How to Find Cheap SUV Insurance

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Buying car insurance for your sports utility vehicle doesn't have to be a hassle. Sure, you may pay a little more in insurance on your SUV than you would with a sedan but you like being up high when you drive and you love all the room inside. Plus, when you compare auto insurance rates, you know you're getting the lowest price anywhere. Insurance quotes will help you get the lowest prices on your Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Equinox or even a luxury sport utility vehicle.

First, let's look at why SUVs are more expensive to insure than other cars and how much car insurance you need.

Do SUVs Have Higher Insurance Than Sedans?

In most cases, SUVs are more expensive to insure than sedans and compact cars, and there are few other factors in play in the cost. There's the cost to repair the SUV, its safety record, its likelihood of being stolen and the damage it can cause in an accident.

Your personal profile is at play too, including your zip code and driving history as well as whether or not you've had any lapses in coverage. All of these details impact SUV auto insurance quotes and usually end up making SUVs more expensive to insure than others.

As you can imagine, a Jeep Wrangler will cause more impact than a Fiat. A Chevrolet Equinox will cause more damage than a Volkswagen Beetle. This is why, overall, SUVs have a higher price for car insurance. Not only are insurance rates higher on SUVs, they cost more to buy. Consider these factors if you're looking at cars to make a quick purchase.

SUVs to Insure: Which One Has Lower Car Insurance Premiums?

Your auto insurance premiums will vary depending on the model of SUV being insured and size classifications, with a wide gap between compact SUVs and crossover SUVs. Basically, not all SUVs are that expensive to insure. For example, Toyota always beats the competition in pricing, so a Rav4 will not be as expensive to ensure as a Porsche Cayenne or even a Chevrolet Tahoe or Chevrolet Traverse. A higher priced model SUV will be charged a higher price for insurance.

Big SUVs Pay More in Liability Insurance

More affordable and smaller SUVs will have lower, more affordable car insurance premiums. If you have a large SUV you will be able to carpool with plenty of people but there is an insurance-cost disadvantage to the large SUVs. Insurance companies charge more on the liability portion of an insurance policy for large SUVs because the vehicles are capable of inflicting significant damage to other cars and their passengers in an accident. So there is a downside to driving an SUV that fits the whole family.

Choose a Safe SUV and for Cheaper Insurance

Again, the vehicle you choose matters. Other than the list price, how do you choose a model of SUV with a lower auto insurance rates? Choose an SUV that performs well in crash tests.

Safety features on that Toyota Rav4 will lower your auto insurance rates even more. Not all cars have the latest safety features, so an insurance company may not give older SUVs safety features discounts.

To find out the safety rating on a SUV, visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety(IIHS). The IIHS lists its top safety picks for classes of cars, trucks and SUVs and you also can search for safety ratings by vehicle size and type.

How Your Vehicle Affects Car Insurance Rates

Your car model and where you live are the two most important factors in an insurance quote. One insurance company will offer cheaper rates on a Ford Escape over a Ford Explorer or annual premiums for one company will be heavily weighed based on one factor, like credit scores or zip codes.

Usually, the vehicle you drive greatly affects your auto insurance costs. The cars with a low sticker price usually cost less to insure. A Toyota Rav4 is a relatively inexpensive sports utility vehicle with lower insurance costs. Repair costs on a certain model will also be higher, which raises the average annual insurance costs.

Insurance agents can only play with the prices the insurance company sets only so much so the trick is to compare insurance rates and/or buy a cheaper vehicle. The cost difference between vehicles is a big consideration if you're on a budget.

Insurance Coverage and Cost Difference

Whether you have a Honda CR V or a Porsche SUV, you still need protection, which may be required if you are financing or leasing the vehicle. You will also have to decide on which type of car insurance you need and quotes will vary according to how much coverage you want buy.

Auto insurance policies vary in terms of coverage and you will get very different insurance quotes for the same car depending on which insurers you contact and how much coverage you elect.

SUV Insurance Rates: Monthly Insurance Costs for SUVs for 30-39 Year-olds

2021 SUV Model Insurance Cost
Chevrolet Equinox $101.29
Chevrolet Tahoe $143.95
Chevrolet Traverse $136.83
Ford Escape $70.52
Ford Explorer $191.43
Honda CR V $78.26
Jeep Grand Cherokee $102.80
Jeep Wrangler $104.98
Mazda Cx 3 Sport $250
Nissan Armada $140.23
Toyota Rav4 $137.88

Find Affordable SUV Insurance

SUVs to Insure: A Sports Utility Vehicle Less Likely to Be Stolen

Another way to lower an insurance cost on an SUV is to choose a make and model of SUV that is less likely to be stolen. For instance, the popular Honda CR V has a low list price but is stolen more often than the Chevrolet Equinox. The volume of sales of the Honda CR V is also greater, so naturally more would be stolen. It would therefore make sense that auto insurance on a Honda CR V would mean a higher annual premium.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau lists its Hot Wheels report of top vehicles stolen around the country. There are also lists by state so you can check which vehicles are most stolen close to where you live. While there are many sedans and pickups on the lists there are a few SUVs that make some of the most stolen rankings.

Choosing to buy a SUV not on the list of most stolen vehicles will help to lower your monthly premium.

Factors that Impact Auto Insurance Quotes

Other factors that impact insurance rates on SUVs are where you live, where you park your car, your driving history, the list price of the SUV and how often you drive your car.

Where You Live

Where you live affects the insurance premium that you pay. If you live in an area with high accident claims you will pay more for your car insurance. High auto theft or auto insurance fraud in your neighborhood will raise rates as well. In contrast, if you live in a quiet, low crime neighborhood with few accidents you will enjoy a lower insurance rate.

Where Vehicles Are Parked

Where you park your SUV also affects insurance. Do you park your car in a nice safe garage or is it out on the street? You'll pay less in insurance if you park your SUV in a garage. Street parkers pay more.

Driving History

If you have a clean driving record you will pay less for auto insurance. So if you don't have any tickets or moving violations or at fault accidents you will have a lower insurance premium than a driver with a messy driving record.

How Much You Drive

Here's an easy way to save on car insurance drive a little less. Low-mileage drivers get good auto rates. So become one and save money.

Do you know someone who would be interested in carpooling with you? If you have a lengthy commute having a carpool buddy can make a big difference. And significantly reducing the number of miles that you drive each week will lower the cost of your insurance significantly.

How Much Coverage You Have on Vehicles

Naturally, you'll pay less if you only have liability coverage and not all the others, like uninsured motorist coverage. However, you may pay more in the long-run when you buy fewer options. Let's say you didn't have uninsured motorist coverage and were hit by another driver and had thousands of dollars in repair costs. You can sue, but chances are that an uninsured driver has very few assets. You may end up footing the bill!

Personal Factors that Influence Insurance Premiums

Personal factors such as your age, gender and job impact your SUV insurance premium.

Age

Drivers under the age of 25 pay more for SUV insurance because they are more likely to be involved in accidents.

Gender

Male drivers often pay more than female drivers because male drivers are more likely to make a claim on their insurance. Some states have banned using gender in determining rates, but in many states, insurance companies still do it.

Credit Score

If you have a good credit score it will help to lower your annual premium. If your credit is not so great, working to improve it will help you get a better deal on your SUV insurance. Making a plan to pay down debt and catch up on bills is a good place to start. Paying down debt and getting current on bills will nudge down your insurance premium and also take some of the stress out of your financial life.

So take steps to manage your finances and you'll save money on the insurance for the SUV that you love so much.

Getting the Best Insurance Rates

Auto insurance can be expensive. For a lower annual premium, it's a good idea to compare insurance quotes. Different car insurance companies weigh different factors differently. For instance, a Honda CR V is going to rate cheaper with one carrier than another and one carrier will consider your driving history more strictly than another. Your zip code is another factor and so is whether or not you currently carry car insurance and have had insurance continuously.

Car insurance rates change, so the way to get the best auto insurance rate is to shop around. To begin, enter your zip code below to get started on free insurance quotes.

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