Manual or Automatic Car Insurance

Changing gears at high speeds and drifting your car around corners can be great fun. Manual cars let you do this and invoke the true auto enthusiast in you. However, it’s not as much fun when you’re trapped in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Frequent gear-shifting can leave you exhausted. An automatic gear shift makes life much easier and is therefore slowly gaining traction, especially among city dwellers.

When it comes to automatic car insurance, people often wonder: are manual cars cheaper to insure? We’ll answer this question and much more in this article. But before we get to that, let’s take a look at the differences between manual and automatic cars.

Manual versus automatic car

If you are just starting out and learning driving, an automatic car should be your default choice as there is no hassle of changing gears. Moreover, automatics make driving easy for those who spend most of their time in city traffic. Automatics come with only two pedals - there’s no clutch and no need to shift gears, which enables the driver to focus more on the road.

However, this convenience comes at a cost. Automatic cars are priced considerably higher than their manual counterparts. Also, a car enthusiast may not feel the same level of engagement with an automatic car as with a manual. One feels especially in command in a manual car, as complete control of gears makes it easier to slow down or halt.

Due to the constant shifting of gears and pressing of the clutch, a manual car can strain certain leg and hand muscles if you drive in stop-and-go traffic. While switching gears in a manual car, you have to take one hand off the steering wheel, putting your safety at risk. While driving a manual car, one is required to concentrate on the clutch, gear, accelerator, brake, and steering, all while keeping an eye on the traffic.

Related: Automatic Vs Manual Vs CVT Transmission Cars

Cost plays another decisive role when it comes to picking one of the two. Automatic cars are slightly costlier to maintain than manual cars. Automatic car insurance is on the costlier side as well.

Why is an automatic car more expensive to insure?

The automatic transmission offers the convenience of cruising through city traffic with ease. In an automatic car, the manual transmission gives way to an automatic gearbox, which shifts gears on its own. So, buying such a car is a good option if you reside in an urban area. But if you’re wondering why is an automatic car more expensive to insure, it’s because they are costlier to repair.

Maintenance costs

The answer to the question ‘are manual cars cheaper to insure’ lies in the maintenance cost of the vehicle. Due to a simpler mechanical system, cars with a manual gearbox are easier to maintain and thus attract less insurance premium. Automatics involve more sophisticated technology, and therefore, the cost of maintenance and replacement tends to be higher.

Licence issues

If you take your driving test at the RTO in an automatic car, you will be issued a licence to drive gearless light motor vehicles. Driving a manual car with such a licence would be considered an offence. In this case, your automatic car insurance premium will be higher as you might be seen as a less skilled driver, and therefore more prone to risks. To avoid this, make sure your license states that you can drive both types of cars, which could keep your premium at normal rates.

Make sure you #ThinkAhead and choose a comprehensive car policy such as TATA AIG’s Auto Secure Private Car Package Policy that offers personal accident cover and third-party car cover, apart from 13 add-ons to make your drive smooth and safe!