Small Wonder: Discount Auto Insurance Benefits for Hybrid Cars

Hybrid: an offspring of two animals or plants of different races, breeds, varieties, species, or genera (Merriam-Webster). So what's the point of beginning an article like this with such gobbledygook? Dear reader, apply this meaning to cars and you will see the point, because a hybrid car is a vehicle that has two different types of components performing essentially the same function. But what makes a hybrid car even better is the fact that it is a "green", or eco-friendly car with low operating costs, and hence ideal in these times of extreme pollution and skyrocketing fuel costs.

How does a hybrid vehicle work? Essentially, a hybrid vehicle uses a built-in rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) and a fueled propulsion power source. Most commonly, a hybrid car is a petroleum-electric hybrid vehicle, which uses gasoline or diesel to power internal-combustion engines, and electric batteries to power electric motors. Various modern hybrid cars actually recharge their batteries by capturing kinetic energy via regenerative braking, while there are other hybrid cars that run on hydrogen gas. Given their advantages, it is hardly surprising that hybrid cars have been gaining in popularity, with auto majors like Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Lexus, Toyota, Honda and Renault entering the market.

I could go on rambling about the many plus points of hybrid cars, but I suspect you are fast approaching your patience threshold. So I'll tell you the most wonderful thing about these cars. Did you know that among the many benefits of owning and driving hybrids, one is that you get substantial discount auto insurance and tax incentives? There, do I have your attention now?

These days, plenty of insurance companies offer hybrid car owners discount auto insurance of up to 10% on their car insurance premiums. That represents a significant saving on your annual auto insurance policy. This discount auto insurance is a result of the way insurance companies view hybrid car owners. To begin with, they come within the "preferred insured category", which includes responsible, mature drivers who are less likely to be in car accidents and therefore less likely to file auto accident insurance claims. Obviously, this represents a lower risk for insurance companies and thus discount auto insurance premiums. Typically, hybrid car owners are married men and women between the ages of 41 and 60, who are financially stable and responsible citizens.

Hybrid cars have been on the market since the end of the last decade, but it is only in recent years that their popularity has soared. So much so that, even though less than one percent of registered vehicles today are hybrids, experts predict that hybrids will comprise nearly 15% of vehicles on US roads in the next 10 years. Well, given their operating benefits and discount auto insurance, that's small wonder!

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