Stick Shift Cars And How They Affect Car Insurance Premiums
When getting car insurance quotes, one of the questions that someone will probably be asked by an insurance agent is if the vehicle that needs to be insured is a stick shift car. One thing that most people don't even think about is what a stick shift car is and how it will affect car insurance premiums. The actual answer does vary according to the policy of each independent insurance agency, and how the individual agency assesses the risk factor for each type of transmission available on the market today.
A stick shift car has what is referred to as a manual transmission. A manual transmission is designed so that a driver will shift gears by one's self to gain or lower the speed in conjunction with steering and accelerating. This varies from an automatic transmission where there is a torque converter installed to shift the gears by computer generation when the vehicle is accelerated. Automobile manufacturers also have hybrids of a stick shift car available that might have certain automatic features added on to it to increase efficiency. Car insurance quotes generally only distinguish between the two main types of transmissions though.
The stick shift car on the surface appears to have a lot of advantages. They have a lower sticker price determined by the car maker because they cost less money to make. They have a lower repair value because the system is less intricate than an automatic type of vehicle. They typically are a great way to save on fuel costs because a stick shift car uses less energy to operate. However, a car insurance quote won't always reflect these benefits because there are other factors to consider.
An insurance company takes into consideration risks of loss. Historically, a stick shift car has caused a rate increase because of the extended time it takes to shift, stop or accelerate a vehicle. The stick shift car has also been identified for premium increases because of driver attention required to operate. These have been sources of greater risk to insurance providers and are reflected in higher car insurance quotes. Insurance companies have also considered the stick shift car a lower risk. Statistically, manual transmissions cost less to replace, so this discount has been reflected in lowered premiums.
Different insurance companies have unique policies in consideration of the stick shift car. Car insurance quotes will be higher or lower in individual insurance providers because of the risk factors that are used by each agency. It is generally a good rule to get car insurance quotes for a stick shift car prior to purchase to determine what the overall budget will be for that particular vehicle.
