The Cheapest Cars To Insure
While auto insurance rates are largely based on personal factors, including a person’s age, gender, driving record and address, the particular make and model of vehicle you choose can significantly affect your rates. According to an extensive survey conducted for Insure.com , minivans, mid-priced crossover SUVs and pickup trucks are among the most-affordable vehicles to insure for 2012, with (no surprise here) premium sports coupes and luxury cars commanding the priciest premiums.
All else being equal, costlier cars are always more expensive to ensure. Beyond that, insurance companies look at past claims histories to determine which models incur more or less damage in a crash, are more or less damaging to other vehicles, people and property, are more or less likely to be crashed or stolen and have higher or lower bodily injury claims.
For 2012, the Toyota Sienna LE minivan was ranked the cheapest model to insure at an average annual $1,111 premium for a representative driver. By comparison that same motorist would pay an additional $2,723 more per year to cover the most expensive car to insure in the survey, an Audi R8 Spyder Quattro at $3,384. Other minivans projected to have among the lowest average annual insurance premiums include the Dodge Grand Caravan and Honda Odyssey.
As recovery firms handle soaring levels of call-outs, we look at your vehicle ...
As recovery firms handle soaring levels of call-outs, we look at your vehicle breakdown cover options
The winter weather has led to soaring numbers of vehicle breakdown call-outs, according to the AA.
It says it attended 63,000 breakdowns in just four days during the first week of February, and was handling up to 1,500 calls a minute – 75% busier than during a normal day. Forecasts for more snow this weekend could lead to a further rise in call-outs, it said.
Even without snow, the AA said low temperatures, ice and freezing fog has been causing problems for road users. It attended 16,000 call-outs on Tuesday 7 February, with the busiest regions including London and the south east – areas that experienced little if any fresh snowfall that day.
Vehicle recovery firm Green Flag has forecast an 80% increase in breakdown call-outs for “non-starts” and flat batteries as the half-term getaway starts, when the Met Office says snow will extend into the south-west and central parts of England.
