UPDATED: APRIL 27, 2023 | 3 MIN READ
Many newer cars come with fancy technology, either as standard or as an optional add-on. While most of them are designed to make you safer on the road, does this added safety translates into lower car insurance rates?
Does New Car Technology Lower or Increase My Car Insurance Rates?
Most studies show that cars with advanced safety systems do make things safer. One study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety looked at crashes involving cars with blind spot monitoring. It found that the cars with this tech were 14% less likely to be involved in a crash than those without it.
If every U.S. vehicle in 2015 had blind spot monitoring, approximately 50,000 crashes and almost 16,000 injuries might have been prevented.
When Does Advanced Vehicle Technology Lower My Car Insurance Rates?
Insurance premium calculations examine the insurers’ risk of paying out on a claim. If advanced safety systems lower a person’s risk of getting into a car accident, cars with that tech must be cheaper to insure, right?
Unfortunately, while these systems are still new, it seems that the cost of the technology will offset any savings you may make from being able to drive more safely.
This is likely not to be permanent, though. As technology becomes older, it typically becomes cheaper and more accessible. Insurers base their rates on historical data, and as there isn’t much of that relating to advanced vehicle tech, they may need some time to catch up.
When Does Advanced Vehicle Technology Raise My Rates?
Any time advanced safety systems make a car part more complicated, it’s likely to raise the cost of insuring the car. While you’re likely to drive safer, it will cost your insurance company more money if anything goes wrong than if you had a standard vehicle.
What about GPS?
Some insurance companies offer a discount to people who have a GPS tracking device installed in their car. Being able to locate your vehicle if it’s stolen means they won’t have to replace the entire thing – anything that can potentially save insurers money is likely to save you money too.
3 Car Safety Features That Change the Way You Drive
While tech like GPS makes your car easier to find if it’s stolen, others change how you drive.
1) Adaptive cruise control
This can reduce stress for drivers on long-distance drives by allowing them to focus on other aspects of driving. Where cruise control keeps your car moving at a set speed, adaptive cruise control keeps the car a set distance behind the car in front. It slows down when the car in front slows down and speeds back up when it accelerates.
2) Rearview cameras
These reduce blind spots when reversing, making parking or maneuvering easier. For some people, these cameras can prevent them from getting into accidents but allow them to see exactly how much space they have around them in real-time.
3) Built-in sat-nav systems
Gone are the days of fumbling with a map or peering at your phone to check directions. Nowadays, a lot of cars have inbuilt satellite navigation systems.
New Safety Features That Could Increase Your Car Insurance
With newer tech comes more expense. The more expensive cars are to buy in the first place, the more your insurance company would have to pay to replace them if you made a claim.
The newer systems themselves may also cost more to replace or repair. They may have parts that have to be imported, or specific experts can only replace that.
Adaptive headlights
Curve-adaptive headlights help improve visibility on curvy roads by moving in the direction of travel. They typically have LED or high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps. Where old-fashioned headlights may have cost around two hundred bucks to replace, these newer ones could set you back a couple of thousand.
Blind-spot monitoring
This technology uses cameras, radar, or even ultrasonic sensors to let you know when there’s something in your blind spot. If something is in the blind spot and you use your turn signal ready to change lanes, your car will let you know it’s dangerous.
This tech can be found in the side mirrors and the rear bumper. If either of those needs replacing, it becomes a lot more expensive. This is likely to be reflected in your car insurance premium.
FAQs
What car safety features lower my car insurance rates?
Various safety features can lower the car insurance rates you’re offered. These include collision warnings, anti-theft devices, rearview cameras, and parking sensors.
Are cars with more safety features cheaper to insure?
Unfortunately, these features increase the cost of the car and the cost of carrying out repairs should the car be involved in an accident. While they make driving safer, the increased costs counteract any savings you may make.
Do newer cars have higher car insurance rates?
Often, yes. In most cases, new cars are typically kitted out with the latest tech, which can be pricey to replace or repair. They also usually cost more; the car’s value is considered when insurers offer you a rate.
Are insurance rates higher on electric vehicles?
Most of the time, yes. They typically cost more to buy and, therefore, more to replace or repair. As they become more affordable, the insurance rates should decrease a bit.
Is it cheaper to insure a new or used car?
Typically, cars that are five years old are cheaper to insure than newer cars. That’s because new cars usually cost more, so they would cost more to replace. Also, older cars might be valued at low enough that you choose just to get liability insurance, saving money that way.
The Bottom Line on Safety Features and Car Insurance Rates
Advanced safety features could decrease your insurance premiums, but the repair and replacement costs will most likely increase your car insurance rates. In some cases, the effects may balance each other out and leave you no better or worse off.
Overall though, they have been proven to make the roads safer, which is essential. Comparing premiums from various insurers gets you the best car insurance rates possible.
