Insurance Cost

I'd expect repair costs to be more since it's a complicated vehicle, but I see that my simple little two door Tacoma is rated worse on liability and personal injury, and the same on repair costs. Looks like I'll be getting a discount!

 

I was very surprised and pleased to find that insurance for my 04 Prius cost just $7 more that the 99 Villager I traded in.

 

I just got a quote of $180 less per year from my 2001 BMW 330ci to a new Prius. Makes it about the same rate as my '87 Porsche 911

rickdm

 

I had a similar experience upon trade in. My Prius insurance was $100 less a year than the 1998 Ford Mustang I traded in. I found that to be quite a pleasant surprise.

 

Wow, What is up with the Corolla? C, 0%, C ???

 

To my surprise, my insurance costs for my 2004 Prius are by far the lowest that I've ever paid. I have a spotless record and good credit, and am paying $200 less a year (through Geico) than I was for my 2002 Prius.

Glad I didn't buy a Corolla... what IS up with that??

 

im afraid that im surprised at the corolla rating also. i had a corolla and my rates went up for my Prius. (corolla was an old car though...'94)

 

Here in Manitoba, AutoPac (Government owned car insurance) considers the Prius an excellent car wrt "risk" factors, and my rates are around 20% less than for my former 2000 GMC Sierra pickup, a high risk vehicle.

Some cars that are *far* cheaper like a Chevy Cavalier or Honda Civic are easily 30-60% higher to insure here due to their loss history.

 

Just paid my insurance yesterday for Geico which dropped 17% as compared to my first year with the Prius and Geico. The Prius is wayyyyy less than the 99 Acura RL I replaced as is changing from Allstate to Geico. By changing insurance companies and cars my insurance cost is now about half. Net net, the aggregate gas cost for the Prius is less than the insurance savings so am way ahead. Am very impressed with Geico's customer service too.

 

When I was car shopping I priced insurance on a new Prius, Camry Solara Convertible and Audi A4 Cabrio. Lowest was the Audi, and by far the highest was the Prius.

 

:lol: I'm glad to see GEICO being represented here by the prius community. I am an insurance agent for GEICO, as well as a policyholder.

 

Thing I like about GEICO is that it's owned by Berkshire Hathaway...that amuses me for some reason, especially since they own stuff like Dairy Queen. You should get free Dairy Queen for having GEICO insurance .

On another note, since I'm the lovely age of 19, I pay so darn much for insurance. It really sucks that even though I have gotten nothing more than a door ding on my Prius (and never a door ding on anyone else's car), I end up paying for the underdeveloped brains of my lesser companions-in-age. You think that after four years of spotless driving, then getting a Prius, they'd figure out I'm not a typically 19-year-old driver, right?

 

It never hurts to call and ask why.
You may be at the far right side of the Companions-in-Age Bell Curve, but unfortunately you are still a statistic to insurance actuaries. If you are that confident in your abilities and it is not a major financial risk, have you tried increasing your deductibles?

 

I know. I was your age once, and it p***** me off to no end. Sad thing is, a lot of those underdeveloped brains will *never* develop. They just die off. So I guess it all balances out.

 

State Farm knocked $8.87 off my policy for the second 6 month period since I got the Prius. I guess they've had some experience with the Prius.
bob

 

Re: the Corolla -- I wonder if they're a more likely car for theft.

Does the Corolla (new ones, anyway) have an engine immobilizer, like the Prius?

 

Well, there are a few things you can do...State Farm offers a program where you keep a driving log for 30 days if you're under 21 or 25, I think, (I can't remember the exact age) and if you've never had an accident that was ruled your fault, they'll knock off 400 bucks, which isn't bad. They also, of course, give benefits for 3.0 students and above, so they do offer some incentives for the smaller (better) regions of the bell curve.

 

I had no reported accidents when I was 19. I was on Allstate indemnity for 3 years. Kind of like a probation. Statefarm was always quoting higher than everyone else.

I switched to Geico when I graduated college and got my Corolla. Geico wanted to cancel my collision when I had 4 unchargable accidents. 2 were hit and runs, one of them when my car was parked, one someone rear-ended me, and the last someone turned in front of me. They agreed to keep my collision if I raised my deductable to $1K.

I switched to Progressive a year ago, as they were $200/semi-annual less than Geico. Rates went up quite a bit for the Prius. Interesting thing is, my cubemate at work switched to Geico from progressive, as progressive increased his rate too high, and Geico was lower. Go figure.

 

Allstate is now charging about $6 more per month than last year, yet now I'm getting a Real dual-policy discount involving homeowner's insurance rather than renter's.

Not sure if any Prius-specific faults like repair are involved, but I don't keep those statements longer than I need to tear the insurance card off them to carry in the car.

Of course, someday I could raise the $100 collision deductible but I'd never see it again and last time I raised it to $1,000 I had an accident. Put it back to $100, and I never was at-fault again. Magic (or experience...)