Car Thefts and Auto Insurance Claims: Most and Least Stolen Vehicles Plus Good Reads

When you buy a car, you normally get a quote for the insurance to see how much it will cost you to keep the car. But do you know why certain cars, which are similar in all aspects except model, are more expensive to insure than others? Well the Economist provides an interesting graphic looking at car thefts in America and which are most expensive to the insurers. These higher costs are passed directly to consumers in the form of higher premiums for certain cars

It seems that the country’s car thieves are, at least, patriotic. If America’s car making giants have struggled in recent years to build vehicles that match the public taste, they are keeping car thieves happy. Only two of the top ten stolen cars in America (measured in terms of cash paid out by insurers) come from a foreign manufacturer. America’s car criminals are more suspicious of Japanese or European models and are reluctant to be seen in smaller cars (SUV’s make up a large portion of car thefts). A reluctance to nick Toyota Priuses shows they have little regard for the environment either. Volvo also continues it’s impressive safety record, both on the road and off it.

These findings just indicate that while the quality of American cars has improved, the security still lags relative to our European and Japanese counterparts. So next time you go car and insurance shopping, keep this little fact in mind. Click here to compare insurance quotes from multiple providers.