Before families load up for that annual summer vacation, they may want to check out Insure.com, Inc.'s latest findings about the most and least expensive SUVs and minivans to insure. The online resource calculated average car insurance premiums for almost 300 vehicles, including SUVs and minivans, for 2009 models.

Not surprisingly, research indicated that minivans are relatively inexpensive to insure and typically do not have the wide range of premiums seen with SUVs. Their reputation for being operated by safety-conscious parents hauling children -- not to mention a slew of safety features -- make them among the cheapest to insure.

The calculation of premiums is directly related to the incidence and severity of claims associated with each particular type of SUV and minivan. Thus, the drivers of the SUVs and minivans with the lowest premiums listed below report less frequent and (generally) less expensive claims. Among the other factors that affect insurance premiums are the retail price tag, driving history, and credit score.

Topping the "most expensive to insure" list for SUVs is the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, which has a retail price of around $100,000. Its national average annual premium is $2,088, markedly higher than that for the Hyundai Santa Fe. The latter carries an annual premium of $832 and is the least expensive SUV to insure, according to these findings.

The numbers below show how other 2009 models stacked up:

The Most Expensive SUVs to Insure

Avg. Annual Premium SUV

$1,912 Hummer H2

$1,603 Land Rover Range Rover

$1,584 BMW X6

$1,553 Cadillac Escalade

$1,472 Lexus LX 570

$1,457 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

$1,392 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class

$1,390 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

$1,389 Infiniti QX56

The Least Expensive SUVs to Insure

Avg. Annual Premium SUV

$840 Kia Sportage

$911 Saturn Vue

$913 Mazda Tribute

$939 Jeep Wrangler

$964 Subaru Forester

$974 Land Rover LR3

$976 Honda Pilot

$976 Jeep Patriot

$977 Hyundai Veracruz

Average Insurance Premiums for Minivans

Avg. Annual Premium Minivan

$1,021 Nissan Quest

$1,008 Volkswagen Routan

$965 Toyota Sienna

$960 Dodge Grand Caravan

$929 Mazda Mazda5

$915 Chrysler Town & Country

$871 Honda Odyssey

$857 Kia Sedona

$848 Hyundai Entourage

Special Reports /

Most, Least Expensive SUVs and Minivans to Insure

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