You bought a hybrid car to save money on gas. Little did you know you'd likely be receiving bigger car-repair and insurance bills.

According to State Farm, the nation's largest car insurer, which takes apart cars at its Vehicle Research Facility at its headquarters in Bloomington, Ill., hybrid vehicles are more expensive to fix because:

• Parts cost more. Hybrids have complex components that are expensive. If they are damaged, they are very costly to replace.
• Labor costs more. Mechanics who work on hybrids require special training, boosting labor charges. In addition, it takes longer to repair a hybrid due to its mechical complexities. Labor costs are a significant portion of car accident claim costs, so when labor costs go up, so do insurance rates.

"There are scary things in repairing these vehicles. There’s high voltage," says Kim Hazelbaker, senior vice president of the Highway Loss Data Institute. "If you move a hybrid vehicle in the repair shop — and usually you push it — you’re potentially charging a very large capacitor. And it holds that charge. And that requires extra training. The mechanic could get a little bit of a jolt. People have come away with not very good experiences. Once you understand how they work, it shouldn’t be a problem."

A hybrid car has all the parts of a gasoline car but complexities of the hybrid system, too. Hazelbaker explains that a hybrid car has a typical gas propulsion system plus:

• Regenerative brakes, which generate energy as you brake
• A complex control module that controls the use of the electrical system, gas propulsion or both
• Capacitors that are part of the electrical charge system
• And a large battery pack, usually located under the rear seat

A 2008 report from Mitchell International, "The Average Severity of Hybrid Versus Gas Vehicles," confirms that higher hybrid repair costs are driven by increased costs for both parts and labor. Repair parts for hybrids cost more because repair shops may not have the option to use cost-saving aftermarket parts on hybrids — they require original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, according to Mitchell.

In addition, not only are labor charges per hour higher for hybrids than for gas cars, but also mechanics spend more time repairing hybrids. For example, Mitchell International's analysis found that labor costs for mechanical work on a hybrid average $94.45/hour versus $79.05/hour for a gas vehicle. Even bodywork on a hybrid costs more per hour, at an average of $46.64 for hybrids and $44.21 for gas cars.

Fortunately the larger insurance bill won't offset your potential fuel savings — you'll still come out ahead. But if you don't carry collision insurance and you damage your hybrid car, be prepared to write a bigger check at the repair shop.