Insurance
Manual cars ‘cost £100 a year less to insure’ than automatics
Drivers of automatic cars pay as much as 20% more a year for insurance than those with manual vehicles, research shows.
Manual drivers pay up to £94.07 less for their premiums, according to MoneySuperMarket.
The findings come from analysis of more than 15 million car insurance enquiries made on the comparison site between January 2018 and February 2020.
Despite being more expensive to insure, the proportion of enquiries for automatic cars has risen steadily over the last two years from 22% to 28%.
Between 2018 and 2020, the average price for both automatic and manual insurance policies decreased.
Manual car insurance premiums dropped by 24% – or £151.18 – in comparison to a 14% decrease – or £88.57- for automatics.
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In February 2020, the average policy for an automatic car cost £560.01 and £465.94 for a manual.
Dave Merrick, car insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “There are many factors that can affect the cost of insurance premiums, such as age, driving experience and the car make and model.
“From January 2018 to January 2020 we have seen a huge increase in the price difference between insurance for both automation and manual cars. This has risen from 5% to 21% and has stayed stable for the last six months.
“One reason for this could be a result of increased technology in automatic cars over time for, example, the parts that make up an automatic gearbox are more complex and could cost more to repair. However, due to improvements in technology, an automatic car might help you save money in the long run through better fuel efficiency.”