What car insurance discounts can I get with a Hybrid car?

The number of options available for consumers who want to purchase a Hybrid car or Hybrid SUV is rapidly growing, but these vehicles still cost much more than their gasoline-powered counterparts.

Due to the high sticker prices of hybrid cars, trucks, and SUVs, owners are looking for creative ways to save on the costs of ownership.

One way to accomplish this is to drive your hybrid vehicle with fuel economy in mind since many hybrids have computers that help you improve driving efficiency.

Hybrid car owners can, however, take advantage of some car insurance discounts owners of typical gas vehicles cannot.

Many car insurance companies offer discounts specifically for hybrid cars since studies show that Hybrid car owners tend to be lower risk, driving safer with a lower car accident risk.

Some car insurance companies offer an instant discount to drivers for simply owning a hybrid vehicle.

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Read this article to get details about car insurance for hybrid cars and how much you can save, and then enter your zip code in the box for personalized car insurance quotes.

View the top 10 Hybrid Cars in the USA

Top-ranked Hybrid Cars

According to U.S. News and World Report, the top-ranked hybrid cars on the market today are the Chevrolet Volt, the Ford Fusion Hybrid and the Toyota Prius.

The Prius has been dominant in the hybrid car category for the past few years, but 2011 brought increased competition to this category with the introduction of the critically acclaimed Volt and Fusion Hybrid.

Although the Volt is pricy with a starting MSRP of around $40,000, it offers a unique powertrain that allows the car to travel up to 50 miles without using any gasoline.

Reviewers like Edmunds and Car and Driver also applaud the car’s stylish design and strong performance for a hybrid vehicle.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid is a bit more economical, with a starting price of just over $28,000, and it was selected as the 2010 North American Car of the Year. It offers better city fuel economy than the Volt at 41 mpg versus 35 mpg, but the Volt wins in highway fuel economy at 40 mpg versus 36 mpg for the Fusion.

The Toyota Prius beats both the Ford Fusion Hybrid and the Chevrolet Volt when it comes to fuel economy, getting 51 mpg in the city and 48 mpg on the highway.

With a sticker price starting at about $23,000, U.S. News and World Report also selected it as the “Best Hybrid Car for the Money.”

Top-ranked Hybrid SUVs

If you want to go green, but you still need a larger vehicle with plenty of power, there are a growing number of hybrid SUVs and trucks for you to choose from.

According to U.S. News and World Report, the top-ranked hybrid SUV for 2011 is the Lexus RX 450h. Its fuel economy is 32 miles per gallon in the city and 28 miles per gallon on the highway, which is exceptional for an SUV.

The Lexus easily bests the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and the GMC Yukon Hybrid in terms of fuel efficiency.

These two vehicles tied with the Toyota Highlander Hybrid for the #2 spot on the U.S. News and World Report ranking, and they make up for their lower fuel economy with greater hauling and towing capacity.

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid offers fuel economy similar to that delivered by the Lexus RX 450h, but at a much lower price.

The Highlander Hybrid starts at just over $37,000, but it is a bit less luxurious than the Lexus, and it does not have quite the towing capacity available from the Tahoe and Yukon hybrids.

Car Insurance Discounts for Hybrid Cars

Many drivers focus on the fuel savings offered by hybrid vehicles, and some also point to the tax breaks available to hybrid owners as a way to make hybrid ownership more economical.

However, few hybrid drivers are aware of the significant car insurance discounts they can receive for simply owning a hybrid car.

Hybrid Car Insurance Discounts from Travelers

Travelers Insurance is one of the companies that hybrid owners can look to for auto insurance rate reductions. The company offers a discount of up to 10% to hybrid car owners in some states.

According to the Travelers Insurance website, drivers do not need to buy multiple policies in order to qualify for the discount.

It’s also important to note that the hybrid car auto insurance discount offered by Travelers Insurance is not applied to the portions of car insurance coverage that protect against personal injury liability and uninsured motorists.

Hybrid Car Insurance Discounts from Farmers

Another company that is trying to attract hybrid car drivers with its discounts is Farmers Insurance.

Although the discount is not available in all states, potential customers can visit the Farmers Insurance website to find out if the Farmers hybrid car insurance discount is available in their area.

The discount is available to customers who insure vehicles with Farmers that are powered by electric, gasoline-electric, ethanol-only or methanol-only.

Customer Ratings for Travelers and Farmers

If you’re a hybrid car or SUV driver who’s thinking of switching to Travelers Insurance or Farmers Insurance to get the hybrid car insurance discount, it’s a good idea to research these companies’ customer satisfaction ratings first.

According to J.D. Power and Associates’ 2010 U.S. National Auto Insurance Study, both Travelers and Farmers ranked below the industry average in terms of overall customer satisfaction.

Travelers scored 768 out of 1,000 possible points on the customer satisfaction rating scale, which is a bit below the industry average of 777 points. With an overall score of 757 out of 1,000 points, Farmers ranked even lower, coming in 25th out of the 32 car insurance companies that were included in the survey.

To get personalized rate quotes for your hybrid car or SUV, enter your zip code in the box.

Use our FREE quote tool to compare auto insurance rates today!

Related posts:

1. Top 10 Hybrid Cars in the USA
2. Top 10 Hybrid SUVs in the USA
3. How much is car insurance for a Chevrolet Volt?
4. Travelers Auto Insurance Review
5. How much is car insurance for a Honda Insight?