Insurance Costs
For Passenger Cars,
Station Wagons/Passenger
Vans, Pickups, and Utility
Vehicles on the Basis of
Damage Susceptibility
Comparison of Differences in Insurance Costs for Passenger Cars, Station Wagons/Passenger
Vans, Pickups, and Utility Vehicles on the Basis of Damage Susceptibility
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has provided the information in this
CY 2015-2017 online booklet in compliance with Federal law to aid consumers considering the
purchase of new vehicles. This online booklet compares differences in relative average loss
payments for different makes and models of passenger cars, station wagons/passenger vans,
pickups, and utility vehicles on the basis of damage susceptibility for the vehicle.1
However, it does
not indicate a vehicle's relative safety for occupants.
The following tables contain the available information regarding the effect of damage
susceptibility on insurance premiums. The information was taken from data compiled by the
Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) in its December 2014, 2015 and 2016 Insurance Collision
Reports, reflecting the collision loss experience of passenger cars, station wagons/passenger vans,
pickups, and utility vehicles sold in the United States in terms of the average loss payment per
insured vehicle year for model years (MYs) 2012-2014, 2013-2015 and 2014-2016, respectively.
NHTSA has not verified the data in these tables.
The tables present vehicles' collision loss experience in relative terms, with 100 representing
the average for all passenger vehicles. Thus, a rating of 122 reflects a collision loss experience
that is 22 percent worse than average while a rating of 96 reflects a collision loss experience
that is 4 percent better than average. HLDI’s data presented in its 2014 report shows that relative
overall losses range from 49 for the Fiat 500 electric vehicle to 655 for the Ferrari 458 Italia twodoor
vehicle. The 2015 relative overall losses range from 38 for the Chevrolet Express 3500 series
vehicle to 563 for the Ferrari 458 convertible vehicle. The 2016 relative overall losses range from
25 for the Chevrolet Express 3500 series vehicle to 650 for the Bentley Continental GT two-door
4WD vehicle. The tables are not relevant for models that have been substantially redesigned for
2014, 2015, and 2016, and do not include information about models with insufficient claim
experience.
Although many insurance companies use the HLDI information to adjust the "base rate" for
the collision portion of their insurance premiums, the amount of any such adjustment is usually
small. It is unlikely that your total premium will vary more than 10 percent depending upon the
collision loss experience of a particular vehicle. If you do not purchase collision coverage or your
insurance company does not use the HLDI information, your premium will not vary at all in relation
to these rankings.
In setting insurance premiums, insurance companies rely on factors that are not directly
related to the vehicle itself (except for its value). They consider driver characteristics such as age,
gender, marital status, and driving record, the geographic area in which the vehicle is driven, how
many miles are traveled, and how the vehicle is used. However, some companies adjust their
premiums for personal injury protection and medical payment coverage if the insured vehicle has
features that are likely to improve its crashworthiness, or ability to protect occupants from injury or
death, such as air bags. Different insurance companies often charge different premiums for the same
driver and vehicle. Therefore, to obtain complete information about insurance premiums, you
should contact insurance companies or their agents directly
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