Often we are so excited about owning a sports car, but there are many factors to consider when making such a purchase.

1. Presented By
You have got to read this…..
The Awful Truth About Buying A Sports Car
Starr Auto Rentals

2. How much is my insurance?
You’ve just bought a sleek
new car that looks as good
with you behind the wheel as
it does just sitting in your
driveway. To protect your
new baby, you call your
insurance agent to tell him
the good news.
Unfortunately, he tells you his
bad news…your car
insurance premiums are
about to go up dramatically
because you’ve just bought
a sports car.
No way…a Corvette, a
Porsche…those are sports
cars.

3. Reality Check
Well, true as that may be, your agent tells you by their definition, your new car is a sports car.
And, with that, you can expect to pay more for insurance.
If it’s any consolation, you’re not alone. A lot of people buy a new car before talking to their
agent and then find out it’s considered a sports car.
While each insurer might differ slightly, as a whole, the car insurance industry’s broad
description of what is considered a sports car, tends to make the price of the car secondary
to the sticker shock when the premiums come due. Using a computation based system for
classifying cars, insurance companies take various factors into consideration including:

4. Okay…. Now What?

5. 5 Factors Insurance Companies Consider
1. Engine size - Also, sometimes referred to as displacement, sports cars usually have more
powerful engines. It’s not necessarily the overall visual size of the engine that counts, as
smaller 4 and 6-cylinder engines are rated higher due to their high horsepower per cubic
inch.
2. Body size and style - Because most sports cars are smaller and have two doors, this
vague description by insurance company standards puts a large percentage of
American and foreign cars in the sports car category even though they are not.

6. Safety
3. Safety features - Getting past the size distinction that smaller cars equal sports cars, in this
case, it’s the lack of added safety features, such as multiple airbags and wider crumple
zones. Specifically designed to absorb most of the impact in a crash, crumple zones
minimize the force transmitted to the driver and passenger. For this reason, sports cars are
considered to be a higher risk.

7. Convertible
4. Convertible - Often, when you think of a sports car, you think of a convertible. Of course,
that’s ignoring the fact that sports cars are also available in a coupe version (hardtop
version). Not all convertibles are sports cars…and, not all sports cars are convertibles.

8. Color
5. Color - Just thought we’d throw this one in to dispel any notion you had or you’d heard
over the years that color matters in defining a sports car. It doesn’t. Red won’t make your car
any more a sports car than black, blue or pistachio green. This myth has absolutely no
bearing on your insurance premiums…what you drive does.

9. Cross-over Features Can Become an Expense
Apparently, many insurance companies are now determining the status of
your car as a sports car by accessing your vehicle identification number (VIN)
to see if it has related features.
The problem is, as a result of today’s diverse options and available cross-over
features that are shared by other cars as well, the difference between a
sports car and non-sports car is a bit hazy.

10. Vehicle Identification Numbers
Apparently, many insurance companies are now determining the status of your car as a
sports car by accessing your vehicle identification number (VIN) to see if it has related
features.
The problem is, as a result of today’s diverse options and available cross-over features that
are shared by other cars as well, the difference between a sports car and non-sports car is a
bit hazy.

11. Age Matters
One factor is clear – age
matters. If you’re a
mature driver and just
bought a sports car, you
can count on your rates
going up, but not as
much as a younger
driver‘s premiums.

12. Be Prepared
Regardless of your driving record, a high performance sports car in the hands of a 21 year-
old is a proven concern for insurance companies. So, be prepared for your agent to present
you with a matching high risk auto insurance policy.

13. Call Starr Auto Rentals Today
 8964 National Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90034
 (310) 733-6201
 info@starrautorentals.com