Does Car Color Affect My Insurance Rates?

Picking out the red option for your next vehicle won’t impact your insurance rates, as car color isn’t a factor insurance companies take into consideration when underwriting. Despite myths about certain colors having higher rates, car color choices indirectly affect insurance — for example, by adding value through custom paint jobs or by making a car more expensive due to a more in-demand color option.

Read on to learn when car color may affect insurance rates, why it typically doesn’t and what factors are normally considered when determining your premiums.

On This Page

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  Are Certain Car Colors Cheaper To Insure?

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  When Does Car Color Affect Insurance Rates?

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  Do I Need To Tell My Insurance if I Change the Color of My Car?

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  Where Does the Myth That Car Colors Impact Insurance Come From?

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  What Car Colors Are the Most Popular in the U.S.?

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  Factors That Actually Affect Car Insurance Rates

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  FAQs

Are Certain Car Colors Cheaper To Insure?

Car colors typically won’t directly impact your auto insurance rates, but some colors may indirectly raise prices. For example, white or black cars are in greater demand than other colors, so they often command higher prices. Since a car’s value is a factor that insurance companies consider, as it results in a higher repair cost after an accident, a car in higher-demand colors could lead to higher car insurance costs if you have physical damage insurance coverage.^[1]

When Does Car Color Affect Insurance Rates?

Car color doesn’t directly affect insurance rates and isn’t even something most auto insurance companies will ask about.^[2] Generally, insurance companies focus on risk factors when assessing a claim, and car color isn’t one of them. However, changing your car’s color after the fact could affect your insurance, as we’ll discuss more below.

Will My Insurance Go Up if I Paint My Car?

Custom paint jobs, which are done aftermarket, could result in an increase in your insurance premiums. Custom paint jobs add to the car's total value, so if you get into an accident or your car is damaged by a falling tree branch, repairing the paint job would cost extra.

This increases your claims amount, which typically results in higher rates to offset the coverage.^[1] However, the amount these modifications increase your premiums by shouldn’t be too substantial.^[3]

Should I Avoid Any Specific Car Color?

While it won’t affect your insurance, choosing a popular car color could make it more attractive to thieves who might resell it. Additionally, more muted colors may be less noticeable, which could increase the risk of theft.^[1] Ensuring you have comprehensive coverage to protect against theft may help offer more peace of mind when choosing a car color that’s most appealing to you.

Do I Need To Tell My Insurance if I Change the Color of My Car?

You should inform your insurance company if you decide to get a custom paint job to change your car’s color, as it will affect your car's value. Without informing them, your insurance company will only cover claims for a car in the condition it was purchased in, meaning you wouldn’t be reimbursed for the amount you put into the paint job.

Some insurers will increase your premium to reflect the added value of your car. However, depending on your insurer, you may need to purchase a custom parts and equipment (CPE) policy — either as a separate policy or as an endorsement — that extends physical damage coverage to include the value of any modifications, including a new paint job.^[2]

Where Does the Myth That Car Colors Impact Insurance Come From?

Nearly half of Americans believe that driving a bright red car leads to higher insurance rates, possibly because they think it makes them more likely to be driven aggressively or pulled over more often.^[3] This might result in a higher rate of accidents and moving violations that would increase rates — if this myth were true. In reality, this myth is likely psychological: brighter colors tend to be more noticeable and may make people remember seeing accidents or cars pulled over more than a standard black or beige car.^[2]

Brighter colored cars may attract drivers who prefer faster vehicles, as sports car owners often choose red. This could give the impression that red cars drive faster, which could imply a higher rate of accidents or speeding tickets. However, it's the performance of the car make and model, along with whether or not you maintain a clean driving record, that ultimately affects rates — not the car’s color.^[3]

Similarly, this myth could stem from the idea that brighter-colored cars stand out more and are therefore easier targets for thieves. However, thieves typically target cars in the most popular colors because those colors tend to fetch higher resale values. This typically won’t affect your rates, as cars with higher values already carry higher insurance premiums.^[4]

Cars that are red or yellow may even deter thieves, as these colors are more noticeable, and a passerby may more easily catch a thief in the act.^[4]

What Car Colors Are the Most Popular in the U.S.?

White, black and gray cars make up the large majority of car colors in the U.S., accounting for roughly 67% of all vehicles.

Below are the most popular car colors nationwide:^[5]

Factors That Actually Affect Car Insurance Rates

While color typically won’t make much of a difference when your car insurance company is determining your rates, plenty of other factors will. Some of these factors can include:^[6][7][8]

• Location
• Driving record, including any history of car accidents or moving violations
• Annual mileage
• Policy details, such as coverage types, limits and deductibles
• Age
• Gender
• Car make and model
• Marital status
• Car insurance discounts
• Credit-based insurance score