DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE PLUS Those looking to save money on car insurance should consider buying a family-minded minivan or SUV/crossover, with several Jeep vehicles enjoying among the least expensive premiums among all models.
The base two-door version of the rough-and-tumble Jeep Wrangler SUV boasts the lowest rates among all 2015 entries at a modest $1,134. By comparison, the model suffering the costliest premiums, the 600-horsepower Nissan GT-R Nismo sports coupe (nicknamed “Godzilla” for its monstrous performance), will set an average owner back $3,754 a year.
That’s according to the annual survey of new-car premiums conducted by the website Insure.com in Foster City, Calif.
More expensive models tend to trigger higher car insurance rates than cheaper ones, simply because they cost more to repair and have higher value thresholds before becoming “totaled” in a collision. Beyond that, insurance companies base their rates on claims histories, including how much damage a given model incurs in a typical crash, the extent of injuries (and fatalities) suffered by occupants and other parties, the cost of damage to other vehicles and property and which models are more or less likely to be stolen. None of these factors tend to favor high-powered sports cars that beg to be driven aggressively.
DODGE SRT VIPER “Insurance rates are all about claims — how many and how big,” explains Penny Gusner, consumer analyst at Insure.com. “Cars that are cheapest to insure typically are easy to repair or have fewer claims or both.”
No matter what kind of vehicle one is interested in, it’s always a good idea to check with an insurance agent early on in the car shopping process to identify which models under consideration are inherently cheaper to insure than others. What’s more, some types of cars may cost more or less to cover from one carrier to another, especially as in relation to other personal details like age, sex, marital status, geographic location and driving record, so also be sure to shop around among multiple insurance companies to find the best deals.
JEEP PATRIOT SPORT 4WD Beyond that, the best way to obtain the lowest available car insurance rates is to raise the deductibles for comprehensive and collision coverage and ensure you’re getting credit for any and all rate discounts to which you may be entitled (including for bundling home/apartment and car coverage, for multiple autos, taking a defensive driving course and allowing an insurance company to monitor how the vehicle is being driven according to a wireless device that plus into a special port under the dashboard).
And that’s assuming a given motorist can obtain coverage at all. Some companies may choose not to cover certain high-performance autos, especially for higher-risk drivers having multiple blemishes on their driving records.
NISSAN GT-R NISMO We’re featuring Insure.com’s list of cheapest and costliest cars to ensure in the accompanying box, with each model’s average annual premiums noted. Your rates may vary.
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2015 cars with the cheapest insurance rates
1. Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD, $1,134
2. Jeep Patriot Sport 2WD, $1,136
3. Honda CR-V LX AWD, $1,160
4. Dodge Grand Caravan SE Plus, $1,162
5. Honda Odyssey LX, $1,163
6. Jeep Compass Sport 2WD, $1,164
7. Subaru Outback 2.5i AWD, $1,176
8. Ford Edge SE 2WD, $1,176
9. Smart Fortwo Pure Coupe, $1,186
10. Ford Escape S 2WD, $1,190
2015 cars with the costliest insurance rates
1. Nissan GT-R Nismo, $3,574 2. Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG, $3,573
3. Dodge SRT Viper, $3,318
4. Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet , $3,216
5. Audi R8 5.2 Spyder Quattro, $3,206
6. Porsche Panamera Turbo Executive, $3,174
7. BMW 760Li, $3,147
8. BMW M6 Convertible, $3,115
9. Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG 4Matic Wagon, $3,042
10. Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG 4Matic, $2,972
Source: Quadrant Information Services via Insure.com. Sample rates are based on more than 1,500 car models quoted from the six largest carriers in 10 ZIP codes per state. Estimates are based on an unmarried 40-year-old male driver with good credit, a clean driving record and average policy limits, including a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage.