Driving an SUV is one of the most popular trends when it comes to vehicle preference. Who wouldn’t want an SUV? It’s comfortable, spacious and it makes you feel a lot safer compared to when you are driving a small sedan. But how does this affect car insurance? Certainly, switching from a sedan to an SUV or buying a new SUV will affect your car insurance and we are here to discuss these for you.
Expect to have higher premium rates compared to a sedan
This is pretty much automatic when switching from a sedan to an SUV. These big vehicles tend to have a higher premium rate because they simply just have a higher value. Depending on what brands you are comparing, the mid-range SUV is much more expensive to replace compared to replacing a mid-range sedan. The same can be said with OEM car parts if the vehicles will be repaired.
A bigger vehicle could do bigger damage
Hopefully, you won’t be in this situation, but if you are driving an SUV, it could potentially inflict more damage to other cars, property or people, if you are to be involved in an accident. It’s just basic physics, you are moving a bigger mass, and if it collides with another element, the energy output will be much higher rather than if it was a smaller mass or driving a small sedan. This is the risk that carriers will point out. Hence, raising your premium rate.
Safety features can drop the premium rate
Driving a big vehicle isn’t all too bad. Being inside a big vehicle in an accident will protect you more. But since SUVs are bigger than sedans, car manufacturers tend to install more safety features on them. If you are thinking about getting an SUV, check out the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s top picks for the safest SUVs. Picking a car from their list can help pull down those premium rates.
