Bradshaw84

How does everyone's insurance rates run on an xB?

Mine are pretty high on a 97 Accord so I'm hoping that they will be cheaper or around the same.

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bubblemyster

It'll get more expensive with a xB

bBTOY

Is that rate increase just because it is a NEW car and Worth MORE than his other car?

Chimmy3

Umm actually it will probably drop with an xB. I've been told that the xB has low insurance rates b/c of the following:
small engine - this seems to be primary factor in determining insurance premiums. I guess the theory is. Smaller engine, less acceleration, less chance of a very damaging accident.

Good crash test scores - I forgot what they were... I think 5s and 4s out of 5 or something like that, which is pretty good for an econobox.

Lots of standard safety equip - ABS (reduces a chunk on its own), Vehicle Stability control, airbags... the only way the xB could improve on safety is to get side curtain airbags and daytime running lights (no idea why that's a factor but it is).

I called Geico once and checked the insurance rates with several different cars, xB, Civic, Sentra, Corolla. Even matching the same configuration (abs, airbags, etc), the xB was the cheapest. However, YMMV b/c some insurance premiums depend on the region.
So if you live around an area where people are just crashing the Boxes a lot... then it might be higher.

Edit: oh yeah, tC premiums will probably be high since:
It's a BIG engine in a small car.
It's a Coupe and therefore may be associated with aggressive driving/racing (i.e. you are more likely to race a stock tC than a stock xB).

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fredalan

For just a idea/example, I'm in my mid 30s, Midwest, and with State Farm my insurance payment is $1.60 more per month than the 1997 Ford F-150 SuperCab I had.

Edzone_xB

My insurance rate is higher than my parents 96 Nissan Quest and I am a much sweeter driver.

Notacop

when i got rid of my 95 caprice and got the xb my insurance went up $10 a month with all the same coverages.


The caprice was pretty cheap to insure compared to real sports cars (even though it could outperform a vette the way I had it set up)


I think the xb is reasonable.

micromachine

I had a Firebird V8 that was 15 yrs old absolutely no coverage just PIP, my insurance only
went up 10 bucks with xB with full coverage and no deductible.

I live in S. FL where the rates can be crazy so no complaints here.

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BangorXB

I had an 01 Focus ZX3...and my Ins. went down almost $400 per year by getting my xB. So many more safety features on this
then the Focus had by far. and maybe the fact that I lost 2 points over the past year may have something to do with it too.

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Xachic

I am an Licensed Insurance Agent. I work for Allstate

What will affect your rate:

Due to the car being new, rates will be higher.

Depending on your zip code inner city or outer and depending on the ratio of accidents will determine rate.

Your age and gender are both factors

The type of vehicle (you are fine with an xB, it is not considered to be a Sports Car)

How many average miles you drive (very small percentage)

Any tickets or accidents-you will be surcharged for everyone of them

Last but definitely not least (most companies use this portion for about 30 to 40 percent of the rate) -your credit score. Most insurance companies will run a credit check and come up with a insurance score.
This IS score is mostly based on how much credit you have vs how much is used and if you pay your bills on time. Insurance companies have found a direct correlation between adverse credit and probable accidents.

So to sum up- If you are over 25 and also have good established credit, then your rate should not be too bad.

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Chimmy3

How long must you have a clean record before tickets and accidents no longer factor into the calculation? Is it 3 years like the DMV?

Is the tC considered a sports car? Just curious

Do other companies calculate upon different factors?

And dang... credit... didn't know that was a factor.

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Xachic

How long must you have a clean record before tickets and accidents no longer factor into the calculation? is it 3 years like the DMV?
For personal lines auto it is 3 years after the charged date.
Also, the reduction in premium does not happen till renewal.

Do other companies calculate upon different factors?
My previous rating scale was the basics for any company out there. As far as credit rating goes-there are companies who do not credit rate, but they will not be around much longer. Credit rating can be a blessing or a curse.

But there is hope: 6 months of paying bills on time and closing any unused credit cards will help your score. Some companies will even rerun your credit one time per year for you, but you are stuck with the rate even if it worse.

As far as what is different: what companies discount for and what incidents (tickets and accidents) they allow on the policy. Some companies will forgive an accident and not surcharge and other's will allow a good student discount to stay on up to 25 years of age.

When looking at insurance you have to look at cost vs benefit.

I will look at the tC rates tomorrow and let you know where they stand. I only looked at xA's because I fell in love with it.

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atomoverride

the xB for me was just 280 every 6 months full coverage.

Xachic

There is also something else to keep in mind when saying how much you pay.
Location, Location, Location. Depending on the State you live in, depends on what minimum insurance requirements are.
My license is in Oregon and I can also write for Washington.
There are differences in coverage even between the two States, small but they are there.

The xB itself is cheap to insure, but everything else raises the rates.
i.e. Age, Gender, Location, Credit

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OMAC

Price your insurance guys.

I have been with Progressive for the past 4 or 5 years and have been happy with them. Of course I only had liability insurance on my old car and that was pretty cheep, around $280 every 6 months or so. I knew that with me new xB the rates would climb up so I called Progressive and got me new rate. With Liability on my old car and Comprehensive on the xB my new rates jumped to $740 every 6 months. I have a spotless driving record going back 10 years or so too. I figured okay this is just the price of owning a new car.

Then one day I saw a Geico commercial and decided to call them. I have never thought much of Geico because in the distant past they have denied me service whenever I tried them in the past so I never considered them. This is going back a almost 15 years, at which time my record had a few problems. Let me tell you that it is worth it to give that little green lizard a call. My rates with Geico are $340 every six months for the SAME coverage that Progressive was offering. That is a $400 price difference between Progressive and Geico. I don't have an explanation why there is so much of a diffference, but I was absolutely shocked at the results. I encourage you to compare your rates with other companies.

Chimmy3

Yeah, I have Geico they're pretty cheap.
I've heard the premiums jump a lot after your first claim/accident though.

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Xachic

Price your insurance guys.

Definately good advice. But when you do, look at whether the company is Prefered or not. You can ask the agent doing the quote whether or not he/she put you into a Preferred company.

When I went to insure my xA, Geico was incredibly high and Progressive (they just took a rate decrease) was Awesome (Allstate was out of the question) but be careful if you have a ticket in Progressive, they will probably put you into a non-standard company.
All this means is when you deserve lower rates you will have a hard time getting them because you will get surcharged for being in a non-standard company going into a standard company. Always ask.

The best way is as previously stated, call and get rates. There are truly too many factors that vary from person to person.

But generally the xB and xA are not high risk cars and the tC on a scale from A-Z, Z being the highest, the TC is an N. Not bad.

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tcperconti

My insurance costs DROPPED $200 a year when I went from a 2001 Hyundai Sonata GLS to a 2005 Scion xB with the same coverage.

Guest

Direct correlation - not likely. I do know an Allstate agent and he indicated the correlation of bad credit = high risk of filing claims exists, not that the people with bad credit are necessarily bad drivers. The agent above is arguing that the propensity not to pay one's bills leads to possible negligence IN OTHER AREAS OF ONE'S LIFE which sometimes includes driving habits. But for the Allstate agent to indicate a blanket statement such as a direct correlation exists, is careless.

I work in credit; have for more than 10 years. There is more to one's driving habits and propensity to file claims than just how you pay (or paid) your bills. Some folks obtained credit at an early aged, messed around and didn't pay on time. Now that they're a little older and wiser, they make a better effort, but the junk in the credit bureau sticks around for a minimum of 7 years. If your insurance agent is going to stick you with the credit rating mess, but you've had your act together for more than 12 months and there is no indication that you're going to lose your job or find yourself without income, go somewhere else. If they didn't disclose to you that they wanted your SSN to run your credit, demand that they remove the inquiry and then write to the credit agencies indicating the same.

I say stay far away from Geico (they have some of the highest rates in the industry) or any other company that uses an agent to sell their product. If you can sign up with USAA (civilian USAA is USAA-CIC), then do it. They have the lowest rates I've ever seen (and I compare rates every year or two). Or Contact 21st Century or Mercury directly (they seem to offer decent rates in California and in Texas, in which rates are nearly identical, my insurance increased $5 per month to move to Collin County, TX, from San Bernarghetto [aka San Bernardino] County). Cut out the agent and their fee (some earn a fee from the company they represent while others are permitted (non standard agents) to charge a fee on top of your premium).

If the credit issue is raised, be sure to have an explanation and make it reasonable. If you were a $#!thead and just didn't pay your bills, own up to it. If you had medical problems or some other issue, let him/ her know what it was and see if the company will work with you on the rate; be sure to point out good recent payment history, paying off of formerly delinquent creditors, etc. You would be surprised, but if you were to pay off "charged off" credit cards, new lenders will smile on you for your strength of character and not giving up when clearly you could have done so. Also, if the company pitches a fit about your credit, see if you raise the deductible, if that will get you where you need to be on premiums... Could be worth it if you haven't had any prior accidents and have filed no claims.

Sorry for the rambling. Personal credit and helping people understand this stuff is kind of a passion for me.

edit: And as far as the rates going up because the car is newer - depends on what type of driver you are. As I read above, the Allstate agent is insured through Progressive and even said insurance through her company was "out of the question."

When I moved from a 1995 Pontiac Grand Am with ABS to a non-ABS, non-VSC 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser, my rates increased only $10/ month. Moving from a 2003 PT to a 2005 xB, my rates are expected to decline slightly because of the ABS and VSC. Right now I pay about $114/ month and that's with a car accident nearly 3 years ago. My rates should decline further upon my semi-annual policy renewal at the end of summer '05. I have the highest coverage available for peace of mind, towing coverage and rental reimbursement, etc. (so nobody goes around yelling that I don't have enough coverage, and a $500 deductible )

BOXMAN

I went from a 2001 Dodge Ram at 267 a month for full coverage to 85 bucks for my xB. So in my case it was lower.

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