You may have heard red cars are more expensive to insure. But, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III), the color of the car you drive does not affect the price of auto insurance.
Based on this, vehicles that are white or black are likely to cost more to insure, since they are more in demand colors. The color of your car can indirectly affect insurance rates in other ways too. Some vehicles are less likely to be stolen.
Notification: It's generally a good idea to notify your insurance company about significant changes to your vehicle, including color changes. Some insurers may require you to update your policy to reflect these changes.
White is often considered the safest car color for several reasons: Visibility: White cars are more visible in various weather conditions, including fog, rain, and snow. Their brightness makes them stand out against darker backgrounds, which can help prevent accidents.
The bottom line is, white cars are by far the easiest to keep clean. Black cars are the hardest, as they show grime more easily and don't hide imperfections well at all. Red—or any other bright color that requires frequent cleaning—isn't ideal, but it can still work if you have some time and patience.
Which Color Gets Pulled Over the Most? According to the National Motorists Association, white-colored vehicles get pulled over the most. That said, red vehicles come in second, followed closely by gray and silver. Unsurprisingly, white cars are stopped by law enforcement because it's the most common vehicle color.
The color of a new vehicle is noted in registration documents, and some states require that the owner of a vehicle notify the state's vehicle-registration authorities in the event of a color change. If you live in such a state, you would be in violation of the law if you failed to do so.
Popular colors like Black, White and Silver depreciate at a rate close to average. If resale value is important to you, you'll probably want to steer clear of gold and brown, colors that depreciate far worse than average.
White is the overwhelmingly most popular car color in 45 of 50 states, while black is the most popular in the remaining five.
Metallic Silver – Silver cars are associated with modernity, innovation, and sleekness. A metallic silver paint job can make a car look both sophisticated and futuristic, enhancing its perceived value. Rich Burgundy – A deep, rich burgundy or maroon can give a car a regal and expensive appearance.
According to the data: White and Silver/Grey Cars: These colours are stolen less frequently than others. Their high visibility may deter thieves as they are easier to spot by witnesses and law enforcement.
White is often cited as the least expensive color for automotive paint due to its high demand and efficiency in production and application processes.
Resale Value
A number of studies have found that certain colors are more popular than others when it comes time to sell a car. Neutral color cars have the best resale value. The top five colors were white, black, silver, gray and some shades of blue.
Custom paint jobs and auto insurance rates
Modifying your car with a custom paint job(or other changes like rims or mod exhaust) can make your car look awesome, but you'll be required to report those changes to your insurance company — and you'll likely pay more to insure those modifications.
If your car color doesn't match your registration, it could lead to confusion—especially if you get pulled over. And if you're required to notify the DMV about the color change and you didn't, you could find yourself in legal trouble.
A basic vinyl wrap usually costs between $500 and $5,000, while a professional paint job can range from $3,000 to $20,000 or more. Wrapping is often more affordable, especially for those seeking a temporary or unique look.
Color has no impact on your insurance price. At Progressive, we won't even ask about it. Custom paint jobs are another story—if you paint your vehicle, be sure to add optional coverage for “custom parts and equipment” to your auto policy.
The Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Jeep Wrangler and Subaru Outback are the cheapest cars to insure. All three have full coverage rates under $250 per month, on average.
As a result, car insurance companies view young drivers as the most risky to insure. Drivers ages 16 to 24 tend to face the highest premiums compared to other age groups.
Black Cars
At least one study found that you're 47 percent more likely to be in a crash if you drive a black vehicle. Other studies also find that black is the most dangerous color, but offer a more reserved projection.
What Auto Color Is Most Associated with Theft? According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), black, silver, white, green and gold are the colors most associated with vehicle thefts. Colors that more easily blend in with a crowd–white, gray, silver and black–tend to be reported stolen the most.