Do Red Cars Really Cost More to Insure?

Do red cars have higher auto insurance premiums?

In short, no. Auto insurance companies use many factors to rate the amount of risk drivers pose, and car color is not one of them. When you go for a quote, whether it's through Geico, Allstate or another large insurance company, they will never ask you for your car's color.

We've reviewed rating manuals that auto insurance companies use to calculate how much they charge, and there are no rules for the color of a car in the quoting process. There is no way for your company to know the color of your vehicle.

Do red cars get more tickets than other colors?

This is also a myth. Red cars don't get any more tickets than other colors of cars.

What factors affect auto insurance rates?

Feel free to buy, lease or finance a red car, or give your current car a new coat of red paint, without worrying about an insurance premium increase. There are other factors you can worry about — including some you can't control — that determine your auto insurance rates.

They include:

Driving record

There's another myth in the car insurance industry that red cars get ticketed more often than other cars. But zero studies have conclusively shown that red cars are pulled over more.

Drivers who have more speeding tickets and other violations, on the other hand, do end up paying more for insurance. So, for those riskier drivers, their red car would be more expensive to insure. But the cost is tied to their driving record, which is independent of the car color.

Car type

Your car’s model will have more of an impact on your insurance cost than its color. As we found in this study of the cheapest cars to insure, your vehicle can affect rates by several hundred dollars. Large SUVs and luxury cars tend to cost more to insure, but it's not a steadfast rule. More common cars, such as the Honda Accord, tend to cost more to insure. For the Accord, it may have something to do with its high theft rate.

Your age and gender

Your age affects your auto insurance rates as well. Drivers under 25 can pay thousands more than a driver over age 30 for the same coverage. That's because research has shown young drivers are at higher risk of getting into an accident.

Gender also has an impact on your rates.

Marital status

Tying the knot also influences your car insurance premiums. Married drivers are considered more responsible by insurance companies and less likely to file claims, but both spouses must have good driving records to see premiums drop. If one spouse has many accidents on their record, for example, the combined insurance will end up being much more expensive.

Occupation

A controversial but true rating factor is occupation. While insurers can't deny you coverage for being unemployed, in most cases they can adjust rates based on your job.

Auto insurance companies tend to view drivers in professional occupations as less risky, compared to drivers with less-skilled jobs.

Where you live

Your rates can fluctuate by several hundred dollars based on your ZIP code, including where you live within a city or state. Car insurance rates in Florida, for example, can differ by about $2,000 per year depending on the area. You aren't likely to move just to lower your auto insurance rates, but be aware that certain areas can end up costing you a lot more to insure your car. Car insurance will be more expensive in cities prone to auto theft, floods and other disasters.