10 Highest Vehicle Claims Rates

An analysis of insurance claims from 2008-2010 by the Highway Loss Data Institute reveals the Cadillac Escalade to be the most targeted vehicle for car theft; the report also reveals the Escalade to incur overall theft losses more than 10 times the average vehicle.

Escalades routinely top the HLDI’s list of vehicles with the most theft claims, with the Escalade EXT ranks the worst with more than 14 claims are suffered per 1,000 insured vehicles. While Escalades are more than six times as likely as the average vehicle to be targeted by a thief, the next four vehicles on the list, and five out of the top 10, are pickup trucks.

Incurring significantly higher losses than every vehicle in the top 10 except the Escalade, are the Ford F-250 and F-450, which occupy the second and fourth slots, and the Ford F-350 in the seventh spot. This follows a general rule that pickups suffer significantly higher losses than SUVs and cars—with the Escalade being the exception.

The report noted a decrease in pickup truck thefts from the 2007-2009 report to this year’s. HLDI SVP Kim Hazelbaker explained the lower numbers by citing ignition immobilizers and other technological security devices that took a little longer to make their way into pickups.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Audi A6 boasts the lowest claim frequency along with the Mercury Mariner, with just 0.5 out of 1,000 vehicles filing claims. To round out the top five lowest claim rates, two versions of the Chevy Equinox and the Volkswagon CC carry 0.6 claim frequency rates. The Audi A6, however, suffers easily the highest average loss payment per claim of any car from either top 10 at $16,882.

HLDI’s theft report bases their numbers solely on insured vehicles. A report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau on the most stolen vehicles reported on earlier this month focused on all vehicle thefts.

HLDI’s full lists of the highest and lowest claim rates are below:

Highest Claim Rates

1. Cadillac Escalade (4 versions)

2. Ford F-250 crew 4WD

3. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew

4. Ford F-450 crew 4WD

5. GMC Sierra 1500 crew

6. Chrysler 300

7. Ford F-350 crew 4WD

8. Chevrolet Avalanche 1500

9. GMC Yukon

10. Chrysler 300 HEMI

 

Lowest Claim Rates

1. Audi A6 4WD

2. Mercury Mariner

3. Chevrolet Equinox (2010)

4. Volkswagen CC (2009-’10)

5. Chevrolet Equinox 4WD (2010)

6. Lexus RX 350 (2010)

7. Saturn VUE

8. Chevrolet Aveo (2009-’10)

9. BMW 5 series 4WD

10. Mini Cooper Clubman

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