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Insurance cost by model, class and brand
Insurers price a car on what it costs them, and the Highway Loss Data Institute publishes that record for every model: six coverages, each as a percentage above or below the average for all passenger vehicles. Search yours.
HLDI result
| Coverage | What it measures | This model | Its class | Brand average |
|---|
Source: HLDI insurance losses by make and model, 2022-2024 model years, fetched 2026-09-13. Combined and brand figures are computed here from HLDI’s six published coverages. HLDI.
Why a Tesla is expensive to insure when its crash tests are good
Every Tesla in the data has collision losses well above average: the Model S at +116%, the Model X at +118%, the Model 3 at +33% to +49% and the Model Y at +18% to +34% above the all-vehicle mean. Yet their bodily injury liability claims, the coverage that pays when a driver hurts someone else, run 17% below average across the brand, and property damage liability is about average at -4%.
| Series | Class | Collision | Its class | Bodily injury | Its class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Cybertruck electric crew cab 4WD | All very large pickups | +12% | -12% | – | +21% |
| Tesla Model 3 electric 4dr | Midsize luxury car | +33% | +53% | -9% | -5% |
| Tesla Model 3 electric 4dr 4WD | Midsize luxury car | +49% | +53% | -15% | -5% |
| Tesla Model S 4dr electric 4WD | Large luxury car | +116% | +88% | -25% | -10% |
| Tesla Model X electric 4dr 4WD | Large luxury SUV | +118% | +53% | -14% | -23% |
| Tesla Model Y electric 4dr | Midsize luxury SUV | +18% | +16% | -17% | -26% |
| Tesla Model Y electric 4dr 4WD | Midsize luxury SUV | +34% | +16% | -25% | -26% |
Collision is an overall loss: how often the car is claimed on, times what each claim costs. The injury coverages are frequency only. A Tesla is not crashing more than its class, and when it does the people involved file fewer injury claims, which is what its crash-test record predicts. What is expensive is the repair: an aluminium and castings body, cameras and sensors in every corner, a battery pack that must be inspected after an underbody hit, a thin certified-repair network, and a purchase price that raises the total-loss ceiling. HLDI’s electric-vehicle bulletin found EVs are declared a total loss less often than gas cars but cost more per claim. Autopilot barely moves this: HLDI’s Model S study found it associated with a modest cut in collision claim frequency, and frequency is not where the money is.
So a good crash-test record and a high insurance bill are not a contradiction. They answer different questions: how the car protects people, and what it costs to put right.
Lowest combined losses
| Series | Class | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| Mini Cooper | Mini two-door cars | -35% |
| Subaru Forester 4dr 4WD with EyeSight | Small suvs | -34% |
| Volvo XC40 4dr 4WD | Small luxury suvs | -34% |
| Subaru Outback 4WD with EyeSight | Midsize station wagons | -33% |
| Subaru Crosstrek station wagon 4WD with EyeSight | Small station wagons | -32% |
| Volvo XC60 4dr 4WD | Midsize luxury suvs | -32% |
| Subaru Ascent 4dr 4WD with EyeSight | Midsize suvs | -31% |
| Mazda MX-5 Miata convertible | Mini sports cars | -31% |
| Acura RDX 4dr 4WD | Midsize luxury suvs | -30% |
| Honda Pilot 4dr | Midsize suvs | -30% |
| Honda Pilot 4dr 4WD | Midsize suvs | -29% |
| Chevrolet Corvette convertible | Midsize sports cars | -28% |
Highest combined losses
| Series | Class | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz S class 4dr LWB 4WD | Very large luxury cars | +106% |
| Mitsubishi Mirage G4 | Mini four-door cars | +81% |
| Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE class coupe 4dr 4WD | Midsize luxury suvs | +75% |
| Chevrolet Camaro 2dr | Large sports cars | +64% |
| Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 4dr 4WD | Small suvs | +61% |
| Chevrolet Malibu | Midsize four-door cars | +56% |
| BMW iX electric 4dr 4WD | Midsize luxury suvs | +53% |
| BMW X6 4dr 4WD | Midsize luxury suvs | +52% |
| Lexus ES 300h hybrid 4dr | Midsize luxury cars | +51% |
| Kia Forte | Small four-door cars | +50% |
| Nissan Sentra | Small four-door cars | +49% |
| Mitsubishi Mirage | Micro four-door cars | +48% |
Ranked on HLDI’s combined figure, which exists only for the 287 series with enough claims in all six coverages. Exotic cars with huge collision losses are missing from this list because they have too few injury claims to rate.
By brand
Brands with at least three series that carry a combined figure. Mean of the series, unweighted by sales.
| Brand | Series | Combined | Collision | Property damage liability | Comprehensive | Personal injury protection | Medical payment | Bodily injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru | 9 | -26% | -15% | -25% | -15% | -14% | -14% | -32% |
| Volvo | 15 | -26% | -1% | -20% | -5% | -41% | -43% | -46% |
| Volkswagen | 13 | -16% | -18% | -15% | -23% | -12% | -6% | -12% |
| Chrysler | 3 | -13% | -21% | -10% | -12% | -22% | -19% | -3% |
| Mazda | 10 | -13% | -5% | -9% | -13% | -4% | -12% | -17% |
| Lincoln | 9 | -13% | +3% | -26% | +18% | -23% | -14% | -17% |
| Ford | 51 | -10% | -12% | -2% | -10% | -20% | -19% | -9% |
| Cadillac | 20 | -8% | +16% | -10% | +15% | -4% | -9% | -16% |
| Honda | 19 | -7% | -10% | -15% | -14% | +20% | +11% | -4% |
| Buick | 7 | -6% | -14% | -1% | -29% | +2% | +18% | +4% |
| Acura | 7 | -6% | +4% | -18% | +43% | +11% | -5% | -28% |
| GMC | 25 | -3% | -15% | +7% | +5% | -33% | -29% | +1% |
| Jeep | 15 | -2% | -14% | +25% | -1% | -20% | -20% | +11% |
| Audi | 42 | -2% | +75% | -19% | +47% | -30% | -26% | -26% |
| Toyota | 52 | -2% | +4% | -9% | +5% | +13% | +2% | -4% |
| Chevrolet | 44 | +0% | -9% | +7% | +26% | -10% | -3% | +10% |
| Lexus | 34 | +1% | +26% | -23% | +22% | -10% | +18% | -13% |
| Genesis | 7 | +4% | +50% | -17% | +38% | -13% | +0% | -27% |
| Nissan | 26 | +5% | +0% | -4% | -11% | +14% | +24% | +16% |
| Hyundai | 25 | +6% | +16% | -8% | -2% | +14% | +23% | +2% |
| Kia | 25 | +8% | +5% | -1% | -7% | +18% | +37% | +10% |
| BMW | 67 | +13% | +116% | -2% | +115% | -12% | -9% | -11% |
| Ram | 22 | +14% | -8% | +53% | +5% | -24% | -31% | +34% |
| Tesla | 7 | +14% | +54% | -4% | +13% | -13% | +2% | -17% |
| Mercedes-Benz | 44 | +31% | +70% | +0% | +78% | -5% | +12% | -2% |
| Mitsubishi | 7 | +46% | +23% | +31% | +20% | +89% | +109% | +71% |
By class and size
HLDI’s own subtotals for each size-and-class cell. Size matters more than brand: mini and micro cars, and sports cars, cost insurers the most per vehicle.
| Class | Series | Combined | Collision | Property damage liability | Comprehensive | Personal injury protection | Medical payment | Bodily injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minicar 2-door | 3 | -36% | -34% | -38% | -31% | -41% | -43% | -38% |
| Midsize station wagon | 3 | -33% | -37% | -32% | -16% | -29% | -26% | -42% |
| Mini sports car | 1 | -31% | -17% | -49% | -31% | -16% | -28% | -37% |
| Small station wagon | 7 | -20% | -30% | -12% | -24% | -7% | -7% | -16% |
| Very large van | 18 | -16% | -23% | -9% | -5% | -40% | -45% | -6% |
| Midsize SUV | 70 | -12% | -16% | -6% | -11% | -8% | -13% | -13% |
| Large SUV | 16 | -11% | -14% | -5% | +5% | -25% | -33% | -16% |
| Very large Minivan | 7 | -11% | -9% | -13% | -15% | -3% | -4% | -11% |
| All small pickups | 22 | -10% | -19% | +8% | -23% | -20% | -20% | -4% |
| Small SUV | 67 | -8% | -16% | -6% | -19% | +9% | +11% | -3% |
| Small luxury SUV | 27 | -8% | -7% | -8% | -20% | -6% | +4% | -4% |
| Midsize luxury SUV | 82 | -5% | +16% | -17% | +10% | -17% | -15% | -26% |
| All large pickups | 46 | -1% | -7% | +11% | +14% | -28% | -31% | +0% |
| Very large SUV | 12 | -1% | -1% | +11% | +10% | -24% | -32% | -4% |
| Midsize sports car | 20 | +8% | +64% | -33% | +25% | -30% | -26% | -21% |
| Mini SUV | 6 | +9% | -8% | +14% | -22% | +32% | +42% | +31% |
| All very large pickups | 31 | +16% | -12% | +57% | +63% | -46% | -48% | +21% |
| Large luxury SUV | 38 | +16% | +53% | -7% | +80% | -37% | -29% | -23% |
| Midsize luxury car | 81 | +17% | +53% | -6% | +20% | +3% | +15% | -5% |
| Smallcar 2-door | 2 | +18% | +58% | -11% | +4% | +21% | +13% | +0% |
| Smallcar 4-door | 29 | +23% | +16% | +17% | -7% | +52% | +57% | +39% |
| Midsizecar 4-door | 16 | +27% | +24% | +14% | +9% | +61% | +63% | +38% |
| Very large luxury SUV | 7 | +29% | +60% | +5% | +113% | -32% | -21% | -14% |
| Large luxury car | 40 | +33% | +88% | -7% | +84% | -19% | +1% | -10% |
| Minicar 4-door | 2 | +42% | +7% | +58% | -15% | +78% | +95% | +85% |
| Micro 4dr car | 1 | +48% | +16% | +28% | +8% | +87% | +147% | +100% |
| Large sports car | 8 | +57% | +92% | +3% | +163% | -6% | +7% | +26% |
| Large car 4-door | 1 | +70% | +82% | +45% | +85% | +55% | +56% | +76% |
| Very large luxury car | 19 | +104% | +178% | +13% | +288% | -19% | +58% | +27% |
| Small sports car | 2 | – | +32% | -55% | – | -64% | – | – |
| Large van | 1 | – | -28% | +0% | +2% | – | – | – |
How to read these numbers
HLDI pools claims from insurers covering about 85% of the U.S. market, adjusts them for driver age, gender, marital status, state, calendar year and deductible, and expresses each series against the average for all passenger vehicles of the same model years. A collision result of +50 means the insurer paid half again as much per insured vehicle year as average. Results cover the model years shown, with claims through the start of the following year.
This is not your premium
Your quote depends on you, where you live and what you choose to cover. What these numbers show is the part of the premium that follows the car. Two drivers with identical records will pay different amounts for a Model S and a Legacy, and this is why.
The math, shown
Relative loss = model’s adjusted loss ÷ all-passenger-vehicle average × 100. Shown as (relative − 100)%. Collision, property damage and comprehensive: overall loss per insured vehicle year, which is claim frequency × average payment. Injury coverages: claim frequency per insured vehicle year. Brand average = mean of the brand’s series with a value.
Questions people ask
Which cars are the cheapest to insure?
On HLDI’s combined figure the lowest losses belong to small and midsize cars and SUVs from Subaru, Volvo, Mini and Mazda, with the Subaru models fitted with EyeSight automatic braking near the top. The table on this page lists the current leaders. Low losses in the injury coverages, which reflect how often people are hurt, are what these models share.
Why do small cars cost so much to insure if they are cheap to buy?
Because the injury coverages dominate the combined figure. A mini or micro car gives its occupants less protection in a crash, so personal injury and medical payment claims come in far more often than average, and those claims are expensive. Comprehensive and collision are cheap for a small car, but they are not what drives the total.
Does a good IIHS crash-test rating mean cheap insurance?
Only for the injury coverages. A car that protects its occupants well tends to have below-average personal injury and medical payment claims. Collision and comprehensive are about what the car costs to repair or replace, and a safe car can be an expensive car to fix. Tesla is the clearest example, and this page shows the numbers.
Is the brand average an HLDI number?
No. HLDI publishes results by series. We take the plain mean of a brand’s series that have a value, without weighting by sales, so a brand with one popular model and four rare ones is described by all five. Use it as a rough comparison and look up the series you mean.