IIHS REPORT: Injury, Collision and Theft Losses By Make Model Year

GUIDE TO THIS REPORT

The table inside summarizes the recent insurance injury, collision, and theft losses of passenger cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs. Results are based on the loss experience of 2002-04 models from their first sales through May 2005. For vehicles that were newly introduced or redesigned during these years, the results shown in this publication are based only on the most recent model years for which the vehicle designs were unchanged — either 2003-04 or 2004 only. Results are grouped according to vehicle body style and then according to size. A total of 371 vehicles are listed.

The results show that insurance losses for injuries, vehicle damage, and theft vary widely. Vehicle size is strongly related to injury and collision losses, but these losses also vary among vehicles similar in body style and size.

All losses are stated in relative terms, with 100 representing the average injury, collision, or theft loss for all vehicles. For example, a result of 122 is 22 percent worse than average, and 96 is 4 percent better than average. The vehicles are listed within each group in ascending sequence of injury claim frequency results. For convenience, the results are color-coded to indicate better and worse than the average. The results also are adjusted, or standardized, to reduce possible distortions from two nonvehicle factors — operator age (injury, collision, and theft results) and insurance deductible (collision and theft results only).

The results in this publication are generally good predictors of the experience of current versions of the same vehicle models. But when automakers substantially redesign their passenger vehicles, the experience of an earlier model with the same name (but not same design) may not predict the experience of the newer design.

Collisions that result in serious and fatal occupant injuries are relatively rare, so they have only a small influence on the insurance injury results reported in this publication. The results shown here are dominated by the relatively frequent low to moderate severity collisions and associated injuries.

Vehicles with high death rates often have high frequencies of insurance claims for occupant injuries. For example, small 2- and 4-door cars typically have high death rates and higher-than-average insurance injury claims experience. Some vehicles (e.g., sports cars) can have low injury claim frequencies but a high relative rate of severe or fatal injuries because of the manner in which they’re driven.