Do Red Cars Cost More to Insure?

It seems like red cars get a bad reputation. You can hear a lot of different myths about them. A particularly popular one would lead you to believe that red cars are more expensive to insure. If you ask around, a lot of people seem to think it’s true. But, let’s find out if the people that matter – those in the insurance industry – feel the same way.

No, red cars don’t cost more to insure. Insurance companies look at many factors when determining auto insurance premiums. An owner of a red car wouldn’t pay more for coverage just because the car is red.

While the make and model of your car are important, its color isn’t. Older cars might be cheaper to cover because they don’t need as much auto insurance. Highly customized or rare cars may cost more to insure since they would be more expensive to replace after an accident.

But, having a red car doesn’t translate into the calculation of your insurance premium. So, your car’s red color doesn’t directly result in more expensive car insurance.

While the color red isn’t factored into insurance rates by providers, there’s another common belief about red cars that could have some sort of impact on how much you pay. Red cars get pulled over a lot by police. 

According to CNET.com, red cars get pulled over the second-most out of any car on the road, behind only white cars. But, white is the most popular car color. So it’s likely that, if you took proportion into account, red cars may get pulled over most frequently.

There are a few theories why this could be. Perhaps red catches the eye more easily than other colors so police pick it out more often. Or, maybe it’s because red is a stimulating color that excites the brain.

No matter what the cause is, drivers in red cars get more tickets than drivers in other-colored cars, and tickets increase the cost of car insurance. Insurers tend to ask for higher premiums from people with recent speeding tickets. It depends on the severity of the ticket, but a carrier may believe your speeding ticket makes you more of a risk to cover, and they can raise your rate as a result.

For instance, a carrier could forgive you for getting a ticket for going 45 miles per hour when the speed limit was 35, but they may not be so happy if you got a ticket for going 100 in a 50.

Tickets for at-fault accidents can hike your rate, too. At-fault accidents result in claims, which costs your carrier money. When getting a quote, insurance companies ask you about any recent tickets or accidents you’ve been involved in, usually in the past three to five years. 

If you’ve caused an accident, you’re more likely to cause another than someone who never has caused an accident. This increases your likelihood of filing a claim. To offset this increased risk of a payout, insurers charge higher premiums to drivers with recent at-fault collisions. And, if you accumulate enough infractions on your driving record, you may only be eligible for high-risk car insurance.

No, the color of your car isn’t one of the factors that affect your premiums, hence why having a red car does not increase insurance rates. Insurers look at many factors to calculate auto insurance rates, but color isn’t one of them.

When you’re getting a car insurance quote online, most companies don’t even ask you what color the car is that you want covered. As far as identifying information about your vehicle goes, insurers usually require the make, model, and vehicle identification number (VIN).

The VIN is a series of unique numbers assigned by the manufacturer of a car that’s printed out on every vehicle they make. It denotes your specific car’s model, engine type, serial number, manufactured location, and more. No numbers in your VIN provide the color of your car. 

Insurance companies use much more pertinent and proven information to determine auto insurance premiums. This primarily includes your driving history, your location, your claims history, and how much coverage you want. Carriers also look at your insurance score, marital status, how much you drive, and more.

If you’re unhappy with how much insurance costs with your red car, we may be able to help. At Clovered, we exist to make insurance easy to understand. With our online quoting tool, you can find the coverage you need at a price that works for you. All you need is some basic personal and vehicle information, and you’ll be promptly connected to a licensed agent that’ll find you the right coverage.