Cheap car insurance news -
03/08/2009
Young drivers of hybrids won't always get great deals
If an inexperienced motorist is looking for a good deal on their car insurance for young drivers, they may be tempted to get hold of a hybrid powered car in an attempt to also save money on fuel.
However, a recent American survey from San Francisco Quality Planning suggests that the driving habits of hybrid owners may soon prevent them from obtaining cheap motor cover.
The survey asked 360,000 drivers in 2007-2008 about their driving habits and came up with some surprising data regarding the owners of supposedly 'green'' cars.
Firstly - as would probably be expected from those choosing fuel efficient cars - owners of hybrid models covered an average of 2,000 more miles a year in recreational driving, but the study also revealed that hybrid owners got more penalty tickets than drivers of conventionally fuelled vehicles - Prius owners received 38 tickets for every 100,000 miles driven, whereas petrol and diesel fuelled car owners received 23 tickets per 100,000 miles.
And when you combine all this with the fact that, in the event of an insurance claim, a hybrid is probably going to cost more to repair because of the unconventional powertrains used it would appear that car insurance providers may end up out of pocket.
A spokesman for Hoot, specialist providers of car insurance for young drivers, commented, "As always, in order to get the cheapest renewal policy quote, we suggest driving safely for a year, meaning no accidents or claims, and choosing a car with a small engine and plenty of safety devices."
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