I’m just wondering why hybrid cars and high tech cars get higher auto insurance premiums rates here in Idaho. Aren’t we supposed to give these cars extra credit because of their environment-friendly nature?

George

Boise, ID

You have a point, George. I totally agree with you. Auto insurance companies, however, have a different point of view on this. Hybrid cars and high tech autos get high premium rates precisely because of their high tech nature. High-tech or hybrid cars have parts and circuits that are not in regular cars. They have parts that function differently compared to regular cars. Because of this, the parts are more expensive and not usually readily available from your friendly neighborhood auto parts store. When you need to have a hybrid car repaired and some parts need to be replaced, it’s going to cost the insurance company more.

Also, hybrid or high tech cars need “hybrid” mechanics. Hybrid cars are complex creatures and sometimes your usual mechanics may not be able to figure out what’s wrong with your car. You need someone with additional expertise. Mechanics will have to have a different training to handle hybrid or high tech cars. These mechanics’ service fees are not cheap, either. So, hybrid and high tech car parts are more expensive than what we are used, too. These are complex cars and they need mechanics trained specifically for these types of cars. It’s a sort of a field of specialization. And if you’re a car specialist in Idaho, you don’t come cheap.