You've done your homework.  You've compared various models and makes to find the car with the best gas mileage and feature package to meet your needs.  You've even considered resale value.  But have you looked at the most recent crash test results?  Do you know your vehicle's safety rating? Is your chosen car, truck or SUV on this year's Top Safety Picks by the IIHS?

Why is Safety Rating Important?

Your insurance company uses a vehicle's crash test rating as part of their criteria in determining the risk, and the level of risk has a significant impact on the insurance rate and therefore on your premium.

What Else Does the Insurance Company Look At?

Safety features also impact the insurance rate. Vehicles with similar prices may often have very different auto insurance premiums simply based on the vehicle's safety features. A car priced at $28,000 may be much less expensive to insure than a car priced at $21,000 if the higher-priced vehicle includes ABS brakes, side and front airbags and other safety features not included on the cheaper model.

Get all the details about Auto Insurance, this year's Top Safety Picks, Crash Testing and more.