You hear a lot about the latest safety features on vehicles when you are shopping for a new vehicle. While they sound interesting and may even help reduce the likelihood of a crash or the severity of impact, not all of them actually help reduce your auto insurance premiums.

Why?

Safety features and car insurance

Some new safety technology hasn’t been tested adequately to tell if it really reduces the number of collisions or the cost of claims associated with that vehicle. Most insurance companies are not going to offer discounts for something that hasn’t been tried and tested . So, when you are shopping around for a new vehicle, you’ll want to select the features that actually do make a difference.

Here are some examples:

  • Air bags: While they’re standard on all vehicles made today, they aren’t all the same. Some models only have six while others include eight or even 10 air bags.
  • Anti-lock brakes: Not all companies provide insurance discounts for antilock brakes since they’re standard on many vehicles, but some states do require insurance companies to offer a small discount.
  • Engine immobilisers: This is a newer type of technology that’s been proven to work against vehicle theft. It locks the engine so it can’t be started without the key, reducing the chance of someone hot wiring it.
  • Anti-theft alarms: Some anti-theft alarms come factory-installed and others can be added after purchase. Generally, you’ll get the biggest discount on auto insurance with the automatic ones that don’t require the driver to set them.
  • VIN tracing: Some manufacturers will offer packages that help prevent theft by entering your VIN into a system. It could also be etched onto your window or bumper, which lessens the likelihood that thieves will pick your vehicle to steal.

What About Modern Safety Features?

In most cases, modern safety features added do provide some safety benefits. However, it just may not be reflected in your auto insurance rates. Some features will be recognized as essential, like with the rear backup camera that will soon be standard on most vehicles.

Any time you can find the vehicle you want with the extra safety features, it is a good buy. Just know that not all of those features will reduce your car insurance costs the same way. If you want to know where to look for saving more money, ask your insurance agent what discounts they offer.