Does your car's make and model affect your insurance rate?

There are a number of different factors that can influence your car insurance premium. Things outside of your control that can influence insurance prices include: economic factors, increase in claims and cost to repair vehicles…while you have more control over things like the level of coverage you choose and your incident history.

Another element that factors into an auto insurance rate? Your car. Car insurance

can vary based on the make and model of your car, and it’s important to understand how your car impacts your premium.

What is the make and model of a car?

It can be easy to confuse the make and model of a car, because both seem so similar to one another. The make of a vehicle refers to the brand of the car (Nissan, Ford, Jeep, Toyota) and the model refers to the specific vehicle model under said brand. For example, Ford F-150 or Toyota Corolla.

To find the make and model of a vehicle isn’t as tricky as it may seem. Both are often represented as badges, emblems or decals on the rear exterior of a car—the easiest way to determine the vehicle’s make and model.

However, in the rare chance you aren’t able to find the make and model that way, you can also find it printed on your car’s registration or owner’s manual. More information on your car can also be found by searching for information based on your vehicle identification number (

VIN)—which is found on the driver’s side dashboard.

How does the kind of car you drive affect auto insurance rates?

Understanding how the make and model impact a car insurance premium can help you make an informed decision when it comes to purchasing a new car or selecting coverages for a policy. These specifics of your car may be taken into consideration when car insurers build an insurance quote: 

Features in your car

Vehicles that are loaded with smart technology and safety features can impact the cost of your insurance. Some of these complex car features include back-up cameras, a built-in navigation system, distance sensors and electric motors. 

It’s important to know that cars with smart technology may increase a premium due to their cost to repair, but may also drive costs down because that same tech may also be assisting a driver stay more safe on the road and avoid a loss.

Age of your vehicle

The year a vehicle was built or manufactured plays an important role in a car insurance premium. Typically, the newer the vehicle, the more expensive it may be to insure—because of the cost to replace the entire car possible and expense of newer parts.

An older vehicle may read as savings because of its age, but insurance companies will also consider how that vehicle may not be as equipped—safety features, tech, etc.—or have easily available parts or people to do the repairs in the event of an accident, which could influence rates. 

Body style of your vehicle

Body style of your car can impact car insurance rates, as well. The body style references the overall “structure” of a vehicle. Here are common car body styles: 

• Minivan

• Coupe

• Sedan

• SUV

• Truck

But why are certain cars almost always more expensive to insure?

There are some specific scenarios where insurers will raise rates around a car’s make and model. Sporty coupe style vehicles (think like Fast and Furious) tend to cost more to insure than a minivan because insurers utilize data to determine that these sporty coupe vehicles have a higher likelihood of accidents and severity of damage. 

There are also outside influences, like vehicle-specific theft and fraud, that can impact premiums. In 2022, rising theft rates for Hyundai and Kia were substantial enough to impact premiums for these vehicle types for many insurance companies.

Final thoughts on make and model

As you think about how these make and model factors can impact car insurance rates, it’s important to remember that regardless of what you drive, having the right coverages on your policy is key to helping protect your vehicle.

Liability, Comprehensive and Collision coverages are three key elements to a policy that can help protect your car—whatever its size, shape and age may be—for those unexpected moments that leave you grateful you had a car insurance policy with you and your car in mind. 

The information in this article was obtained from various sources not associated with HiRoad®. While we believe it to be reliable and accurate, we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information. HiRoad is not responsible for, and does not endorse or approve, either implicitly or explicitly, the content of any third party sites that might be hyperlinked from this page. The information is not intended to replace manuals, instructions or information provided by a manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional, or to affect coverage under any applicable insurance policy. These suggestions are not a complete list of every loss control measure. HiRoad makes no guarantees of results from use of this information.