It’s a tale as old as time—if you drive a red car, you’ll have a higher insurance premium. Right? Perhaps even worse, you’ll get pulled over more often by the police.
We’re putting this myth to rest. Whether your car is red, white, blue, or hot pink, its color does not impact the price of your insurance coverage or the likelihood that you’ll get a ticket—at least not directly.
Let’s take a cruise between fact and fiction when it comes to the color of your car.
Can my car insurance company charge me a higher premium because I have a red car?
In short, no. The color of your car should not be an issue when you’re shopping around for insurance quotes. When auto insurance companies calculate the level of risk that you might face as a driver, they are not interested in knowing whether your car is red.
When you sign up for a Lemonade Car policy, we do not even ask you what the color of your car is. We will only request these details if you file a claim for roadside assistance to help us find your car more easily if it needs a jump start while you’re stranded in a Walgreens’ parking lot in the middle of a snowstorm, for instance. Your safety is what’s most important to us, not the color of your car.
What factors do impact my auto insurance price?
Now that we’ve set the record straight about a car color’s impact on auto insurance rates, you might be wondering—what does actually matter when calculating my car policy price?
Basically, car insurance premiums are based on a lot of factors. A main point of interest is not the color of your vehicle, but rather its make, model, and year. Certain car models can be linked with higher insurance costs, like a Tesla Model S (though at Lemonade Car you can get an EV discount).
Your insurance provider can also flag various aspects about your car and driving habits and up your premium accordingly. These could be things like—you have a vehicle type with advanced safety features that are expensive to repair, or your car is at higher risk for theft in the area that you’re regularly driving or parking, or you have a lengthy history of car insurance claims.
Lemonade Car puts an emphasis on your actual driving behavior, driving record history, and the number of miles you drive when determining how much you pay for your auto insurance. If you’re red-y to look under the hood of what goes into an auto insurance premium, you can learn all about how Lemonade Car prices policies.
Am I more likely to get pulled over if I drive a red car?
Also no. On the one hand, we’re happy to put your mind at ease—there isn’t conclusive evidence to back up the myth that you have a higher chance of getting pulled over based on the color of your car. But if you’re still skeptical and think that you’re more likely to be targeted for driving a red car, several sources— like the National Motorists Association and Forbes—suggest that actually white cars get pulled over the most.
On the other hand, we don’t condone speeding or blowing through a stop sign, no matter the car color. If you’re worried that you’ll get caught red-handed on a traffic violation, the safest bet is to focus more on your driving behavior and less on the paint job.
Are there any exceptions when the color of my ride could impact my car insurance rates?
While the base color of your car alone won’t be calculated into your auto insurance premium, a custom paint job or adding custom parts could. These additions give extra value to your car and would increase the cost of future repairs, so you might end up with higher rates for your insurance coverage. Think about it—if your car gets a nasty scratch from some parking garage vandalism, repairs to a standard red coat will be way more common than a limited-edition candy apple red, with a price tag to match.
Paint the town red…
Contrary to popular belief—you won’t be punished by your car insurance for driving a red car. Feel free to hit the road with ease, on your best behavior of course, no matter the color of your car.
But, before you start loudly revving the engine on that little souped-up crimson sports coupe, think twice—it’d be a shame to give red car drivers a bad rep they don’t deserve.
And whether your ride is red, emerald green, or something in between, why not check out what Lemonade Car can do for you? Click the button below to get started.
