The short answer is that yes, sports cars are more expensive to insure than other vehicles. Let's take a closer look at why that is.
The first item to consider is the profile of drivers who pilot sports cars.
If you're a safe driver, a sports car is no more dangerous to drive than any other car. In fact, the superior control you have in a sports car may even get you out of a potential accident. But, statistically speaking, sports car drivers tend to be a little riskier on the road. That's something that your auto insurance provider must take into account when covering you.
Of course, this doesn't apply to everyone who owns a sports car. Most people who drive a $100,000 car drive it like cost them $100,000. But we can't deny the existence of a minority of sports car drivers — who might have seen a few too many action movies and who contribute to a statistical spike that all sports car drivers wind up paying for.
Additionally, your definition of a sports car and your car insurance provider's definition might not match. According to auto insurance companies, a sports car meets the following criteria:
- Eight cylinders
- Smaller and lighter than a regular sedan with two doors and two seats
- Make and model are developed and advertised as a sports car
There are plenty of cars that don't quite fit this profile. A Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat is one of these. It looks and feels like a sports car and has eight cylinders. But it also has five seats, so your insurer might not classify it as a sports car. That said, eight-cylinder cars are generally more expensive to insure than four-cylinder cars.
If you love the feel of a sports car but you'd rather not pay twice your current rates for insurance, you do have options. The easiest way to save a little money is to contact your Automatic Insurance agent when you're car shopping and get a quote on each model you're considering. You might find that there is a substantial difference in the rates you're going to be paying for two different cars you're considering. Both might look and feel like sports cars, but only one of them matches your insurer's definition.
A high-performance vehicle almost always costs a little more to insure than a standard vehicle. Still, it's the little differences that make it a sports car. And those little differences can mean a lot when it comes to calculating your premium.
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