10 Everyday Cars That Are Expensive to Insure

We’ve always recommended that car buyers get insurance quotes before they sign on the dotted line of a sales contract. That’s because the cost of your car insurance premium is one of the hidden expenses anytime you purchase a new or used car.

Every car will be quoted differently, and some cars just seem to be in accidents more often, or take more damage during a crash. That leads to higher costs for insurers. If a certain make or model costs insurance companies more, expect these costs to be reflected in premiums.

And not just exotic or luxury cars suffer from being expensive to insure. Plenty of normal, everyday cars have much higher than average car insurance costs based on the losses insurers have experienced. Here are the top 10 cars with the highest insurance losses in the three years between 2008 and 2010:

Scion tC

2008 Scion tC. (Toyota)

Toyota’s Scion brand of automobiles are aimed at younger drivers. And that’s reflected perfectly in the Scion tC. Not only has the tC experienced the highest insurance losses in the last three years, but it’s also the the third biggest ticket magnet on U.S. roads, ratcheting up three times as many moving violations as the average car.

Even though the Scion tC is based largely on Toyota’s Camry chassis and even features an engine previously featured in the Camry, it still offers a sporty experience, which along with its younger demographic, seem to conspire on making sure insurance losses pile up.

Mercedes Benz S-Class Sedan (LWB)

2008 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC. (conceptcarz.com)

We’re willing to go on record as saying that the Mercedes Benz S-Class are likely some of the most highly advanced cars on the planet. Want to know what  sort of safety features will be on mainstream cars in ten years? Simply look at the current generation of the S-Class.

Add to the fact that the S-Class is also equipped with ample loads of performance and power, not to mention the large cost associated with the S-Class, it isn’t hard to see why they’re responsible for the second highest car insurance losses.

Mitsubishi Lancer

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. (productwiki.com)

While they’re not a common sight on the road, the Mitsubishi Lancer is a great offering that competes directly with import stalwarts like the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Nissan Sentra.

The Mitsubishi is a great looking car offering a long list of luxurious appointments and it’s put together rather well. But it’s also in third place in auto policy losses for the last three years, which means you can expect to pay more than average on your premiums.

Chevrolet Cobalt

2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS. (autobytel.com)

The Chevrolet Cobalt has gone on to that junkyard in the sky, having been replaced with the much improved Chevrolet Cruze. And we doubt many tears would have been shed over the Cobalt, other than by those who saw them as cheap cars not quite up to the quality and performance of Japanese offerings.

If you’re looking at a Cobalt as a cheap car, make sure you get an insurance quote before you buy. It comes in with the fourth highest claim losses.

Suzuki SX4

2008 Suzuki SX4. (autospectator.com)

Like the Mitsubishi Lancer, Suzuki’s SX4 competes with offerings like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. While it can be obtained for a much lower price than comparable models with a much higher list of standard equipment, some of those savings will evaporate with the insurance premiums you’ll pay.

You’ll also find the SX4 misses the mark compared to the more mainstream counterparts in terms of fit and finish. Coming in with the fifth highest car insurance losses, this is not the area in which Suzuki wanted to make its mark.

Dodge Charger

2008 Dodge Charger. (jalopnik.com)

It isn’t hard to see why consumers have snapped up Dodge Chargers since Chrysler brought the nameplate back into production. This family sedan isn’t anything like Japanese offerings, with cabin space of unrivaled proportions and a high level of performance.

The Dodge Charger is also quite affordable, but that’s a good thing, since as the sixth car in highest claim losses, it’ll have a policy premium that’s above average.

Mitsubishi Eclipse

2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse. (conceptcarz.com)

The second Mitsubishi model to experience high insurance losses, the Eclipse is aimed at a much different audience than the Lancer. Sporting fun is probably the first thing any Eclipse buyer thinks about, and the Eclipse offers plenty of it.

However, it has gotten long in tooth compared to competitors, and it’s also the car with the seventh highest claim losses in the last three years. Be sure and quote a policy before you buy.

Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD

2012 Cadillac Escalade ESV. (GM)

The Cadillac Escalade ESV is one of the largest vehicles you’ll see on the road, offering what seems to be an endless amount of storage and passenger space. And of course, it’s just as ostentatious as you’d expect, with lots of shine and bling.

Unfortunately, the Escalade ESV comes in at number eight on our list of cars with the highest claim losses, which only helps to expand your monthly premiums.

Cadillac Escalade 4WD

2011 Cadillac Escalade. (GM)

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade had a starting retail price that reached higher than $82,000. And the sheer cost of Escalades likely contributes to them racking up huge losses in car insurance claims.

This second Escalade is smaller than the ESV, but still offers just as much brash, in-your-face Vegas experience. And like the previous model, it also offers high insurance premiums, due to its position of having the ninth highest car insurance claims.

Chevrolet Aveo

2011 Chevrolet Aveo. (desktopia.net)

The Chevrolet Aveo has now been replaced by the Chevy Sonic. Not only is the Sonic safer, scoring an IIHS Top Safety Pick, but it’s cheaper to insure.

And admittedly, with only low price and exceptional fuel economy as positives, it isn’t hard to see why Chevrolet replaced this model. Offered as both a hatchback and sedan, the Aveo comes in tenth place in claims losses in the last three years.

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