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Hybrid Car Insurance

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Types of hybrid cars

There are two types of hybrids: parallel and series parallel.

Of the two types, the least costly is parallel. Prior to the transmission, the engine and electric motor are blended together. The gasoline engine propels the vehicle while the electric motor provides an extra boost, or helps control the car at slower speeds.

For a series parallel, the engine and electric motor are separate, and feed the transmission from different paths. Having separate paths allows power from either the gasoline engine or the electric motor. A series parallel engine’s electric motor is used to propel the car forward and the gasoline engine can power the vehicle and charge the car’s battery at the same time.

Hybrid car insurance discounts

While hybrid cars are just as safe as non-hybrids, they may be more accident-prone because they’re built lighter to achieve greater mileage. Driving a more accident-prone car could raise your insurance premium.

Accident-prone aside, when looking for insurance for hybrid vehicles in Canada, remember that the Toyota Prius, Nissan Leaf and cars of their ilk are all going to be insurable with special rates from some companies. Owners simply need to be prepared to answer questions about their cars that they have probably never encountered from insurance companies in the past.

Some owners can take advantage of tax breaks to reduce insurance premium costs. Insurance for these vehicles is different, but it can still lead to savings if a driver does proper research.

Also, hybrid and electric auto insurance can be defined differently if the government has made allowances for certain types of vehicles. There are insurance carriers who will offer discounts to the customer so that they can pay less. Some customers will be able to get tax write-offs on their insurance payments every year based on a government program.

There are some cars that go beyond hybrids and are run entirely on a battery. With these cars, the same types of insurance can be offered to drivers. However, the electric car runs differently than a hybrid, and the insurance company will offer special insurance for these vehicles because they do not have traditional engines.

How insurance is evaluated with a hybrid

With a hybrid vehicle, the insurance company considers which type of engine is present. For example, a vehicle that has a gas-powered engine and a battery is evaluated differently than a car that has a battery cell that draws power from the motor.

Many hybrids give the driver the option to use the battery, the gas-powered engine or both. Because of this, an insurance carrier may ask how the driver typically powers the car. This can help the insurance company determine the risk associated with the vehicle.

Getting car insurance for a hybrid may feel slightly different than getting insurance for a regular vehicle. However, the same kinds of insurance that are available for regular cars are also available for hybrids. There are simply some additional considerations for the insurance provider to account for.

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