2012 Consumer Guide to Automobile Insurance

Rating Basis for Physical Damage Coverages

Premiums charged for physical damage coverages (collision and comprehensive) are based on the estimated cost of future claims for damage to, or loss of, the vehicle. Accordingly, higher-priced cars generally cost more to insure. In addition, repair cost, theft record, and the nature of damage a particular vehicle may incur in a crash impact the cost of insuring a particular vehicle. For example, vehicle A, which might be more expensive than vehicle B, may cost less to insure if it has a record of exhibiting less severe damage in crashes, or if it is stolen less frequently, when compared to vehicle B.

All new vehicles sold in New York State must have a "bumper-quality" sticker, specifying the maximum speed at which the vehicle would sustain no body damage and only minimal damage to the bumper and attachment hardware. This information can be useful, as vehicle damageability is a key factor in determining insurance costs.

Insurability will be higher, and physical damage insurance premiums will be lower, if your car has a good physical damage rating, relative to other makes and models. This rating reflects a car's strength and safety characteristics as well as its reparability and auto theft record.

Illustrations of the relative cost of insuring certain vehicles are set forth on the following page. This listing has been compiled from the Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO) Rating Symbol program, which may be utilized by many auto insurers in New York. In 2011, ISO revised its Rating Symbol program from a 27 Symbol program to a 75 Symbol program for 2011 and subsequent model vehicles. ISO also introduced, for 2011 and subsequent model vehicles, separate symbols for the collision and comprehensive coverages reflecting the differing loss experience between the two coverages. It should be noted that these collision and comprehensive symbols are subject to change periodically. Please also be aware that the following is only a sample listing of vehicles. In any case, you may wish to check with your insurance representative for an insurance cost quote on a particular vehicle before purchasing one.

Higher symbol numbers reflect greater claim cost and, therefore, higher premiums.

* ISO is the Insurance Services Office, Inc.

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