How to save on insurance for an SUV
After you’ve found the sport utility vehicle of your dreams, it's time to insure it. If you want your new vehicle to be fully protected without overpaying, you should put some time and effort into finding the right insurance policy. We’ll compare SUV insurance rates by model and insurer, providing some tips on how to find affordable and effective coverage.
Auto insurance for an SUV — table of contents:
- Cheap insurance companies by make and model
- Should you buy SUV-specific insurance?
- How to save
- Additional resources
What's the cheapest SUV to insure?
SUV insurance rates by model
Because "SUV" is a fairly broad term, our rate comparison uses average premiums for make-and-model combinations across the US. The breakdown below allows you to select the make-and-model that matches your current or prospective vehicle, and compare companies to find the best rate for you and your new car.
- Honda CR-V
- Jeep Cherokee
- Ford Escape
- Chevrolet Equinox
- Jeep Wrangler
- Subaru Forester
- Toyota RAV4
- Nissan Rogue
- Ford Explorer
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
Honda CR-V
First, we have a Honda CR-V, with a 2020 list price of $25,050. Of the insurance companies we compared, Farmers offers the cheapest insurance for a Honda CR-V.
Of the 10 SUVs we surveyed, the CR-V was the second cheapest SUV to insure.
Avoid Allstate if you drive a CR-V — the company's average rate for this SUV is more than $2,000 annually.
ANNUAL HONDA CR-V INSURANCE RATES
| Company | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $2,089 | $174 |
| Farmers | $1,767 | $147 |
| GEICO | $1,084 | $90 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,979 | $164 |
| Nationwide | $962 | $80 |
| Progressive | $1,371 | $114 |
| State Farm | $1,269 | $105 |
| USAA | $1,153 | $96 |
Jeep Cherokee
Next up, the Jeep Cherokee. On average, a Cherokee costs about $1,550 a year to insure and has an MSRP of $32,045, making it one of the more expensive SUVs to insure.
As with the Honda CR-V, USAA and Nationwide are the cheapest insurance options for the Cherokee.
ANNUAL JEEP CHEROKEE INSURANCE COST
| Company | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $2,246 | $187 |
| Farmers | $1,945 | $162 |
| GEICO | $1,241 | $103 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,846 | $153 |
| Nationwide | $1,072 | $89 |
| Progressive | $1,419 | $118 |
| State Farm | $1,515 | $126 |
| USAA | $1,118 | $93 |
Ford Escape
With a list price of $24,885 and an average monthly premium of $120, the Ford Escape is the third least-expensive SUV to buy but the cheapest to insure.
GEICO and Nationwide are the best companies to start looking for cheap Ford Escape insurance.
The most expensive insurance for a Ford Escape typically comes from Allstate, with an average cost of over $2,000 per year.ANNUAL FORD ESCAPE INSURANCE PREMIUMS
| Company | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $2,043 | $170 |
| Farmers | $1,613 | $134 |
| GEICO | $1,139 | $94 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,928 | $160 |
| Nationwide | $1,020 | $85 |
| Progressive | $1,299 | $108 |
| State Farm | $1,326 | $110 |
| USAA | $1,187 | $98 |
Chevy Equinox
Owning a 2020 Chevy Equinox will set you back about $1,524 a year in insurance costs, in addition to a sticker price of about $23,800 — the cheapest SUV out of all SUVs surveyed, but middle-of-the-road in terms of the cost to insure.
To avoid paying higher car insurance premiums on the Equinox, stay away from Farmers and Allstate.
ANNUAL INSURANCE RATES — CHEVROLET EQUINOX
| Company | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $2,165 | $180 |
| Farmers | $1,931 | $160 |
| GEICO | $1,254 | $104 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,697 | $141 |
| Nationwide | $1,088 | $90 |
| Progressive | $1,389 | $115 |
| State Farm | $1,403 | $116 |
| USAA | $1,264 | $105 |
Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler is near the middle of the pack in terms of insurance costs and list price ($28,295).
On average, insurance costs for this SUV will run you about $752 every six months (a standard policy period), or about $125 a month. USAA and Nationwide again offer the cheapest auto insurance rates for the Jeep Wrangler, with average premiums of $100 a month.
The most expensive car insurance for a Jeep Wrangler again comes from Allstate at over $2,000 a year.
ANNUAL JEEP WRANGLER INSURANCE COSTS
| Company | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $2,167 | $180 |
| Farmers | $1,754 | $146 |
| GEICO | $1,191 | $99 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,832 | $152 |
| Nationwide | $1,171 | $97 |
| Progressive | $1,333 | $111 |
| State Farm | $1,435 | $119 |
| USAA | $1,151 | $95 |
Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester — with a list price of $24,495 — is the second cheapest SUV to buy and has a similar level of insurance costs as the Jeep Wrangler.
GEICO and Nationwide offer the cheapest rates for this model, given our user profile.
On average, owning a Forester will cost $1,514 a year — or $757 per six-month policy period — to insure.
ANNUAL SUBARU FORESTER INSURANCE RATES
| Company | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $1,903 | $158 |
| Farmers | $2,013 | $167 |
| GEICO | $1,103 | $91 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,916 | $159 |
| Nationwide | $1,039 | $86 |
| Progressive | $1,482 | $123 |
| State Farm | $1,338 | $111 |
| USAA | $1,317 | $109 |
Toyota RAV4
The Toyota RAV4 is slightly on the expensive end to insure, compared to the other SUVs surveyed.
In addition to its $25,950 list price, the RAV4 carries an average monthly auto insurance premium of $129 — $774 for a six-month policy or an annual cost of $1,548.
The cheapest insurance for the RAV4 is available via Nationwide and USAA. Avoid Allstate and Liberty Mutual when getting insurance quotes for your RAV4 — average policy costs through these companies are pricey, starting at over $1,900 a year.
ANNUAL TOYOTA RAV4 INSURANCE PREMIUMS
| Company | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $2,067 | $172 |
| Farmers | $1,957 | $163 |
| GEICO | $1,211 | $100 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,968 | $164 |
| Nationwide | $1,129 | $94 |
| Progressive | $1,520 | $126 |
| State Farm | $1,400 | $116 |
| USAA | $1,133 | $94 |
Nissan Rogue
Nationwide and USAA offer the cheapest car insurance for a Nissan Rogue, according to our survey.
In addition to its list price of $25,300, owning a Nissan Rogue will set you back $1,552 annually, $776 for a 6-month policy period, or $129 per month. It is the second most expensive SUV to insure.
The most costly insurance option for a Nissan Rogue is Allstate, charging over $2,200 a year.
ANNUAL NISSAN ROGUE INSURANCE RATES
| Company | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $2,209 | $184 |
| Farmers | $1,940 | $161 |
| GEICO | $1,237 | $103 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,932 | $161 |
| Nationwide | $1,130 | $94 |
| Progressive | $1,436 | $119 |
| State Farm | $1,384 | $115 |
| USAA | $1,151 | $95 |
Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer, the most expensive SUV included in our survey, is also the most costly SUV to insure.
In addition to its 2020 list price of $32,765, average insurance costs for a Ford Explorer total about $1,589 annually.
The most budget-friendly insurance company for a Ford Explorer is Nationwide, at $1,081 a year. The priciest option is Allstate, at over $2,100.
ANNUAL FORD EXPLORER INSURANCE RATES
| Company | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $2,140 | $178 |
| Farmers | $1,783 | $148 |
| GEICO | $1,401 | $116 |
| Liberty Mutual | $2,013 | $167 |
| Nationwide | $1,081 | $90 |
| Progressive | $1,580 | $131 |
| State Farm | $1,428 | $119 |
| USAA | $1,283 | $106 |
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Last but not least, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is the second most expensive SUV to buy but its insurance costs sit in the middle out of all SUVs surveyed.
With a list price of $32,045 for a 2020 model, average Jeep Grand Cherokee insurance costs come out to $1,538 a year, $769 per 6-month policy, or $128 monthly.
The cheapest car insurance for a Jeep Grand Cherokee is available through Nationwide ($85 per month), while the most expensive option is Allstate ($175 per month).
ANNUAL JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE INSURANCE RATES
| Company | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $2,109 | $175 |
| Farmers | $1,858 | $154 |
| GEICO | $1,342 | $111 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,930 | $160 |
| Nationwide | $1,022 | $85 |
| Progressive | $1,477 | $123 |
| State Farm | $1,372 | $114 |
| USAA | $1,194 | $99 |
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Is SUV insurance different from standard auto insurance?
While insuring an SUV may be more expensive than insuring some sedans, car insurance is not necessarily categorized by vehicle type. The general term "auto insurance" encompasses all manners of vehicles and their necessary coverages. While you could potentially find different coverage options for an SUV, you certainly don't need an SUV-specific policy.
If you already have an established policy with an insurance company, you can just add your vehicle without having to take any additional steps.
How to find cheap insurance for an SUV
Although SUVs are typically cheaper to insure than trucks or vans, you're probably still paying more for auto insurance than you'd like. In addition to using the above SUV insurance comparison tables to guide your search, check out our other ways to save on auto insurance.
Be smart with your claims
Unless you have an accident forgiveness feature baked into your policy, your insurance costs will likely rise after you file a claim. If you're thinking about filing a claim for damage to your vehicle, weigh your options first. Does it make sense to pay for the damage out-of-pocket rather than through your insurance company? Here's how you can tell.
- Get an estimate for the repairs at a local repair shop.
- Use our State of Insurance analysis to see how much an at-fault accident would raise your rates in your state. This cost will be tacked on for three years, as that's how long most auto insurance companies will rate you after an accident.
- Compare the rate increase plus your deductible to the out-of-pocket cost. Choose the cheaper option.
While considerable variation exists between states regarding rate increases for at-fault claims, below is an average across the U.S. As you can see, an at-fault accident can — over the three-year period — raise your rate by more than $2,300.
AVERAGE INCREASE AFTER AT-FAULT CLAIM
| Increase at 6 months | Increase at 12 months | Increase at 3 Years |
|---|---|---|
| +$384 | +$767 | +$2,301 |
Double-check for discounts
Although car insurance discounts are typically quite small, they can add up to save you a lot of money on your auto insurance. When looking for ways to save, consider the following discounts:
- Multi-policy discount
- Good driver discount
- Paperless discount
- Payment by bank account
- Paid-in-full discount (paying your premium in one payment)
- Multi-vehicle discount
- Student discount
- Telematics
Shop around and compare insurance rates
Any car insurance quote you receive will be heavily dependent on who you are. Consider the data presented above as a jumping-off point. Just because USAA and Nationwide were the cheapest doesn't mean they will be for you. Compare as many insurance companies as possible when getting car insurance quotes for your SUV.