Two drivers with similar cars and similar profiles can pay different premiums and this is why. For years, most drivers believed car insurance pricing was straightforward. Your age, where you live, what car you drive, and how many claims you’ve had. But, while these factors still matter, they’re no longer the whole story. Car insurance premiums are also shaped by technology, crime patterns, and the rising cost of repairs.
“Modern cars are safer than ever, but they’re also far more complex,” explains Wynand van Vuuren, client experience partner at King Price Insurance. “This complexity changes how insurers assess risk and determine premiums.”
Many newer cars now come standard with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). These include features like lane departure warnings, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking and surround-view cameras. From a road safety perspective, that’s good news.
From an insurance perspective, it’s more complicated.
“These systems can reduce accidents, but even a small bump can damage sensors or cameras that need precise calibration,” says Van Vuuren. “What used to be a simple bumper repair can now involve specialised diagnostics and expensive parts.”
This means that a mid-range car with advanced technology can sometimes cost more to fix than a higher-value car with simpler systems, and this repair risk feeds directly into premium calculations.
Crime trends: where you live and drive matters
South Africa’s crime environment is a major factor in car insurance pricing.
Police statistics from Q1:2025 recorded over 4,500 hi-jackings nationally. That’s around 50 cars hijacked every day, alongside more than 7,700 cases of car theft. Hi-jackings still make up a significant share of violent car crime, particularly in provinces like Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape.
“Insurers don’t just look at national numbers,” Van Vuuren notes. “They look at local trends, how crime is changing in specific areas, and the type of incidents happening there.”
The car you choose matters more than you think
Certain cars are statistically more attractive to criminals, and this affects premiums too. Popular models with strong resale value or high demand for parts are more frequently targeted.
“If a specific car shows up again and again in claims data, it’s a higher risk,” says Van Vuuren. “Even a careful driver with few claims can pay more.”
What you can control… And what you can’t
You can’t change national crime trends or how complex modern cars have become. But there are still practical steps you can take to reduce risk:
- Be accurate and honest when giving information at quote stage, and update your insurer when things change.
- Provide the correct usage details (personal or business use) and the correct regular driver.
- Maintain a healthy credit score, as insurers see this as an indicator of how likely you are to pay your premiums in full and on time.
- Park your car securely, both day and night: Under cover, and in a locked garage or access-controlled area.
- Install and maintain a tracking device if required, and keep these monthly payments up to date.
- Drive responsibly. Some insurers may consider driving behaviour data from tracking devices.
At the end of the day, car insurance premiums are no longer based on just who you are and what you drive. They reflect how cars are built, how they’re repaired, and the real-world risks on South African roads. “Insurance pricing is about understanding the full picture. Not just the driver behind the wheel, but also the world that their car moves through every day,” says Van Vuuren.
