How car colour, model, & part availability affect insurance cost: Powerful insights every car owner should know

Car insurance isn’t just another yearly expense; it’s protection for one of your biggest and probably most loved investments. If you are a Filipino car owner, you’ve probably wondered why your premium is higher or lower than your friends and family. Believe it or not, a car’s colour, model, and parts availability affect insurance costs.

Let’s break it down in simple terms so you can make smarter decisions before buying your next car - or renewing your policy.

Car insurance pricing in the Philippines

Car insurance companies in the Philippines don’t just randomly assign premiums. They calculate risk.

The higher the risk, the higher the premium.

Here are the common factors insurers look for while deciding the premium -

• Car’s value
• Driver’s age & history
• Location
• Car model
• Availability of spare parts
• Theft rates
• Repair cost

Most Filipino drivers focus only on the car’s price. But insurance companies look deeper. They ask, "How much will it cost to fix this car?" Are parts easy to find locally?

This is where car colour, model, and parts availability come into play.

Also Read: Bought a new Car? Getting a new insurance policy vs adding it to your existing plan

Car colour, model, & parts availability: Effect on premium

Let’s get straight to the point. When insurers assess your vehicle, they evaluate the following -

• Risk visibility (colour-related perception)
• Performance and safety (model-specific factors)
• Repair & replacement (part availability)

Each factor influences the premium you pay each year.

While car colour usually has the smallest impact, car model and parts availability significantly affect pricing. Think of it like this: If your car is expensive to repair and its parts are hard to source, insurers expect bigger payouts when an accident happens.

Car colour & insurance premium

Here’s the truth: In the Philippines, car colour has minimal direct impact on the insurance cost. However, it often indirectly affects the risk associated with the car’s colour.

Many believe red cars are more expensive to insure because they attract attention. In reality, insurers focus on data - not on myths.

Still, colour often affects visibility at night, resale value, and accident probability (in certain weather conditions).

White, silver, and grey are popular in the Philippines because they reflect heat and are easier to maintain. These colours also tend to have better resale value, which can slightly influence insured value.

So no, choosing red won’t automatically raise your premium - but going for a high-performance red sports car might!

Car model & insurance cost

Now this is where things get serious.

Your car model heavily affects your insurance because insurers analyse the following -

• Engine size
• Safety features
• Accident records
• Theft statistics
• Market value

For example -

• A standard and popular sedan like the Toyota Vios usually has a lower premium because parts are widely available and repairs are affordable.
• A performance car like the Ford Mustang costs more to insure due to higher speed risks and expensive repairs.
• SUVs like the Mitsubishi Montero Sport may have a moderate premium because they are common, but theft risk and repair costs matter.

Insurance providers usually assume high-performance vehicles are driven fast and more aggressively. Whether you say that’s fair or not - that’s how risk modelling works.

Part availability & insurance pricing

Car parts availability is one of the biggest factors affecting insurance costs. If the car parts are imported, rare, customised, or limited in local supply, the premium will likely be higher. Why? Because a longer repair time means -

• Higher labor costs
• Longer claim processing
• Bigger potential payouts

Japanese brands like Toyota and Honda generally enjoy lower insurance premiums because spare parts are widely available. On the contrary, European brands like BMW often cost more to insure because of the high cost of imported components.

Car colour & risk perception

Let us first check out the most popular car colours among Filipino drivers: white, silver, black, and grey. Among all the colours, white is especially popular because it reflects sunlight and looks clean. In a tropical country like ours, this matters!

Are bright-coloured cars more expensive to insure?

There’s no strong local evidence showing colour alone increases premiums. Insurers prioritise repair cost and theft risk. However, bright colours may slightly influence a car’s resale value.

Bottom line: Colour is the least important factor among the three (the other two being model and part availability).

Also Read: Bought a new Car? Getting a new insurance policy vs adding it to your existing plan

Car model: Performance, safety, & theft rates

SUV vs. Sedans vs. Hatchbacks

• Sedans like the Honda City usually have lower premiums because repairs are more affordable.
• SUVs, on the other hand, may cost more for the following reasons: higher replacement costs and market values, and larger parts.
• As for hatchbacks, especially the budget-friendly options, they enjoy low premiums.

Luxury & sports cars

Luxury and sports car models cost more to insure. Why? Due to the following reasons -

• Specialised parts
• Higher labor costs
• Increased theft risk
• Expensive tech and multiple sensors

Often, advanced safety features reduce the premium, but expensive components often offset that benefit.

Also Read: Your weekend car insurance guide: Flood, theft, & accident coverage

Part availability & repair cost

Japanese vs. European brands

In the Philippines, Japanese manufacturers enjoy dominance and have several benefits over European brands. The former offers several advantages, like -

• Easy parts availability
• Familiarity with mechanics
• Shorter repair time

The latter often requires imported parts, which increase the claim cost.

Electric & hybrid vehicles

Day by day, the popularity of hybrid and electric cars is increasing. However, they come with their own set of challenges, including -

• Battery replacement is expensive
• Parts are not readily available
• Specialised technicians are quite limited

All the above-mentioned factors contribute to higher premiums than gasoline cars.

Also Read: Car Flooding 101: What to do and when insurance will cover the damage

Real-life scenarios

Scenario 1: A white Toyota Vios

• Affordable parts
• Low theft rate
• Common model

Result: Lower premium

Scenario 2: A red sports coupe with imported parts

• High repair cost
• High-performance engine
• Rare components

Result: Higher insurance premium

Bottom line: It is not about colour alone, it’s about total risk.

How to lower your car insurance premium

Here are some practical tips -

• Choose common car models
• Install anti-theft devices
• Maintain a clean driving record
• Pick brands with easily available parts
• Compare quotes from multiple insurers (take help from trusted online platforms)
• Increase deductibles (if you are financially comfortable)

Also Read: Insurance for cars parked at home: Does it cover theft or fire?

Bottom line

By understanding how car colour, model, and part availability affect your insurance premium, you can make financial decisions as a car owner. While colour has minimal impact, your car model and the availability of spare parts significantly influence your premium.

Before buying your next vehicle, don’t just ask, “What is the retail price?”, but instead ask, "What is the insurance cost?”

Remember, a practical choice today can save you thousands of pesos every year. Choose wisely, drive safely, and insure smart.

Also Read: 10 Steps to take when your car insurance claim is denied: Solution every car owner must know