Car insurance for SUVs

If you are thinking of purchasing an SUV, you may be worried about how much you will pay for car insurance. The average cost of car insurance in the U.S. is $622 per year for minimum coverage and $2,014 for full coverage, which includes collision and comprehensive insurance. Car insurance for SUVs is not always more expensive than these averages, however. In fact, you may be able to find an affordable policy for your SUV with little difficulty, depending on your personal factors. The average auto insurance rate for vehicles such as the Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4 are well below national averages. To help you find the best SUV car insurance, Bankrate’s insurance editorial team reviewed average prices for a handful of popular models.

How much does it cost to insure an SUV

The average cost of car insurance is $622 per year for minimum coverage and $2,014 per year for full coverage. While SUV car insurance rates can fall within this range, premiums could also be higher or lower depending on some of these rating factors:

• Crash rate stats per make/model: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) ratings are not only a great way to shop for safe vehicles, but a high safety rating on your SUV could also earn you savings on your annual premium.
• Price of parts: SUVs that require pricey imported parts or high-tech solutions may cost more to fix after an accident. This causes insurers to increase rates to potentially cover these increased repair expenses.
• Safety features: SUVs with advanced safety features and those that are statistically less likely to get into an accident may be cheaper to insure than models that have had high instances of theft and claims in the recent past. If your SUV includes features like blind-spot detection, surround-view or rear cross-traffic alert, you might save money.

In addition to these factors, your insurer looks at your driving history, location and other personal characteristics to determine rate. However, you may be able to save money with car insurance discounts. Most insurers offer several that may be easy to qualify for.

Car insurance for SUVs by driving profile

Your premium is a unique summary of a range of factors that your insurer uses to determine how likely you are to file a claim. Each company calculates each factor differently, but the lower the risk to the company, the more likely it is that you will earn a favorable rate. Your credit-based insurance score, for example, is one factor that will play a role in most states, since drivers with a high credit rating tend to file fewer claims.

Other factors may include where you live, your age (in most states) and your driving record. The average costs for SUV insurance featured here are based on the most current data available from Quadrant Information Services. Keep in mind that different states have different insurance laws, and some states may ban the use of your age, gender or credit tier when rating insurance policies. In some states, ZIP codes are also a banned rating factor.

Car insurance for SUVs by make and model

The make and model of your SUV plays a significant role in your car insurance pricing. The type of coverage and level of coverage you choose can also make a difference, with minimum coverage policies typically costing less than full coverage policies.

The following table indicates the average cost of insuring several popular SUV models. The Honda CR-V, Honda Pilot, and Subaru Outback are among the cheapest makes and models for full coverage auto insurance for SUVs on average.

Cheapest car insurance companies for SUVs

The prices below show the average costs for popular SUV models with some of the largest car insurance companies by market share in the U.S. All are known for writing robust policies at a reasonable rate, and Amica, Geico, State Farm and USAA are all included on Bankrate's listing of the cheapest car insurance companies. These four companies also made our listing for the best car insurance companies. 

Note that USAA, which offers some of the lowest rates on the table, is only available to military service personnel, veterans and their qualifying family members. To start your search for the most affordable coverage, we suggest you ask for quotes from several of the companies for the same coverage types and limits, and see who gives you the cheapest option. 

Average annual premium for full coverage by model

Other car insurance coverage for an SUV

In almost every state, you are required to carry a certain amount of liability insurance to be on the road legally. Your state may also have other required types of insurance, such as personal injury protection in no-fault states. But having a policy with only your state's required minimums may not give you enough coverage if you're in a serious accident. 

Many insurance experts recommend that you purchase as much liability insurance as you can afford to give yourself more robust coverage. In addition, there are a handful of other types of coverage that you may want to consider for your policy:

• Collision coverage and comprehensive coverage are standard optional offerings that are designed to protect against damage to your vehicle caused by crashes, vandalism, theft and weather damage. If you have a car loan or lease, you may be required to carry these coverage options.
• Some states require drivers to carry uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in case of accidents with drivers who have no insurance or don’t have enough coverage to pay for your damages. Keep in mind that uninsured motorist coverage for injuries and property damage are separate coverage types. 
• Gap insurance may be useful if you have a fairly new car. It will pay the gap between your car's depreciated value and what you owe on the loan if the vehicle is totaled or stolen in a covered incident.
• Roadside assistance coverage varies from insurer to insurer, but generally it covers minor inconveniences while you're on the road, such as a flat tire or dead battery. It may also pay to tow you to a garage if the fix is major.

Frequently asked questions

Methodology

Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze 2023 rates for ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quoted rates are based on a 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident
• $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
• $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
• $500 collision deductible
• $500 comprehensive deductible

To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2021 SUV of the following types, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.

SUV models:

• Ford Escape
• Honda CR-V
• Honda Pilot
• Jeep Cherokee
• Jeep Wrangler
• Nissan Rogue
• Subaru Outback
• Toyota RAV4

These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.