The rankings, which the insurance information and shopping site publishes annually, are based on the premium that a 40-year-old man with a good driving record, a good credit record and a 12-mile commute would pay annually.

The insurance data firm Quadrant Information Services calculated the average premiums for Insure.com by averaging car insurance rates from six large carriers across 10 ZIP codes in each state. According to the results, the national average annual premium for the Porsche 911 Carrera GT2 is $2,943.78, and other high-end sports cars like the Dodge Viper tended to dominate the list of the most expensive premiums (see the chart below for more). Amy Danise, senior managing editor at Insure.com, said the results didn’t surprise her since insurance policies are based on claims history. The Porsche Carrera GT2 “would have a really high claims history, meaning the drivers of that model have submitted a lot of very expensive claims. They crash a lot, and the cars could be very expensive to repair,” she said.

(In 2007, I wrote an article for The Wall Street Journal called “Honey, I Wrecked the Porsche,” about the spate of owners crashing expensive sports cars, including Porsche Carrera models. One reason for the crashes: inexperienced or reckless drivers getting behind the wheel of increasingly powerful and light cars.)

Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, minivans dominated the list of those least expensive to insure (see the chart below for more). Ms. Danise said minivans and smaller sport utility vehicles tended to be the least expensive to insure.

One surprise on the least expensive list? The Jeep Wrangler, which Ms. Danise said must not have a lot of claims attached to it. “It’s hard to speculate” why it’s on the least expensive list, she said. “But it could be cheaper to repair or have fewer injury claims.”

The particular car insurance policy that the survey examined contained uninsured motorist coverage, coverage of $300,000 for all injuries, coverage of $50,000 for property damage in an accident and a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage.

The study covered about 2,400 2010 models. Those left out were ones for which there wasn’t enough data, including exotic cars like Bentleys and Lamborghinis, which Insure.com said probably carried hefty insurance bills.

While actual premiums will vary based on individuals’ characteristics, including age, driving record and the chosen policy, Ms. Danise said vehicles’ placement in the rankings should stay relatively consistent from driver to driver.

Among categories of vehicles, according to Insure.com, the Dodge Caliber is the least expensive passenger car to insure, the GMC Canyon WT (2WD 2 Door 2.9L) is the least expensive pickup to insure and the Honda Odyssey LX (5 Door 2WD SOHC) is the least expensive minivan to insure. Click here for the full list and a new tool from Insure.com that lets you search the rankings by vehicle and location.

When have you been surprised (positively or negatively) by the price an insurance company quoted for coverage for your vehicle?

The Five Least Expensive 2010 Vehicles to Insure

Rank Make and Model Style & Type Cylinders Average National Premium
1 Mazda Tribute I 2WD, 4-door utility 4 $1,070.25
2 Honda Odyssey LX 5-door 2WD SOHC van 6 $1,095.26
3 Mazda Tribute I 4WD 4-door utility 4 $1,103.29
4 Chrysler Town & Country LX 2WD 4-door 3.3L wagon 6 $1,119.83
5 Jeep Wrangler X 4WD 2-door 3.8L Utility 6 $1,124.38

The Five Most Expensive 2010 Vehicles to Insure

Rank Make and Model Style & Type Cylinders Average National Premium
1 Porsche 911 Carrera GT2 2-door coupe 6 $2,943.78
2 Mercedes S65 AMG 4-door sedan 12 $2,863.03
3 Dodge Viper SRT-10 2-door coupe 10 $2,851.89
4 Porsche Panamera Turbo AWD 4-door sedan 8 $2,837.39
5 Dodge Viper SRT-10 2-door convertible 10 $2,815.90

Source: Insure.com, from a study commissioned by Insure.com from Quadrant Information Services

By JENNIFER SARANOW SCHULTZ

The program, which offers up to $4,500, will be overseen by the Transportation Department.

Dealers and manufacturers are offering additional incentives, including matching funds in some cases, to help boost sales.

Congress approved the program to help the U.S. auto industry after handing out billions of dollars in bailouts and the bankruptcies of General Motors Corp and Chrysler Group.

Efficiency terms established by the Transportation Department are narrow enough to help GM, Chrysler and Ford Motor Co sell their bread-and-butter pickups and sport utilities, even though passenger cars as a class get better gas mileage and give off fewer carbon emissions.

Overseas automakers like Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co dominate sales of fuel-efficient passenger cars in the United States.

Trade-ins must get no more than 18 miles per gallon, they must be drivable and no more than 25 years old. No model later than 2001 will qualify. Trade-in vehicles must also meet specific ownership and insurance criteria.

The government estimates the program will help finance up to 220,000 new car purchases, or about 12 per dealer in the United States. The program is not expected to boost manufacturing output unless it is extended beyond $1 billion.

Congress has not ruled out additional funding if the program is successful.

• Ask us to check several companies’ rates. This is the single most important thing you can do to get the best possible rate—and we can do it for you quickly and easily. The difference between the highest and lowest rate available to you from different companies could vary by hundreds of dollars.

• Reduce or drop physical damage coverage on an older car. Depending on your car’s age and where you live, comprehensive and collision coverage may not be worth keeping. We can give you advice on whether it makes sense to reduce or drop this coverage altogether.

• Raise your deductible. According to the Insurance Information Institute, raising your deductible from $250 to $500 could reduce your collision and comprehensive cost by 15 to 30 percent. In addition, because the average driver files a collision claim only once every ten years, odds are that over the lifetime of your car, a higher deductible will save you money. We can show you how raising your deductible will lower your premium.

• Look for discounts. Many insurance companies reduce premiums for certain driver traits or car features. For example: being a homeowner for more than three years, nonsmoker, nondrinker, students with good grades, senior citizens who have taken an approved defensive driving course, people who only drive for pleasure, cars kept in garages, antilock brakes, antitheft devices, air bags, etc. Ask us to check.

• Don’t assume having your car and home insured by the same company is the best option. Because auto insurance rates vary so much from company to company, it may make sense for you to have your car and home insured by separate companies. Let’s talk about it.

To learn more about all an independent agency can offer you, stop by or call:

Statewide Insurance Group, Inc.

5718 Hwy 74 West

Indian Trail, NC 28079

704/821-7630

It can be easier than you think to put the brakes on high auto insurance rates – as an independent agency, Statewide Insurance can help! We can review your policy and possibly help you find a variety of illuminating ways to save money. Here are some things you may want to consider:

• Ask us to check several companies’ rates. This is the single most important thing you can do to get the best possible rate—and we can do it for you quickly and easily. The difference between the highest and lowest rate available to you from different companies could vary by hundreds of dollars.

• Reduce or drop physical damage coverage on an older car. Depending on your car’s age and where you live, comprehensive and collision coverage may not be worth keeping. We can give you advice on whether it makes sense to reduce or drop this coverage altogether.

• Raise your deductible. According to the Insurance Information Institute, raising your deductible from $200 to $500 could reduce your collision and comprehensive cost by 15 to 30 percent. In addition, because the average driver files a collision claim only once every ten years, odds are that over the lifetime of your car, a higher deductible will save you money. We can show you how raising your deductible will lower your premium.

• Look for discounts. Many insurance companies reduce premiums for certain driver traits or car features. For example: being a homeowner for more than three years, nonsmoker, nondrinker, students with good grades, senior citizens who have taken an approved defensive driving course, people who only drive for pleasure, cars kept in garages, antilock brakes, antitheft devices, air bags, etc. Ask us to check.

• Don’t assume having your car and home insured by the same company is the best option. Because auto insurance rates vary so much from company to company, it may make sense for you to have your car and home insured by separate companies. Let’s talk about it.

To learn more about all an independent agency can offer you, call us at 704/821-7630