You're possibly looking at getting a new car. Whether it's a brand new one off the showroom floor or even a quality used car, you'll want to know that you're making the right decision and that it's a good fit for your needs. One of the critical criteria will always be safety, but we're not talking about the safety features of the vehicle, we're talking about the risk attached to a particular make, model and colour.
Related: Tips to get the best car insurance price
One of the common misconceptions around motor vehicles is that certain colours are more hazardous than others. While this is partially true, it's not for the reasons you think. Insurance companies are the ones who will analyse the statistics based on their claims and use their findings to modify the risk profiles associated with certain makes, models and colours.
Numbers game
It's a battle of percentages in South Africa and with white cars accounting for nearly half of all vehicles sold, it's easy for them to be at the forefront of the statistics. Silver is the second most popular colour.
Keeping in mind that the odds are swayed heavily in white cars' favour, it's interesting to note that while the colour of your vehicle can affect your monthly premium (as some colours are higher risk than others) it has no effect on the likelihood of it being stolen. The risk attached to the colour of your vehicle stems from a different concern.
High risk
The risk comes in when factoring in visibility. Studies have shown that darker colours are more difficult to see, both during the day and particularly at night. As a result, black, dark grey and dark blue cars will cost more to insure as they have a greater chance of being involved in an accident. It's for this reason that lighter coloured cars are cheaper to insure as they are less likely to claim for accident damage.
Metallic cars also alter your insurance premium not due to their visibility or theft risk, but rather because they cost more to repair as the paint requires special application and multiple coats.
Model > Colour
The colour of your vehicle is less of an issue than the make and model. Statistics show that Toyota and VW top the list for most stolen or highjacked vehicles with the Hilux, Fortuner, and Polo topping the lists on a regular basis. Many of these are white in colour, but it's the make and model that appeals to crooks, rather than the colours.
