Versions of the 2003-05 Cadillac Escalade, Mitsubishi LancerEvolution, and Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab pickup have the highestrates of insurance theft claims according to a study published bythe Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), an affiliate of theInsurance Institute for Highway Safety. The three vehicles haveclaim rates four-to-five times the average for all vehicles.

This is the fourth year in a row that the Escalade has toppedthe list of vehicles most likely to have a theft claim. In fact,according to the report, four different versions of the Escalade(EXT, a specialty pickup, plus two- and four-wheel-drive versionsof the short and long wheelbase Escalade) head the list of theworst overall insurance losses for theft among all passengervehicles. The EXT has overall theft losses that are 16 times higherthan the average.

“The overall results show the Escalade has not only the highestrate of claims but also very expensive claims when they are filed,”said Kim Hazelbaker, HLDI senior vice president. “In fact, almostone-quarter of theft claims for the Escalade are for $40,000 ormore, indicating that thieves often are stealing the whole vehiclesand not just their parts.”