Many new car buyers are surprised and dismayed to find that their insurance payments may almost equal their car payments. Before you purchase a car, it is advisable to have a general idea of what car insurance will cost and what kind of premium you can afford. You might be surprised to find that some less expensive cars could cost quite a bit more to insure.

It's obvious that sports cars and performance cars tend to be more expensive to insure than minivans. But it isn't just the cost of the car that has an impact on the insurance rate. The cost to repair the vehicle and the average amount of damage to a vehicle when in an accident can make a big difference. It's possible to find a $40,000 car that will cost less to insure than a $16,000 car.

Theft rate, injury rate and severity, average damage costs, etc. also matter. The insurance industry keeps a close eye on this data, and uses it to set automotive insurance premiums.

Data for relative damage, injury, and theft rates.

Vehicle information such as cost, theft rate, injury rate and severity, and average damage costs of the vehicle are combined with personal information such as age, sex, and driving record to generate an insurance premium. Ask your agent for a quote, or simply some advice before shopping or finalizing a deal or use the Internet to get an automated quote.