Vehicle Identification Number. This number has all the model information about your car but doesn’t include the color.
While color won’t affect your insurance policy, you may have some indirect effects. Some colors of cars are less likely to be stolen. Data is inconclusive and noisy, but red isn’t one of the most stolen colors. Bright colors stand out—stealing cars is much harder when the car is painted arrest-me red.
Custom paint jobs might add a little bit to the rates, as custom parts and equipment can be more expensive to replace. The color itself doesn’t matter.
What affects your insurance?
If color doesn’t affect insurance, what does? Here are things insurance companies consider:
- Who is driving
- Where you live
- Where the car is most of the time
- Age
- Marital status
- Gender
- Driving history
- Deductible
- Make and model year
Color isn’t on that list. So go ahead and get that bright yellow or fluorescent orange vehicle if you want to; don’t stress about it. Control for the factors you can, like how you drive or what type of car you buy. Higher replacement costs mean higher insurance, as does a previous history with tickets or accidents. Worry about those, not car color.
Choosing the right policy
You need to find a policy that fits your life and what you can pay. We’re here to help. MVP Insurance can match you with the right insurance for you. Contact us today and find out what we can do for you.