What Are the Most Expensive Cars to Insure?

Last Updated on October 21, 2026 by James Shaffer

The most expensive cars to insure are usually very large luxury sedans, high-performance sports cars and big luxury SUVs, because they cost the most to repair or replace when they’re damaged or stolen. In the Highway Loss Data Institute’s latest collision data for 2022-24 models, very large luxury cars had overall losses 2.8 times the average for all passenger vehicles. A handful of specific models also cost more because thieves target them.

Your driving record and where you live still matter a great deal, but the make and model you choose shows up most directly in the collision and comprehensive part of your premium. Below is what the loss data shows, how New York insurers rate vehicles, and what to check before you buy.

Why Some Cars Cost More to Insure

The New York Department of Financial Services explains that collision and comprehensive premiums are based on the estimated cost of future claims for damage to or loss of the vehicle. Higher-priced cars generally cost more to insure, but price isn’t the whole story. A car’s repair costs, theft record and the kind of damage it usually suffers in a crash also count.

That means a more expensive car can sometimes cost less to insure than a cheaper one, if it holds up better in crashes or is stolen less often. DFS lists strength, safety, repairability and theft record as the traits behind a vehicle’s physical damage rating.

Key Cost Drivers Insurers Look At

Factor	Why It Can Raise Premiums	What You Can Do
Replacement value	More money is at stake if the car is totaled or stolen.	Compare deductibles and shop more than one insurer.
Repair cost	Costly parts, sensors and specialized labor raise the average claim.	Ask how the policy handles parts and repairs before you buy.
Crash damage pattern	Cars that damage easily in low-speed hits generate more and larger claims.	Check the bumper-quality sticker required on new cars sold in New York.
Theft record	Frequently stolen models have higher comprehensive losses.	Park securely and ask about anti-theft discounts.

Which Types of Cars Have the Highest Insurance Losses

The best independent data on this comes from the Highway Loss Data Institute’s collision loss summary (December 2025), which covers 2022-24 model year cars, pickups and SUVs. HLDI compares each vehicle class to the all-vehicle average, set at 100. For collision coverage, that average was 5.9 claims per 100 insured vehicle years, $10,267 per claim and $604 in overall losses per insured vehicle year.

These are insurer loss figures, not premiums. They show where claims cost the most, which is what insurers price from.

Vehicle Class (2022-24 Models)	Claim Frequency	Claim Severity	Overall Collision Losses
Very large luxury cars	127	219	278
Large sports cars	110	174	192
Large luxury cars	121	155	188
Large four-door cars	144	126	182
Very large luxury SUVs	100	160	160
Small sports cars	52	255	132
Midsize station wagons (lowest)	77	82	63

Source: HLDI, 2022-24 models; 100 equals the average for all passenger vehicles.

The pattern is mostly about severity, meaning what each claim costs. Small sports cars get into fewer collision claims than average, but when they do, the average claim is more than two and a half times the norm. Very large luxury cars combine slightly above-average frequency with very high severity, which is why their overall losses top the chart.

Comprehensive coverage, which pays for theft, glass, fire, flood and other non-crash damage, follows a similar pattern. In HLDI’s comprehensive summary for the same model years, very large luxury cars averaged about $903 in comprehensive losses per insured vehicle year, compared with $233 for all passenger vehicles.

Examples from the New York DFS Vehicle Symbol List

Many New York insurers use the Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating symbol program to price collision and comprehensive coverage. Since 2011 model vehicles, ISO has used a 75-symbol scale with separate symbols for comprehensive and collision. Higher numbers reflect greater expected claim costs and higher premiums.

DFS posts a sample list of 2025 ISO symbols for specific models. Here are some from the top and bottom of that list.

Vehicle (as Listed by DFS)	Comprehensive Symbol	Collision Symbol
Mercedes-Benz S580 Hybrid sedan AWD	73	68
Porsche 911 Carrera coupe	69	67
Land Rover Range Rover Sport Hybrid AWD	65	60
Volvo S90 Hybrid B6 AWD	60	59
Audi A6 2.0T Hybrid Quattro	59	59
Kia K4 sedan	52	64
Tesla Model 3	43	57
Mazda MX-5 Miata convertible	26	19
Subaru Outback 2.5 I AWD	26	10
Jeep Wrangler JL Unlimited Hybrid AWD	18	16

Source: New York DFS sample of 2025 ISO comprehensive and collision symbols. Symbols apply to the specific trim and engine listed, and they can change.

Mainstream Cars Can Rate Higher Than You’d Expect

The list has a few surprises. The Kia K4, a compact sedan, carries a collision symbol of 64, higher than the Range Rover Sport Hybrid’s 60. The Nissan Versa’s collision symbol is 54, while the Chevrolet Corvette convertible’s is 46. A symbol reflects expected claim costs for that model, not its sticker price, so a modest car that’s often in costly crashes can rate high.

Symbols are only one piece of a premium. An insurer may use its own rating method, and your driving record, garaging address and coverage choices still carry a lot of weight.

How Theft Risk Raises Comprehensive Costs

New York sees a lot of vehicle theft. The National Insurance Crime Bureau reports that 24,206 vehicles were stolen in New York in 2025, the fifth-highest total of any state. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area ranked second among metro areas, with 27,138 thefts. Thefts are falling: NICB counted 659,880 thefts nationwide in 2025, down 23% from 2024, and first-half 2026 thefts in the New York metro area were down 16%.

Models with the Highest Theft Claim Rates

Raw theft counts favor popular cars, since there are more of them on the road. NICB’s most stolen vehicles of 2025 were the Hyundai Elantra, Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata. To see which models are stolen most often relative to how many are insured, insurers look at HLDI’s theft claim rates.

HLDI’s whole-vehicle theft rankings for 2022-24 models put these vehicles near the top (100 equals the all-vehicle average):

Vehicle (2022-24 Models)	Type	Relative Theft Claim Frequency
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1	Large sports car	3,949
Acura TLX 4WD	Large luxury car	2,138
Chevrolet Camaro	Large sports car	1,287
GMC Sierra 2500 crew cab 4WD	Very large pickup	1,023
Land Rover Range Rover 4WD	Large luxury SUV	540
BMW X7 4WD	Large luxury SUV	277
Mercedes-Benz S-Class long-wheelbase 4WD	Very large luxury car	267
Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD	Large luxury SUV	260

The Camaro ZL1’s whole-vehicle theft rate was 39 times the average. GM began a free software update campaign for 2020-24 Camaros in March 2025. At the other end, several Tesla models had the lowest theft rates in HLDI’s ranking.

Older Hyundai and Kia models are a special case. HLDI found that the companies’ free anti-theft software upgrade cut whole-vehicle theft claims by 52% on eligible vehicles that got it, but only about 40% of eligible owners had installed it as of December 2024. If you own an eligible 2011-22 Hyundai or Kia, ask the dealer whether yours has the upgrade.

Comprehensive coverage is what pays if your car is stolen, and DFS notes it also provides a daily transportation amount set by your policy. For more on how that claim works, read whether auto insurance covers a stolen car.

Does an Expensive Car Raise Your No-Fault and Liability Costs?

Not in the same way. Liability and no-fault (PIP) pay for injuries and damage to others, so they depend more on how often a vehicle’s drivers file injury claims than on what the car costs to fix. HLDI’s personal injury protection summary for 2022-24 models found the highest PIP claim frequency among four-door microcars and minicars, while small sports cars had the lowest of any class.

Every New York-registered vehicle needs the same required coverages, whatever it cost. These are the minimums listed by the NY DMV and the DFS coverage FAQ:

Required Coverage	New York Minimum
Bodily injury liability	$25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for injury; $50,000 per person and $100,000 per crash for death
Property damage liability	$10,000 per crash
Personal injury protection (no-fault)	$50,000 per person
Uninsured motorist	Subject to the same minimums as bodily injury liability

The DMV doesn’t accept out-of-state insurance for a New York-registered vehicle, and coverage has to stay in force as long as the registration is valid, even if the car sits parked. Owners of expensive cars often carry well above these minimums, since the $10,000 property damage minimum can be used up quickly in a crash with another high-value vehicle.

Coverage Checklist for High-Value Vehicles

Lenders and leasing companies usually require collision and comprehensive while you have a loan or lease. Beyond that, these are the coverages worth reviewing on an expensive car. Availability and terms depend on the insurer and policy.

Coverage	What It Does	Why It Matters on an Expensive Car
Collision	Pays to repair or replace your car after a crash, minus your deductible.	Repair bills on luxury and performance models run high.
Comprehensive	Covers theft, vandalism, glass, fire, flood and other non-crash damage.	Covers the theft risk that targeted models carry.
Higher liability limits	Raises what the policy pays if you injure someone or damage property.	Protects your assets if a claim exceeds state minimums.
SUM coverage	Pays your injury claim when the at-fault driver has little or no insurance.	In New York it’s included at your liability limits unless you decline it in writing.
Gap coverage	Covers the difference between the payout and what you owe on a loan or lease.	New expensive cars can be worth less than the loan balance early on.
Rental reimbursement	Helps pay for a rental while your car is in the shop.	Specialized repairs and parts can mean longer shop times.

The Pre-Insurance Photo Inspection

When you buy collision or comprehensive coverage in New York, the insurer has to inspect and photograph the car so it has a record to compare against future claims. DFS says the inspection is free and is usually waived for a brand-new vehicle. If a required inspection doesn’t happen, physical damage coverage is suspended until it does, so schedule it promptly on a used car.

When a Car Is Hard to Insure in New York

DFS keeps a page on difficult-to-insure vehicles. It includes vehicles with an original cost over $100,000, limited-production models, and customized, modified, replica and kit cars, along with a list of specific models. Some insurers may offer only liability on these cars, or write physical damage coverage only with a higher deductible, such as $1,000.

If you can’t find coverage in the regular market, the New York Automobile Insurance Plan is the fallback. DFS notes it costs more, and physical damage coverage through the plan is limited to the car’s actual cash value up to $50,000, which may fall well short on an expensive vehicle.

How to Lower the Cost of Insuring an Expensive Car

You can’t change what parts cost, but you can control how you shop and how you set up the policy.

• Compare several insurers on the same limits and deductibles. Pricing for the same model can vary a lot between companies, and this guide to comparing auto insurers covers what to look at besides price.
• Look at higher deductibles. DFS lists common collision and comprehensive deductible options from $100 to $1,000. A higher one lowers the premium, but pick an amount you could pay after a loss.
• Ask about anti-theft discounts. DFS says several devices, including alarms, permanently installed starter-disabling devices, certain tracking devices and VIN-etched windows, can qualify for a reduction on the comprehensive portion of your premium.
• Ask your local precinct about the Combat Auto Theft (CAT) program. Some insurers give a discount for enrolled vehicles, and the program needs the local police department’s participation.
• Check again at renewal. Rates and vehicle ratings change, so a quick comparison each year can be worth it. Our list of the cheapest auto insurance companies in New York is a place to start.

For more ways to cut your premium, see these tips to lower auto insurance costs in New York.

What to Check Before You Buy

1. Look the model up on the DFS ISO symbol list and the difficult-to-insure list, then ask an insurer for the symbols on the exact trim you want.
2. Check crash ratings from NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Ratings and IIHS vehicle ratings. DFS counts a car’s strength and safety in its physical damage rating.
3. Get at least two or three quotes with the VIN, your garaging address and the coverage you plan to carry.
4. If you’re buying used, plan for the photo inspection before your collision and comprehensive coverage takes full effect.

Where you park the car matters too. Our New York city and town guides cover local risks and list local agencies if you’d like help comparing carriers.

FAQs on the Most Expensive Cars to Insure