The Cost to Insure

The latest results from online company Insure rank the ten most expensive and ten least expensive 2009 vehicles to insure.

The obvious and not so obvious

Here at LotPro.com, we realize that it doesn’t take a genius to conclude that it’s going to cost you a bundle to insure a sports car like the Nissan GT-R, Dodge Viper or Audi R8. All three are very expensive, very fast, and attract traffic cops in much the same way that Brad and Angelina attract the paparazzi – you can’t miss them and they’re usually good for a money shot (using a radar with the former and a camera with the latter).

What is surprising is the inclusion of the Cobalt SS in the top 20, while Chevy’s big gun, the Corvette, is MIA (demographics may have something to do with it, since Cobalt buyers are younger and more prone to “mashing the foot feed”, as it were). BMW is well represented with the four models (M6, M5, M3 and X6), the most from any single manufacturer. Of the top 20, 14 are sports cars (we take exception to the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class being classified as a “passenger car” and have included it in this category), 4 are large SUV’s, the Cadillac Escalade EXT is the lone truck and, sans the aforementioned SL, the Audi S8 is the lone passenger car.

The results

Insure.com lists the Nissan GT-R at the top of the list, noting that “Owners of the GT-R buy it for power and speed, and their driving habits are often reflected in frequent and expensive insurance claims (insert here the Japanese word for ‘obviously’).” Not far behind is the Dodge Viper, followed by the BMW M6, Ford Shelby GT 500 and, rounding out the top 5, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

Here is the complete list of the most expensive 20:

The bottom 20 for the rest of us

Lacking a payment and insurance budget that might equal the GDP of a small third world country, the rest of us can always aim for the top least expensive vehicles to  insure.

Again, it doesn’t take a Mensa candidate to realize that this list will be populated, for the most part, by small and mid-size passenger vehicles equipped with 4 and 6-cylinder engines. Indeed, the top 5 vehicles are all Korean, with 3 Kia models and 2 from sister company Hyundai. Most of this list is comprised of various and sundry forms of family haulers with minivans (6), passenger cars (6, but really 7 if you include the Rio5 which is a hatchback) and  SUVs (5) accounting for most of the listed vehicles. The remaining two include the Scion xB (almost a minivan) and the list’s only truck, a Mazda (we’re assuming the B-Series).

The list’s biggest surprise, in more ways than one, was the venerable Lincoln Town Car, parked at number 17.

Here is the complete list of the least expensive 20:

How to save more green

Insure.com also had a number of other tips to help you save on your car insurance bill:

•    Trade higher deductibles for lower premiums – but make sure you can afford your deductible in case you crash your car

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