Since Hybrids are more expensive to fix and are totalled more often by insurance companies due to their complexity, are they more expensive than a Camry to insure?

I was seriously considering doing a poll on whether the insurance rates on hybrids should be higher or lower.

Why it should be higher: If the crash is not just a little fender-bender, replacing the hybrid parts could be more expensive.

Why it should be lower: As a group, hybrid drivers are safer than the general population because they are more alert and don't speed as much.

Does the two cancel each other out or does one come out on top?

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Go to www.progressive.com to get a quote and find out.

I don't recall the exact numbers, but before I bought my HAH, I was looking at an Acura TL. The insurance was just a little bit more for the HAH.

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USAA is quoting the exact same rate for my HCH as I was paying for my F150 4x4 Lariat Supercrew I just traded in.

I think it's ridiculous. The car is half the cost of the truck, is less likely to get in a single car accident, less likely to cause damage to others, etc. But they say that the crash test rating of the HCH is just a tad higher than the F150 and that's why it's the same. I couldn't get an answer as to why the rest of the variables don't bring it down in comparison.

I don't know if these cars just aren't widespread enough, or if USAA is behind the curve, or what. Geico quoted a rate at 50% of what USAA was quoting me, but who knows if they would raise that rate after the next renewal or what.

I agree though, as a group hybrid drivers realistically should be getting the same discount that you get when you pass 25. I'd be interested in seeing the per-capita results for the past 5 years... I'm betting the Hybrid drivers are in *far far* fewer accidents compared to the non-hybrids. I'll bet even a simple breakdown of hybrid civic drivers vs non-civic drivers would be far different. Amazingly the hybrid is more expensive to insure than the non-hybrid.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do about my insurance come December when it's time to renew. I don't want to be paying the amount I am now since I could replace my car in 7 years of insurance payments, which is just silly.

I 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. I hope it is. But I see an awful lot of Prii and HCHs passing me while I'm at 65-70, and not even on the downhill- so they can't claim DWL.

It is worth a query to your companies to see what they say about hybrid rates vs the 'regular' car rates, and what data they based the decision on.

USAA is charging me the same quoted rate as for an Accord EX.

I don't know about a Camry but I just bought my 05 Civic Hybrid 5 speed replacing my 05 Corolla S (that was totalled...not at fault...a few weeks ago). ANYWAYS my rate for my Civic is slightly LESS than it was for the Corolla. Don't know why but I'm not complaining!

Insurance for my 2004 HCH is slightly less than it was for my 1996 Mazda Milennia. No complaints here.

so far my 2003 is the least expensive to insure of my cars... I had a 94 Integra GS-R which actually cost more to insure. I had an S2000 (2000), same deal. I have a Mini Cooper S 2005 and it's more expensive than HCH. So no, not more than other cars, not even close.

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. Tiny differences get magnified when there are a few million units in use...lots of $$ at stake. Yes, the '03 probably tested slightly differently than the '04. Who knows why- numbers is numbers. Thus the seemingly "outrageous" differences that don't make sense on the surface to us.

Ask your company for a quote on the non-hybrid in the same trim level HCH, FEH, etc. That's the closest way to get a 2nd apple to compare.

I asked my insurance guy (allstate) if hybrids have a higher rate.

He indicated as far as he knew, the rates between Civic and an HCH would be about the same. He said If I had a car available, he would be able to get specific rates.

He did add that larger vehicles like SUV's, mini-vans and other boats that guzzle the gas have a lower rate than smaller cars like Civics, Focus's, corrollas etc. I couldn't believe it.

I asked logically, "The bigger vehicles are more expensive, so it would cost more to fix and replace?"

His reply was that smaller vehicles, when in an accident, are more likely to be totalled than the big ones thus resulting in more cost to replace. The small vehicles have safety features like crumple zones and just smash more due to there smaller mass. Larger ones are easier to fix or repair I guess.

In conclusion, the guys with the Big SUV's are double screwing the guy with the smaller efficient vehicle. Not only are they putting them are more risk of injury by flattening them with their SUVS, they're causing him to pay more insurance.