Glossary

Vehicle symbol

A code insurers assign to each make, model and trim to reflect its expected claim costs, used as a rating factor in pricing.

Also called: vehicle rating symbol, ISO symbol, car symbol, vehicle rating group

A vehicle symbol is a rating code that groups cars by expected insurance losses. Insurers assign one to each make, model, model year and often trim, and it becomes one of the rating factors that multiply your base rate. A higher symbol generally means a higher premium for that coverage.

Many insurers use symbols developed by ISO, part of Verisk, and some build their own. Older systems were based mainly on a car's price when new. Newer systems assign separate symbols for different coverages, such as collision, comprehensive, liability and medical coverages, based on that vehicle's claims experience and features: repair costs, parts prices, theft rates, safety equipment, and how badly people are hurt in crashes involving it. Insurers look up the symbol using the vehicle identification number, which pins down trim and equipment. Example: two midsize sedans with the same sticker price could carry different collision symbols if one has costlier sensors in its bumpers, making its collision coverage 15% more expensive (hypothetical figures).

Symbols are updated as loss data comes in, so the cost to insure a model can change from year to year. Before buying a car, get quotes on the specific models you are considering. See how the car you drive affects your insurance rate and IIHS and HLDI insurance loss data: what it shows about cars.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026

In the index now

Related terms

Rating factors The characteristics insurers use to price a policy, such as driving record, location, vehicle, mileage and, where allowed, age and credit. Vehicle identification number (VIN) The unique 17-character code assigned to every modern car, used by insurers, motor vehicle agencies and history reports to identify the exact vehicle. Insurance rate The price per unit of coverage an insurer files with the state, which rating factors then adjust to produce your individual premium. Collision coverage Pays to repair or replace your own car after it hits another vehicle or object, or rolls over, regardless of fault, minus your deductible. Comprehensive coverage Pays for damage to your car from causes other than a crash, such as theft, fire, hail, flood, falling objects, vandalism or hitting an animal.

Related guides

Why electric vehicles cost more to insure The repair, battery and parts costs that push EV premiums up, the theft and safety factors that pull them down, and how to price coverage before you buy. How car insurance rates are calculated How insurers build a car insurance price: a filed base rate, multiplied by rating factors for driver, car, place and coverage, then adjusted by discounts. How the car you drive affects your insurance rate How a car's price, repair costs, theft risk, size and safety feed into each part of your premium, and why two similar cars can be priced differently. Insuring a hybrid car How insurers price hybrids and plug-in hybrids, why their catalytic converters attract thieves, who pays for battery damage, and discounts to ask about. IIHS and HLDI insurance loss data: what it shows about cars How HLDI's insurance loss results work, what the 100-based scale and color ratings mean, and how to use them to compare cars before you buy. Check insurance costs before you buy a car How to price insurance on the cars you are considering before you sign, what information to have, which data to check and how to compare the total monthly cost.