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suspect the sample size is not yet large enough and/or has not been measured well enough yet to determine if your 2nd assertion is statistically true
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not only that, but most insurance companies (in fact, all of them that I know of) do not vary rates that way --
drivers typically are rated by age, gender, and marital status (and that rating is then modified by one or more factors which may or may not include how many miles the driver drives, the "use" of the vehicle (commute, pleasure, business, etc.), whether the driver had driver training, has taken a safe driving course, is a "good student", etc.))
this rating is the major player in how much you're charged for "liability" coverages (bodily injury, property damage, personal injury protection or medical payments coverage); it also impacts how much you're charged for "physical damage" coverages (collision, comprehensive)
cars are typically rated by make & model year -- the starting point is typically the MSRP of the vehicle (i.e. a $30,000 BigGasGuzzler likely starts with the same rating factor as a $30,000 GasSipper), but the rating factors are changed based on the experience that the insurance company (and the industry as a whole) sees as the models mature
the car's rating has very little, if anything to do with the price you're charged for liability coverages, it is mainly used for physical damage coverages
some insurers, including the one for which I work, do discount/surcharge liability coverages based on make/model year -- if you're driving a "safer" car (think "if I'm in a crash in this car, my injuries will be minimal"), then you're charged a little less; if you're driving a "less safe" car you'll be charged a little more
of course, those factors are applied to base rates (prices) for different coverages, which can and usually do vary according to where the car is principally garaged (your home zip code)
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comparing rates between 2 different cars- even the same generation model in different model years- is apples to oranges. The formulas used to calculate rates are so involved that it would take an actuary all day to adequately explain
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I'm an actuary-in-training (can't really call myself an actuary until I finish all of the exams, and that will be a while) and I can certainly attest to that
the best advice I can offer: if price is the major factor in your choice of automobile insurance carrier, then you should shop around often -- at least once a year -- but also keep in mind that jumping from carrier to carrier too frequently can affect how you are *underwritten* (which is a completely different animal from how you are *rated*)