Buying a car involves a number of costs other than the actual purchase price of the car. One such cost is car insurance. Often people do not consider the cost of insurance when they are searching for a car. Many people do not realize that the price of car insurance will vary from car to car. Because car insurance can be expensive, it is important to understand why it is expensive to insure some cars over others as it can affect the price one pays by hundreds of dollars.

The type of car that you drive affects the price you will pay for insurance. Rates are based on a particular car’s make and model. A car with a low loss history will be cheaper to insure. For instance, if you purchase a brand new car that has no record of accident and other damage claims, the rate you pay will usually be based on the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. Then rates will be adjusted on loss history over time

Insurers will also asses such features as horsepower-to-weight ratio and adjust the insurance rate accordingly. The more high performance cars will tend to have higher premiums. As well, the car’s history of vehicle safety will affect premiums. Cars with a good record of safety will have lower insurance rates. This is why larger cars and minivans tends to be one of the most least-expensive vehicles to insure. The car repair history, the safety record of the car such as the number of instances of accidents, and size of the car, all are assessed when determining the premiums one will pay.

One of the least expensive cars to insure is the Smart fortwo which is made by Mercedes-Benz. This small two door coupe comes with 71 horsepower engine and has a fuel economy range of 33 mpg in the city. It also has a low collision loss record. The 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe is another car that is cheap to insure. The Highway Loss Data Institute notes that the Santa Fe has a low record of comprehensive insurance loss and low personal injury and collision protection insurance claims.

The following are a list of a few of the least expensive cars to insure: Hyundai Entourage, Hyundai Santa Fe, $832 , Saturn VUE, $911, Chrysler Town and Country, $915, Smart Fortwo, $881, Honda Odyssey, Mazda Tribute, $913, $871, Kia Rio5, $870, Kia Sportage, $840, and Kia Sedona, $857.

Other cheap cars to insure include: GMC Safari, Chrysler PT Cruiser 4dr Wagon, Pontiac Solstice, Pontiac Sunfire 2dr Coupe, Volvo S40 4dr Sedan, Honda Civic, Buick LeSabre, GMC Safari SLE AWD 3dr Minivan, Dodge Caravan SE 4dr Minivan, Ford Taurus (station wagon), Buick Century Special Edition 4dr Sedan, Dakota Quad Cab, Saab 38600 Linear 2.3t 4dr Sport Wagon, Volvo XC90, Saturn L300 1 4dr Sedan, Jeep Liberty Sport 4WD 4dr SUV, and Pontiac Montana.

In this troubled economy, we can all benefit from saving extra cash. If you are on a tight budget and are looking for a new vehicle, choosing a car that has low insurance premiums can save you hundreds of dollars a year.