What Color Cars Are More Expensive to Insure

October 29, 2024

Auto Insurance

What Color Cars Are More Expensive to Insure?

When it comes to car insurance, many U.S. driver wonder what factors affect their premiums. One common question is what color cars are more expensive to insure. Contrary to popular belief, the color of your car doesn’t directly impact insurance rates. Instead, factors such as your driving history, the car’s make and model, and coverage type play a bigger role. In this article, we’ll discuss everything related to car color and auto insurance costs. 

Don’t feel like reading a long article? Here’s a TL; DR: 

  • Car color does not directly affect your insurance premiums. It’s a myth. Insurance companies focus more on factors like driving history, car model, and coverage type.
  • However, custom paint jobs can impact insurance costs. If your car has expensive or unique paint jobs, it may require coverage due to the higher replacement or repair costs.
  • Contrary to popular belief, red cars do not cost more to insure. As we have stated, insurance rates are based on risk factors like accident history, not the car’s color.
  • The prime factors that directly affect your car insurance include your driving record, the car’s make and model, the type of coverage you choose, and where you live.

Does Car Color Affect Insurance or Is It Just a Myth? 

Car color does not affect your insurance rate – this is mostly a myth. Insurance companies do not consider the color of your car when determining premiums. Instead, they focus on factors like your driving history, the make and model of the car, and how expensive it is to repair. So, if you’re thinking of getting the most coverage for your favorite color car, don’t hesitate. Because whether you choose a red, black, or white car, the color itself won’t make a difference in your insurance costs. 

However, if you have a custom paint job, that could impact your rate indirectly because repairs or replacements would be more expensive. Ultimately, things like your driving record, the type of coverage, and coverage limits are what really matter for car insurance rates, not the color. 

How Does Car Color Might Affect Insurance Rate? 

Although car color doesn’t directly affect insurance rates, it can have some indirect effects. For example, brighter colors like red or yellow might draw more attention. Because human eyes are more sensitive to bright colors and thus, it may increase the chance of theft or vandalism. So, if you’re purchasing full coverage car insurance that typically includes both comprehensive and collision coverage, you might assume bright colors might lead to costly insurance premiums. But this lacks any conclusive evidence. 

However, the color isn’t the only factor why some cars get stolen more often than others. Specific car models like the Hyundai Elantra and Hyundai Sonata rank top and account for 48,445 and 42,813 theft cases, according to the Insurance Information Institute. 

Car insurers don’t use color as a pricing factor, but data shows that certain colors could involve in more accidents due to visibility or driver behavior. Studies have shown that black cars are more prone to accidents, with data suggesting they are 12-16% more likely to be involved in Collisions than lighter-colored vehicles. The reason often cited is lower visibility, especially during nighttime or poor weather conditions. 

Conversely, white and lighter colors are typically safer due to better visibility. Monash University found black cars had a higher crash risk, while other research from New Zealand noted no significant difference once adjusting for other factors like driver demographics. 

To conclude, while color isn’t a direct cost factor, it can influence how visible your car is or its appeal to thieves. But insurance companies do care about the value and safety of your car, and these are two of the most important things they use to set rates. So, it's not completely wrong to say that the color of your car may indirectly affect your insurance price, or it just might get you into an accident, and after that your auto insurance rate will go up

How Do Custom Paint Jobs Impact Your Auto Insurance Cost?

Custom paint jobs can definitely impact your car insurance. If you add unique designs or expensive finishes, it increases your car’s value and repair costs. Insurance companies consider these factors because a custom-painted car might need special care or materials if damaged in an accident. You should inform your insurer about any custom work so they can adjust your coverage to protect your investment. If not disclosed, you may not get the full value of your custom job covered. So, while bright red paint won’t raise your rates, a custom glossy or multi-color finish likely will. 

What Color Cars Are More Expensive to Insure? 

As we stated so far, the color of your car doesn’t affect your insurance rate. So, you do not have to worry about it. While many people believe that red cars, in particular, cost more to insure, this is a myth. But some specific colors as we said might indirectly affect insurance prices or lead to a higher number of insurance claims. For example, cars with bright colors may be more likely to be stolen than cars with less bright colors. Also, cars that are black or gray might be more likely to crash than cars of other colors.  

Like, at dawn or dusk, the following color cars are more likely to be in an accident:

  • Black (47%)
  • Gray (25%)
  • Silver (15%)

However, though color might play a key role in increasing the chance of accidents and thefts, it’s still not and never was the pricing factor for the insurers. 

Do Red Cars Cost More to Insure? 

The belief that red cars cost more to insure is a persistent myth, but research and industry experts have debunked this claim. They said it doesn’t matter what color cars you drive when it comes to insurance premiums. Insurers don’t even ask for the color of a car when setting rates. 

InsuranceQuotes.com did a survey of 1,000 adults ages 18 to 29 and found that more than 44% of those people thought that driving a bright red car affected their insurance premiums. 

There are a few reasons behind this belief. First of all, some anecdotal evidence suggests that red cars get pulled over or receive more tickets. However, this isn’t entirely true! Studies show that red cars do not top the list of vehicles most frequently pulled over or ticketed. For instance, a report by the National Motorists Association found that white cars are actually pulled over more often, followed by red, gray, and silver vehicles. However, this trend could be attributed to the sheer number of white cars on the road which makes them more visible to law enforcement. Also, the model of the car and driving behavior also play significant roles in being pulled over or ticketed. 

Besides, red cars are commonly associated with sports models and faster driving, which might make them subject to closer scrutiny in some cases, color alone doesn’t significantly impact the likelihood of getting a ticket. What really matters is adhering to traffic laws, the make and model of the car, and driving habits. 

Here's a TL; DR on why a red car is thought to be expensive to insure: 
 

  • Red is often associated with fast and sporty cars, which could lead people to believe that red cars are involved in more speeding and accidents, thus assumed to have higher insurance.
  • There is a common belief that red cars attract aggressive driving behaviors, possibly due to their bright and bold appearance. This assumption makes people think insurers charge more.
  • The visibility of a red car may lead to a perception that it stands out to law enforcement and could be pulled over more frequently.
  • Over time, media and cultural narratives have strengthened our belief that red cars are symbols of speed and risk.

What Factors Directly Affect the Insurance Rate? 

When it comes to car insurance, the cost is influenced by a variety of factors beyond just the car’s color. These factors help insurers determine the likelihood of an accident or claim. Below is a list of key factors that impact insurance rates: 

  • Driver’s Age and Experience: Younger and inexperienced drivers are seen as higher risks. Insurers often charge higher rates for teens and new drivers since they are statistically more prone to accidents.
  • Driving History and Records: A clean driving record can lead to lower premiums, while traffic violations, accidents, or DUIs can significantly increase your rates. Insurers assess your past behavior to predict future risks.
  • Vehicle Make and Model: The type of car you drive plays a major role. High-end vehicles, sports cars, or models with higher repair costs tend to have higher premiums. Cars with good safety ratings may qualify for discounts.
  • Location and Zip Code: Your location matters. Urban areas with higher traffic, theft, and accident rates often come with higher premiums. Rural locations typically have lower insurance costs due to reduced risk.
  • Coverage and Deductibles: The level of coverage you choose also affects your premiums. Opting for comprehensive coverage with low deductibles increases costs, while liability-only coverage may lower your expenses.

What Should You Look for When Shopping for Car Insurance? 

When shopping for car insurance, you should find the right balance between coverage, affordability, and protection for you and your vehicle. Here’s what to look for: 

  1. Make sure you understand the different types of coverage, like liability, collision, and comprehensive.
  2. Get quotes from multiple insurers to find the most affordable insurance agency.
  3. Many insurers offer discounts for safe driving, multiple policies, or anti-theft devices. Also, look for discounts you qualify for to lower your premiums.
  4. Research customer reviews to find an insurer known for helpful support and smooth claim handling.
  5. Choose a company with solid financial ratings that ensure it can handle claims, especially during prevalent incidents.

The Bottom Line 

When it comes to car insurance rates, the color of your doesn’t directly impact costs. Despite popular belief, insurers don’t charge more for red cars or any other specific colors. What really matters are factors like the car’s make and model, repair costs, theft rates, and safety features. Bright colors like red or black might cost more to buy initially due to popularity, but color alone won’t raise your insurance rates. It’s best to focus on coverage options and discounts to save money. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Colors of Cars Are Cheaper to Insure? 

Car color doesn’t directly affect insurance rates, but brighter and less popular colors like beige, green, and orange may have slightly lower rates. These colors are less likely to be stolen and often have a lower resale value which might lead to cheaper insurance premiums than more popular colors like black and white. However, this isn’t certain that you will face lower rates based on the color of your car because it’s not the pricing factor for auto insurance companies. 

What Is the Safest Color Car to Drive?

White is considered the safest car color due to its high visibility in both daytime and nighttime conditions. Yellow and silver are safe choices too, as they stand out in various lighting situations. On the other hand, darker colors like black, dark blue, and green are harder to spot at night which makes them riskier in terms of accidents. 

Which Color Car Has the Most Accidents? 

White is typically the car color with the most options across manufacturers. It remains the most popular color choice globally. That’s why leading automakers produce a wide range of vehicles in various shades of white. The versatility of this color and resale value make it a favorite for many buyers and manufacturers. 

Does Insurance Cost More for Black Cars? 

No, insurance usually does not cost more for black cars. Major insurers do not consider car color when calculating premiums. Instead, they focus on factors like the vehicle’s make, model, registration date, age, engine size (cubic capacity), and additional coverage options. Besides, Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) do not provide color information, so insurers don’t know your car’s color. The idea that black color or any other color impacts insurance costs depends on various technical and risk factors, not cosmetic details like car color.

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