The most expensive cars to insure in 2014

Auto News | By Jeffrey Steele, Insure.com

We know that fast, sporty, high-performance vehicles cost more to insure, but we often buy them anyway.

No one buys an expensive sports car for a leisurely Sunday drive after church. They're built to travel in a blur, which is often the precursor to crumpling sheet metal. Their awe-inspiring speed is matched only by their gasp-inducing insurance rates.

Insure.com's annual rankings of the most expensive vehicles for insurance are always powered by offerings from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar. (See the 2014 rankings for the least expensive cars to insure and car insurance rates by state.)

This year's list is topped by a beast whose nickname derives from a 1950s-era horror flick, "Godzilla." What could be more blood-curdling than owning a car with the most expensive insurance rates in the 2014 model year? It may be that shelling out well in excess of $100,000 for a car blinds many to the insurance premiums.

This year's rankings have "a lot of vehicles that are just the opposite of a family car," says Mark Takahashi, auto editor for Santa Monica, Calif.-based Edmunds.com. "They're for wealthy people who like to go fast. They're aspirational and firmly rooted in entertainment. And all of them are insanely fun."

The problem with insane fun is that many drivers get into trouble fast, says Takahashi.

For instance, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, at No. 4, "is a tricky car to drive. It comes with a lot of electronic driving aids, such as electronic stability control and traction control. But if the driver is overconfident and turns off those features, bad things can happen very quickly and significantly. That's because the car is very fast, and performance cars on the whole are designed to be a little twitchy and very responsive."

Edmunds had a Mercedes SLS AMG in its fleet for months and Takahashi drove it many times. A veteran of racing school, he never felt confident enough to turn off the safety features. "It's very rewarding, and made me feel like a million bucks," he says. "But I didn't want to be the one to bend that car."

The No. 1 most costly vehicle to insure is so flat-out over the top that its nickname is Godzilla. The $115,000 Nissan GT-R Track Edition has all-wheel-drive, twin turbochargers that help its V-6 engine develop 545 horsepower, massive brakes, a trick dual-clutch automated manual transmission and an array of electronics to customize steering, suspension and brake settings.

Takahashi calls the Nissan GT-R "an affordable supercar." The GT-R was developed for people who desire an exceptionally high level of performance, and who might be taking it out on the race track now and again. "It was developed for the race track," Takahashi says. "And while it's not as tricky as the Mercedes SLS, because it has so many features working constantly to keep it on the road, it is blindingly fast."

The most expensive cars to insure in 20143. Mercedes-Benz CL550 4Matic AWD
Try 190 to 200 mph. At those speeds, drivers without racing school experience are in over their heads, he says.

John Pearley Huffman, who writes on autos for Car & Driver and the New York Times, has also driven Godzilla. "It's an extremely specialized car," he says, that's "sold in extremely small numbers and goes to a dedicated cadre of enthusiasts."

Huffman also says "it's flat-out brilliant to drive."

Ron Henderson is a GT-R owner in Texas. He says because Godzilla is "very easy to drive" it can inspire confidence as a driver pushes the car to its limits, which may be why so many are wrecked.

"The GT-R is a very quick car, even without any modifications, and despite the electronic aids and all-wheel drive, any car can be pushed too far."

"I believe that given the combination of a novice driver and the ease with which the GT-R can be pushed hard, you can end up with a novice driver who has no idea how to recover from what was an inevitable mistake," Henderson says.

Karl Brauer, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book in Irvine, Calif., says sales of high-performance cars are heavily weighted toward a male demographic that savors aggressive driving on the street, racetrack and often both. Cars like the GT-R Track Edition represent the ultimate in mechanical capability.

"Because these vehicles are equipped with advanced drive trains and exotic exterior shapes, they cost much more to repair after things go wrong," he says.

That is, if they can be repaired.

Takahashi notes that carbon fiber is used in some of the car's body panels. The components are "lightweight and strong for their intended purpose, but they're designed to shatter on impact," he reports. "You can't repair them; you just have to replace them."

Henderson agrees the GT-R is a complex, costly car with exotic materials and compact packaging throughout. Combine carbon fiber undertrays and subframe components, low front-mounted intercoolers and aluminum body panels, and "fender-benders" don't exist in a GT-R.

"Even a minor accident could easily cost tens of thousands to repair," Henderson says. "If it is repairable at all."

Don't forget the GT-R's speed, Huffman says. This is a car that goes from zero to 60 in three seconds.

"It's a fantastic car and I believe it to be an easy-to-handle car," Huffman says. "But the consequences of screwing up at 150 mph are radically different than screwing up at 50 mph."

Maybe the GT-R is still an insurance bargain at No. 1.

Takahashi, for instance, feels if a buyer has the money to buy a GT-R or other cars on the "most costly" rankings, they shouldn't have a problem with $4,000 to $6,000 for insurance.

"Sports cars and exotics are bought because they're raucous and fun," he observes. "It takes a level of affluence and skill to own and drive one of these. But as for their insurance being too expensive, I don't think it is, based on the expense of the cars themselves."

Methodology: Insure.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to provide average auto insurance rates for 2014 models. Averages were calculated using data from six large carriers (Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, Nationwide, Progressive and State Farm) in 10 ZIP codes per state. Not all models were available, especially exotic cars. More than 850 models are included in the 2014 study. Averages are based on full coverage for a single 40-year-old male who commutes 12 miles to work each day, with policy limits of 100/300/50 ($100,000 for injury liability for one person, $300,000 for all injuries and $50,000 for property damage in an accident) and a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage. This hypothetical driver has a clean record and good credit. The rate includes uninsured motorist coverage. Average rates are for comparative purposes. Your own rate will depend on personal factors.

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7 ways cheap car insurance can backfire

| By Barbara Marquand, Insurance.com

When it comes to auto insurance, sometimes you get what you pay for -- and if you're not paying a lot, you might regret it.

Everybody wants lower car insurance rates, but you could wind up sorry if you shop by price alone.

Skimping on coverage can leave you financially exposed and wishing you had spent more for better protection and service.

"Don't shortchange yourself," says Anna Molin, an independent insurance agent with Huntington & Wheatsworth in Towaco, N.J. "In the long run, it's not worth it, and it's really not that much more to get something decent."

That doesn't mean you ignore price. But when comparing car insurance quotes and policies, make sure you compare apples to apples.

"People think they're comparing apples to apples, but sometimes those apples are rotten," says Addison Gardner, owner of The Gardner Insurance Group in Oklahoma City.

Here are seven ways cheap car insurance can backfire:

Most states require you to have liability insurance, but the minimum amounts you have to buy are low.

California's minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 were set in 1967, says Tully Lehman, a spokesperson for the Insurance Information Network of California. (That's $15,000 per person for bodily injury liability, $30,000 for bodily injury per accident and $5,000 for property damage.)

"You can exceed that $5,000 limit very quickly," he says. "The same goes for bodily injury."

Once the limits are exceeded, you're on the hook for paying damage or injuries you cause, and accident victims can sue you for your assets.

Gardner says he runs into a lot of consumers who got sold a cheap policy and were told they had "full coverage." But actually they had only the bare-minimum liability insurance with some collision and comprehensive coverage.

"If you own a $200,000 house and you hit someone with a $100,000 Mercedes, guess where the lawyers are going to dip to get the money?" he says.

Raising the deductible on collision and comprehensive insurance is one way to lower premiums, and it's preferable to forgoing collision and comprehensive altogether if you have a car with some value, Molin says.

But don't raise the deductible so high that you can't afford to pay it when your car needs repairs.

In some states, some non-standard car insurance policies contain exclusions in the fine print, says Penny Gusner, consumer analyst for CarInsurance.com. These are policies promoted as cheap coverage for risky drivers.

For instance, unlike most standard policies, some no-frills policies don't extend coverage to rental cars, and they don't automatically extend coverage to a new car when you replace your vehicle. (With a standard policy, your current insurance typically extends to a replacement vehicle, although you're required to notify your insurer within a certain timeframe, usually 14 to 30 days, after buying a car.)

With a cheap policy you might get dinged harder for minor violations or accidents than you would with other policies, Gusner says. That means you'll pay higher premiums at renewal time, and the cheap policy might end up costing you more in the long run.

Check out the reputation of an insurance company before buying. Many state insurance departments post information about complaints against insurance companies.

"Ask yourself if the company is going to have your best interests at heart when it comes time to file a claim," says Lehman.

Molin says beware of companies you've never heard of.

Options like rental car reimbursement and emergency roadside service don't cost that much, but they can come in awfully handy. Rental car reimbursement pays for a rental car while your vehicle is in the shop after a covered accident. Emergency roadside service pays for towing and service if your car breaks down or you lock yourself out.

James Kuryak, principal of Niagara National Insurance in Buffalo, N.Y., says too often customers who buy a healthy amount of liability insurance to protect their assets skimp on uninsured motorist coverage. This insurance covers you, the insured members of your household and passengers for injuries or death when an uninsured or hit-and-run driver causes an accident. Kuryak recommends bumping up uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to the limits of your liability insurance.

He also suggests increasing personal injury protection insurance if you're in a no-fault state and you routinely shuttle around a lot of passengers, such as your kids' friends to soccer practice or school.

Overall, Kuryak says, review your car insurance coverage periodically to make sure it's sufficient for your life situation today.

"At the time of an accident no one thinks about what they paid for insurance anymore," he says. "It's all about what coverage you have."

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These countries offer the most auto insurance discounts

In addition to the monthly payment, property is the "cost" usually with vehicle fuel. However, people often forget their vehicle over the cost of the insurance. Most importantly, it seems, as each insurance company advertises the discounts they offer, but if discounts are looking it seems it is, where you live, rather than what company you use.

Residents of Connecticut, Indiana, Missouri and Wisconsin will enjoy more discounts than any other State. Each of them has the potential to the save more than 32 percent of the time, according to a survey by Insure.com.

While the tourist ports such as Hawaii and North Carolina are famous for the holiday destinations, will not the same recognition as insurance they deserve oases as they at last among the 50 States and Washington, D.C. came the lowest number provide the available discounts.

The study analyzed 49 discounts in each State for several big auto insurers, collecting data on 24.988 possible discounts nationwide availability and potential savings.

"The right discount can hundreds of dollars from your auto insurance bill, knock," said Amy Danise, editor of Insure.com.

"But some may not acquisitions switch value." Drivers should take also into account that an insurer offer a great discount could have also a high base rate. This means that you might save less than expected."

The largest discount of the many available was the "good student" discount for drivers, the younger than 25 years old. Marital status and low annual mileage also ranked highest for average savings. But the amounts vary, with some car insurance savings topping offer 25 percent, while other single-digit savings offer for the same discount. The good student discount the average savings of 16 percent.

State rankings: Availability of 49 common discounts
Rank State Discounts
1 Missouri 33.10%
2 Connecticut 32.60%
3 Indiana 32.30%
4 Wisconsin 32.10%
5 Iowa 31.70%
6 Kansas 31.30%
7 Oklahoma 31.10%
8 Nebraska 30.20%
9 Pennsylvania 30.10%
10 Kentucky 30.10%

Ironically his student drivers, who tend to have to go the highest insurance premiums with these great discounts. Studies show that drivers under 20 years of age three times more frequently involved in a fatal accident to be according to the Insurance Institute for highway safety. The mortality rate is current data, after a decade of decline to.

Male teenagers are likely to be a higher penalty premium than paying female, but the prices vary depending on where you live. A teen driver will improve the family car insurance premiums by an average of 116 percent in Arkansas, but only 18 percent in Hawaii.

Parents and teens can take to reduce the likelihood of tickets and accidents, and lower insurance costs. The steps range from course to take a defensive driving the young motorist drives a car with safety features such as antilock braking system.

On average, the InsuranceQuotes survey of 10 insurance companies was that the average annual premium will rise 84 percent, if a teen driver is added, as a penalty of $2,000. But the exact figure varies depending on the age, gender and geography.

A 16-year-old causes, that the typical premium to 99 percent go a number that dips to 90 percent for a 17-year-old, 82 percent for a driver for someone 18 and 65 per cent in the age of 199.

The average male teen drivers is the family, with a 96 percent rise in car insurance premiums sock, while women means that premiums will rise a modest 72 percent.

The student discount was not only the largest, but also there was mostly: 77 percent of the time. Additional breaks policy (68 percent), payment (46 percent), marital status (41 percent), additional drivers came training (41 percent) and vehicle use (40 percent) for a simultaneous home owners.

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Only 32% of motorists know car insurance basics

Paul A. Eisenstein, the Detroit Bureau - 3 days

Do you know the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage? What is gap insurance for? And you know who pays will be if a friend borrows your car and then it crashes?

If you're like most American motorists, chances are that you can not answer those or others are relatively basic questions about your coverage, what might call auto insurance 101. A multiple choice survey of 500 driver, which headed by Insurance.com found that the average score a miserable 32%, and although higher than 39 for sex, age and region, accounting, no group generated %.

"Driver its policy can see as blah," said Michelle Megna Insurance.com editor. "her eyes move over the words, but there is no understanding."

Ironically, who admitted, scored a "terrible" level of knowledge about self-insurance higher than those, which are rated "excellent", 28% rated up to 26%. The self ranked as "good" in General scored best at 34%.

Even the overall weak performance suggests that motorists are likely to make some significant errors, if it before time for insurance coverage, especially if it over the increasingly frequent way work walking an online service that can offer not the guidance of a trained agent.

The quiz questions ten fundamentals of auto insurance. The lowest scores reflected a lack of knowledge about:

Select the right comprehensive coverage, only 2% multiple choice answer.
Only 7% did the typical discounts for motorists; and
The factors, only 8% use insurance to understand sentences.

On the positive side:

All 71 percent know their insurance in the contact is, if a friend borrows your car and then it crashes.
And 69% know what covers personal injuries the medical payment;
Just over half, white 55%, which gap insurance will cover, if a car is fraud.

Part of the problem, said Megna, is the choice of terms to use the insurance companies. Take so-called "nationwide". It takes such things as theft, fire, vandalism or striking an animal while driving. But it does not cover, colliding with another car. This is part of your collision coverage.

The Detroit Bureau: Edsel designer dies. Sure, the car was better than his reviews

"His name is unfortunately quite misleading - it is not"comprehensive"enough - clearly leads to confusion among car insurance buyers,", Megna said.

Drivers over 40 scored leader which in the South is the best on the survey, an average of 39%, men, 35% to 27%, and by region, compared to only 24% among those in the age from 18 to 29 women outscored 34%, compared to only 29% among those living in the Northeast.

Perhaps the most terrifying part of the study? The lowest, only 28% transformed those who have read their policy from the front to rear. Apollo flight skim milk, by slightly better - but who the highest score an average 35%-nie disturbed got to read the policy.

Copyright © 2009-2013, the Detroit Bureau

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'Good drivers' pay more for insurance, study often

By Kraut white tree, today registered users
If you believe that you display, good drivers will receive the best insurance rates. But a new study shows auto insurance companies often good drivers require higher premiums than those who caused an accident recently. And it seems from this research that the safe driver, the more numbers often lower income.

How could this happen?

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA), which conducted the study, says that this reflects a common practice in the insurance industry with factors such as education and profession, interest-rate risk.

A CFA survey in 2012 showed that two-thirds of Americans believed taking into account these factors, but driving story was unfair.

Stephen Brobeck, Executive Director of CFA, this is called a "discriminatory practice", which auslost-prices for low- and moderate-income drivers.

The industry rejects any notion that it will be disadvantaged in any way.

"The policies we offer fair in all respects, are," said Michael Barry, Vice President media relations at the insurance information Institute.

How to measure CFA marketplace
The CFA guidelines for two hypothetical customers price: high school receptionist and Manager. Both women were 30 years old, driven for 10 years had lived on the same street in the same zip code with medium income.

But there were important differences.

The reception is single, rents an apartment. She was never an accident or moving violation, but she was without insurance coverage for 45 days.

The Executive Branch is married to homeowners with a master's degree. Your car insurance policy has never expire. But she had an accident on errors with $800 damage within the last three years.

CFA scientists visited sites of the five largest U.S. car insurance - state farm, Allstate, GEICO, farmers and progressive - in search of the minimum liability coverage required by this State. This was for both women in 12 cities.

As a result, two-thirds of the 60 citations were for the Executive Branch (which had an accident) as for the receptionist (had), less often by at least 25 percent.

The insurance information Institute asks whether the test was fair, because the receptionist had a break in insurance and this could be seen as a risk factor. The Consumer Federation of America says the receptionist had no car for 45 days and therefore needed no insurance. Questions that make your car more risky, they?

Why is this happening?
Insurance companies hold a variety of factors determine the risk they represent and the price they should charge if you apply for an auto policy. All agree that your age, gender, type of vehicle and driving history can help to predict the probability that you will have an accident.

However, insurance underwriters should your education, career, or in some cases, your credit score? What have these social and economic factors, to do with your ability, a safe driver?

"These factors was found, that possibilities be insurance statistically solid risk assessment," said Michael Barry, Vice President media relations at the insurance information Institute. "And before they are ever used, these rating criteria are tested, State insurance regulators who have allowed them."

CFA says it's not fair for someone who get a better rate, simply because they have more education and more income.

"Our concern is that these factors are not proved, There is no logical reason to explain why they should work, '' said Robert Hunter, CFAs Director of insurance and former Texas Insurance Commissioner. "The insurance companies say there is a link, and that's all what you need."

Some insurance companies consider your credit scores now, if you set your premiums. Not too good with Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, sit, which calls the practice "blatantly unfair" way to assess the risk.

"I think it's terrible," me Kreidler. "Do you use a credit score in this economy? You have people who have no fault ultimately with less quality credit and yet drivers are still responsible. You should not pay more for auto insurance because of that."

Not in the Sunshine state
The California Insurance Department decides what reviews are factors of car insurers car pricing. Education, not to look at work and credit scores.

"We want criteria that have a relationship to the risk of loss," said Joel Laucher, California Deputy Insurance Commissioner for tariff regulation.

"You want something, that is fair and quite intuitive, so that people understand why there was a difference in price." "It should be something the driver can control and realize, how they change their behavior to improve their rate can be."

Massachusetts restricts the use of socio-economic factors for private car insurance.

"A determination was made that to drive insurance an individual car must listen more closely", said Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Joe Murphy.

The bottom line
There are many insurance companies for your company in the competition. Prices are very different.

A good start is your insurance Department Web site. Find a comparison chart that lists the prices in your area for various hypothetical clients. It is an easy way to see how the different insurance companies to compare, and where you go, would like to receive an offer.

(Find a link to your insurance Department at: National Association of Insurance Commissioners.)

Receive offers from an independent agent who represents several companies or go online and do it yourself sites such as InsWeb, NetQuote, InsuranceHotline, InsuranceQuotes, financial response. Expect no immediate offer from these pages. In most cases you won't find agents be contacted for your company.

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Sandy is discussed on car insurance experts suggest.

Paul A. Eisenstein, NBC News contribution
If Superstorm Sandy smash New York coast two weeks ago in the Metro, NJ devastated everything in its path from the houses on Staten Iceland, the roller coaster on the Boardwalk of Seaside Heights, the winds and waves.

Were caught in the deluge, tens and perhaps hundreds of thousands of cars. Some came from flooded Manhattan garages float. The roofs of others could barely submerged shipping are seen at the port near the city of Newark. Still more were thrown and rolled in communities such as Atlantic City, Breezy Point and sea bright, amid the wreckage of homes, boats and businesses wrapped up.

Just how many vehicles in the disaster are captured, remains to be seen, and the count can take months. Billions to the total damage could it from what to expect will add to one of the most expensive storms ever to strike of the United States - but experts are already discussed whether Sandys car toll come anywhere near what those was seen in other recent disasters, in the 2005 hurricane Katrina.

A preliminary estimate by the National Automobile Dealers Association suggests the tally could reach 250,000 vehicles, were significantly lower than the 600,000 experts say Katrina claims. But preliminary data suggest the damage may be far less than initially feared - a speedy review of data by the associated press search of claims only 31,000 with four major insurance companies, the New York region from late last week submitted the.

"It's not anything near what we're talking about the Katrina situation," said James Appleton, President of the New Jersey coalition of automotive retailers, AP.

The Coalition is about 500 N.J. dealers, but there are more than 1,500 showrooms in the NY TriState region. And including the shipping Portal are the busiest for car manufacturers on the East coast near the city of Newark, Port Elizabeth,.

"We had nearly 5,000 cars in Port Elizabeth, N.J., and a little more than 1,000 more cars in dealer has up and down the East Coast, which are not for sale and must be destroyed", said Dave Reuter, head of U.S. spokesman for Nissan. "Naturally, there customers cars that were damaged, too, but will take it to determine how many."

More than a dozen Fisker Karma plug-in-hybrids and with at least a Toyota Prius hybrid caught, while the flooding fire, a problem now believed to short-circuit out of salt water caused by batteries of vehicles. Fisker reported around 320 of its new model were due to flooding, lost everything in everything in Port Elizabeth. A further 4,000 Toyota and Lexus models were now also in the shipping center on the outskirts of Newark, waiting for the delivery to the dealer. All in all were lost an estimated 14,000 new vehicles in New York area ports.

Automakers are likely to avoid scrap most or all these vehicles, later with problems they should unexpected flood problems to develop. Industry officials warn that it is, were possible to dry a car submerged every vehicle, its engine and other mechanical main components, probably later learns problems, whether premature corrosion, faulty electrical and electronic systems or simply musty odors and mold, which can not be curbed.

The concern is that dealers and consumers, not can try especially those whose losses caused are covered by insurance to repair their vehicles and push them back into the market.

"A car, with the engine under water for a long time in a flood was never the same", said Carl Sullivan, who has experience of vehicles to the destination, almost two decades a California-based team of car inspectors check.

Insurance insurance therefore are related crime, including the resale of vehicles, to write off the insurance companies after storms so far fewer claims than at the same time, logging after Katrina, the title according to the national insurance Crime Bureau show.

But experts warn that it is weeks before the full extent of the damage - in many cases is known as car dealers and vehicle owners are still struggling with more serious topics such as the destruction of the homes or businesses could be, even months. In many parts of the affected coastline, it is quite possible that any homeowner, choose experience from the storm only to a house under water or wind damaged sit one had or more vehicles are also affected.

Experts such as target of the Sullivan warn that the problem finally used could reach impact car buyers away from the storm. Note that fraudsters junked vehicles take minimal repairs, make and they then move to the country, register them in States where washing off their title notations such as "Junked" or "Flooded" register.

Sullivan said that it is difficult to detect a flood damaged vehicle may be; Once, he found only by a few dead fish to discover hidden under a seat. But he suggested several important steps, such as:

In search of water or condensation in the headlights or taillights.

Mud in the seat belt latch or seat track.
Water in the trunk.
Corrosion in unusual places, such as on the top of the shock towers.
A musty smell or mold.
Buyers can also be affected when in fact, destroyed "Worst Case" meet the number of vehicles by Sandy forecasts prove. Used car that have executed prices at or near record levels in recent months. That is in large part due to the low sales of new vehicles during the recession led to a lack of relatively new, "previously owned" vehicles.

A burst of demand in the coming months could mean that "We can see anything from $200 to $600 in higher prices for good" "depending on", how much is needed, cautioned Ricky Beggs, editor in Chief of the black book used car, vehicle prices are tracked.

He expects strong demand for pickups and vans, in the coming months come as replace contractors not only damaged vehicles, but add to their fleets, to the mammoth task help new take over much of the mid-Atlantic coast.

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Always safer, insurance group says small cars

DETROIT - small cars are safer than more models than ever that deserve top always crash tests from the insurance industry.

The Insurance Institute for highway safety Thursday, that 6 of the 13 small cars it last tested top safety picks are. Focus and Honda Civic and the 2011 include the 2012 Ford Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Juke Lexus CT 200 h and Toyota Prius.

If these cars are combined with other previously tested - including the electric Nissan leaf and Chevrolet deserves Volt - a total 22 the Institute top score.

This is a big change from model year 2006, when top safety rating, earned only three small cars even though this review was less strict than it is today. In 1997, when the Institute first small cars over a 40-mile per hour frontal test laid, none of the 11 earns a top rating.

"Every time we have introduced a new test automakers have intensified and improved designs,", David Zuby, the Institute said chief research officer. Zuby said that companies stronger materials and better design to use the power of crashes from manage.

A top safety pick, cars have the highest rating in frontal - earn - and back side-impact of crash tests and check roof. You need to prevent electronic stability control as an available option to rollover accidents.

The strength test of roof that simulates what would happen to the roof when the car rolled over, stumbled to several cars in this round of testing. The 2011 Honda CR-Z, Honda insight, Nissan versa, Nissan Sentra, Suzuki SX4 and Dodge Caliber has lower ratings for roof strength. Scion xD got a lower rating in the frontal crash test.

Zuby said that the Hyundai Elantra performance shows how much vehicle design has improved. In 2001, the Elantra received the lowest scores for frontal impact protection. Among his problems was the air bag deployed late. Until 2006 it was still bad, the lowest score in the side crash test, earn working although it side airbags. But the Elantra 2011, which went on sale a few months ago, aced every test and now has standard stability control.

Zuby warned that larger and heavier vehicles are inmates protect always better than small. He said, that is, why it is particularly important for manufacturers to make small cars such as crash-proof as possible.

Copyright 2011, the associated press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

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ConsumerMan: auto insurance myths

No one may buy it, auto insurance. It is complicated. It is expensive. And understand how to determine the premiums? Maybe that's why it is so much disinformation about insurance coverage and prices.

The not-for profit insurance information Institute helped me to fight five common car insurance myths:

Myth 1: Red car cost to insure more
If you think the owner of the red cars drive more aggressively and buy more acceleration, this would make sense. But there is no data to back that up.

"Frankly, it doesn't matter whether the car is red or green or purple," said Loretta Worters, Vice President of the insurance information Institute.

Insurers are not concerned about color and law enforcement is.

"We look at behavior, not look," said Bob Calkins, a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol. "We not people profile, and we not cars profile."

Insurance companies interested in the type of vehicle, you, including the brand, model, drive sticker price, engine size and year. Is it popular with thieves? Is it more expensive to repair? It is a good safety record have?

It seems correlation between vehicle model and the probability that a ticket be traffic. A new study of quality planning (a San Francisco based analytics company, that car works with insurers) found that drivers often are more flashy cars aggressive and therefore a greater risk.

Based on this study drivers of Mercedes-Benz SL-class are convertible four times more likely, to be called for a moving violation than the average driver. Quality planning a list of the top ten "spirited vehicles" Toyota Camry Solara Coupe,'s Scion TC Coupe and the Hummer H2/H3 SUV.

Other factors that go into determining your premium: how many miles you drive each year if you drive, where you go, and if you've had previous accidents. Today is also your credit history. Insurance companies say that their data show that people with a good credit history less likely a claim.

Myth 2: Mature drivers pay more for car insurance
Life insurance increases with age, but not necessarily auto insurance. In fact, it is often the opposite.

Many drivers, the 55 or older receive reduced - up to 10 percent for three years - their prices if they use one accident prevention course successfully completed.

"Insurance companies consider these tires driving courses and find it a good thing to be," Loretta Worters said. "It helps to update an older driver and they stay sharp and it is safe on the road."

Contact your insurance agent find defensive driving courses, which by your insurer. If you are retired or no longer work full time, see if you qualify for a discount based on less drive qualify.

Myth 3: The insurance covers damage to your car 
It works in this way. Liability insurance (required in a State) covers you if you damage someone hurting or their property. Comprehensive and collision coverage, you protect your vehicle. Therefore, this is always optional coverage. Note: It may be required by the lender when you lease or loan have car.

If you want to fully protect your vehicle for all types of damage, you have to collision and comprehensive coverage to purchase. But many people with older cars sometimes drop these coverages to save money.

"The vehicle is in the value of less than a thousand dollars or less than 10 times the premium payable, purchase this optional coverage may be not cost-effective," said ducks.

Myth 4: Soldiers pay more for insurance
In fact, it is the opposite. Members of the military (no matter what branch) qualify for a discount on their auto insurance. In most cases, you must document your rank and how long you are served.

"Many insurers offer also discounts for former members of the military and their families," said ducks. "It is so to examine a good thing for military families."

Myth 5: Your policy covers you if you drive the car for business
Personal auto insurance protects you if you are self service-commercial facilities- and use your vehicle for business purposes.

Many young people, the pizza delivery jobs take white, for example, not so if you no employee of the restaurant pizza, you not by the company insurance policy are covered. If you have an accident during a delivery and you are on your own. Your personal insurance is most likely deny claims.

 

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