Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Tesla Hate Is Making Insurance More Expensive for Owners

gizmodo.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 229 posts

Re: Tesla Hate Is Making Insurance More Expensive for Owners

#21

Post by michpoch »

CobrastanJorji wrote: post #16
1shooner wrote: post #3

This article provides no causation between 'Tesla hate' and insurance costs. The only factual claim is that Tesla insurance premiums rose 30% in 2024, and cost to insure is 25% higher than a Mercedes A-class. But a quick internet search shows that 2022 MSRPs for those cars were $47k and $34k respectively, a 32% difference.

Absolutely correct. But also there could be other reasons. The Mercedes cars offer SAE Level 3 certification ("you are officially not driving the car or watching the road, but we may demand you take over"), versus the much more dangerous Tesla Level 2 ("you are still responsible for driving and must constantly supervise but also the car will be doing it all for you, please don't stop paying attention at any point").…

> The Mercedes cars offer SAE Level 3 certification

In an S-class. The comment above compares it to a MB A-class.

Tesla produces no car in the MB S-class category.

Re: Tesla Hate Is Making Insurance More Expensive for Owners

#22

Post by dragonwriter »

UncleEntity wrote: post #19
g42gregory wrote: post #2

My thought is that this is not going to last. Law enforcement is completely different from a year ago, when they "couldn't find" who was ransacking Apple retail stores. There are many lawful forms of expressing your views.

Law enforcement, comprised completely of government workers , is going to go out and find the people protesting against killing off their golden goose? I think it's more likely they'll start enforcing jaywalking laws against children playing hockey in the street. Now, I'm not saying anyone should vandalize someone else's car for political reasons but as a campaign to dissuade people from buying Teslas this seems to b…

> Law enforcement, comprised completely of government workers, is going to go out and find the people protesting against killing off their golden goose?

Law enforcement has both generally been spared direct cuts and had federal accountability measures removed, so they, and especially the worst actors, have plenty of reason to friendly to the regime.

Re: Tesla Hate Is Making Insurance More Expensive for Owners

#23

Post by giantg2 »

boznz wrote: post #18

Might effect new buyers decisions I guess, but since about 99% of Tesla's were sold to green, left-leaning buyers, before the Elon hate-fest, I am not sure how targeting that group of people for your hatred is helping any "cause".

Usually this type of thing isn't really about a cause but making oneself feel better. The stuff that is actually beneficial to a cause tend to be less emotionally satisfying.

Re: Tesla Hate Is Making Insurance More Expensive for Owners

#24

Post by UncleEntity »

wood_spirit wrote: post #17
fishnchips wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, after the recent promotional event at the White House I can easily imagine protecting Teslas becomes a top priority, and that damaging one is punishable by death.

Trump did literally say during that event that attacking Tesla showrooms was domestic terrorism.

I'm sure the apartheidist made similar statements when Musk was a child. Didn't really work out for them IIRC.

Re: Tesla Hate Is Making Insurance More Expensive for Owners

#26

Post by slashdev »

1shooner wrote: post #3

This article provides no causation between 'Tesla hate' and insurance costs. The only factual claim is that Tesla insurance premiums rose 30% in 2024, and cost to insure is 25% higher than a Mercedes A-class. But a quick internet search shows that 2022 MSRPs for those cars were $47k and $34k respectively, a 32% difference.

It fits the narrative, who needs logic?

Clearly the two are not connected - it just hasn't been enough time for insurance rates to be adjusted based on recent happenings. The industry does not react that fast.

Re: Tesla Hate Is Making Insurance More Expensive for Owners

#27

Post by bartread »

boznz wrote: post #18

Might effect new buyers decisions I guess, but since about 99% of Tesla's were sold to green, left-leaning buyers, before the Elon hate-fest, I am not sure how targeting that group of people for your hatred is helping any "cause".

Sadly I think, and for some time now, we are well past the point where political action needs to make sense either to the people involved or to the people outside. The message, the narrative, they’re whatever you want them to be. Whether that makes sense - much less where the truth lies - is irrelevant.

Re: Tesla Hate Is Making Insurance More Expensive for Owners

#28

Post by kadoban »

wood_spirit wrote: post #12
wnevets wrote: post #6

go tesla go broke doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

Should/would the government bail out Tesla were it to get into financial difficulties?

> Should/would the government bail out Tesla were it to get into financial difficulties?

Should? No. Would? Yes.

Re: Tesla Hate Is Making Insurance More Expensive for Owners

#29

Post by correlator »

wood_spirit wrote: post #12
wnevets wrote: post #6

go tesla go broke doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

Should/would the government bail out Tesla were it to get into financial difficulties?

As of December 31st, 2024, Tesla has around $17b in cash and cash equivalents, $122b in assets, and $49b in liabilities

It doesn't seem likely the government will have to bail them out.

Re: Tesla Hate Is Making Insurance More Expensive for Owners

#30

Post by drooby »

boznz wrote: post #18

Might effect new buyers decisions I guess, but since about 99% of Tesla's were sold to green, left-leaning buyers, before the Elon hate-fest, I am not sure how targeting that group of people for your hatred is helping any "cause".

The whole point is new buyers..

People are protesting Musk. Something like 75% of Musk's current wealth comes from Tesla stock.

Tesla stock is going down.. so it is helping the cause

Post reply on HN