SUV Insurance

Planning on buying (and insuring) a Sport Utility Vehicle in the near future? It's important to realize that auto insurance rates for SUV's are often 10-20% more (or even higher), than a comparable passenger car.

It's always wise to check insurance rates for various models online before buying a new or used SUV, or insuring one.

Insurance companies usually charge higher premiums for vehicles that cost more to repair or offer occupants less protection when involved in accidents, such as certain sport utility vehicles. Due to their design, SUV's also are often likely to cause more damage to the other vehicles they are involved in accidents with.

Some of the factors which raise premiums on SUV's are:

1) Bumpers on SUV's are often inadequate for the size and weight of the vehicle, plus the height of the bumpers on SUV's are generally much higher than the average automobile. This creates more damage as the bumpers do not match during a collision.

2) Some SUV's have tailgate mounted spare tires. In an rear-end accident, this wheel/tire functions as an "anti-bumper", transferring all the force of the impact to the tailgate of the SUV, and often damaging the hood and grill of the rear-ending car.

3) SUV's are among the most frequently stolen vehicles, & they are often more expensive than cars.

In addition to these factors, consider that insurance providers will consider their own experiences with claim payouts. For example, if one company has paid excessive claims regarding a certain make or model SUV, they might charge higher premiums for that type of SUV than another firm would. Therefore, it's a good idea to obtain quotes from a few insurance companies before insuring your SUV.