Rumors about red cars have been around for decades. The idea that red cars are more expensive to insure and more likely to get pulled over than other vehicles is almost common knowledge, but is it true?
The truth is that red cars are no more expensive to insure than any other vehicle. Whether you’re driving a white four door sedan or a little red Corvette, the color of your car doesn’t impact your car insurance rates.
Do red cars have higher insurance rates?
According to the Insurance Information Institute, the color of your car does not have any affect on your car insurance rates. [1] This is great news, but why doesn’t the color of your vehicle impact your insurance premiums? When thinking about car insurance costs, it is important to understand how car insurance companies use statistics to help determine your rates.
For example, car insurance companies have data from decades of processing claims showing young drivers are significantly more likely to be in an accident than older drivers. Because of this, car insurance companies charge higher rates for teenagers and young adult drivers.
Car insurance companies use this type of information to set car insurance rates based on dozens of factors, including age, gender, marital status, and ZIP code.
If there were any evidence that red vehicles were more likely to file a claim, insurance companies would charge more to insure them. The fact that there is no difference in price based on the color of your vehicle is a good indicator that red cars aren’t more likely to be pulled over or cause an accident.
Will painting my car change my insurance rates?
Maybe, but not because of the color. You could paint your car red, green, or purple with a yellow racing stripe without affecting your car insurance rates.
But if you have a custom paint job and want the extra expense reimbursed by your car insurance company if it’s damaged, you should expect to pay higher rates because of it.
Any custom parts will need to be disclosed to your insurance company if you want them covered by your policy, whether that is something as complex as a modified exhaust system or as simple as a new paint job.
Are red cars more likely to be stolen?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's theft index doesn’t track the color of stolen vehicles. This makes it hard to determine exactly what role (if any) color plays in which cars are most likely to be stolen.
But studies have been done in other places, like the Netherlands, that show the most popular color vehicles are the ones most likely to be stolen. Dutch economist Ben Vollaard told Edmunds in 2014 that picking bright, unpopular colors is a good theft deterrent because most stolen cars are chosen for their resale value. [2]
Because red, yellow, orange, and green vehicles are going to be harder to resell, they may actually be less likely to be stolen.
Do red cars get more tickets?
No, red cars are no more likely to get pulled over by the police than any other vehicle, and which color vehicle gets pulled over more often will likely vary from one state or ZIP code to the next.
For example, a 2017 study by Minnesota’s Pioneer Press showed white cars were the most likely to be ticketed, but this was because there were more white cars on the road than any other color. The same study also showed that younger drivers were more likely to be ticketed than older drivers and that more tickets were written on weekends and off-peak hours. [3]
White cars are the most common vehicles in the United States but, because that study was specific to Minnesota, in other states, different color cars may be the most likely to be ticketed.
Why do people think red cars cost more to insure?
The myth about red cars being more expensive to insure comes from two separate ideas:
Red cars are more visible: The concept behind this idea is that, because red cars are more visible on the road, drivers are more likely to be pulled over by the police. This is not true; police pull drivers over for a number of reasons, but the color of their car is not one of them.
Drivers who buy red cars: There is a myth that drivers who buy red cars are more likely to speed and drive erratically, but this isn’t the case. Drivers with red cars are no more likely to speed or cause an accident than any other driver.
What factors actually affect your insurance rates?
While having a red car doesn’t mean you’ll pay more for car insurance, there are dozens of factors that can actually affect your car insurance rates, including:
Amount of your deductible: Drivers with full coverage can save money on their car insurance by choosing a higher deductible if they can afford to pay the extra amount out-of-pocket when filing a claim.
Annual mileage: The more time you spend on the road, the more you can expect to pay for your car insurance.
Make and model of your vehicle: The cost to repair or replace your vehicle is one of the things car insurance companies consider when setting your rates, which means some cars are more expensive to insure than others.
Your driving record: Drivers with a clean driving history pay much lower rates than drivers with an accident or moving violation.
Your credit score: Many states allow car insurance companies to use your credit score to help set your rates, which means drivers with higher credit scores will pay less for car insurance.
Your insurance history: Drivers who have a lapse in their car insurance coverage will pay more for coverage than drivers who have been continuously insured.
Your age and gender: All insurance companies use your age to help set your rates but your gender may or may not impact your rates, depending on your state.
Your ZIP code: Insurance companies use local information, like the number of accidents or the availability of street parking in a given ZIP code, to help set your rates.
Your marital status: Married drivers often pay slightly lower rates than unmarried drivers.
Frequently asked questions
Are red cars more likely to get pulled over?
No, red cars are no more likely to get pulled over than any other vehicle.
What color cars are more expensive to insure?
The color of your car doesn’t impact your car insurance rates, so a red car, a white car, a black car, and a silver car of the same make and model won’t be rated any differently.
Do red cars cost more to insure with GEICO?
No, GEICO does not use the color of your vehicle to set your car insurance rates, so having a red car won’t affect your GEICO rates.
Are red cars hard to sell?
While color does have a small impact on the value of a car, red cars generally have the same depreciation rates as other common vehicle colors, like black, white, silver, and blue.
