You would think that the lower the price of your car, the lower the insurance rate you would have to pay. This is a common idea among any people, and they couldn't be more wrong. In some cases, higher-priced cars have surprisingly lower insurance rates than what one would expect. Conversely, new cars with bargain-rate sticker prices can cost you a lot more in insurance premiums. To avoid this sort of confusion, let's look at the most and least expensive cars to insure in the United States.

As a general rule, sports cars cost more to insure than sedans. This is because owners of sports cars tend to drive their cars more aggressively and are thus at greater risk for becoming involved in an accident. Also, to some extent, higher-priced cars also carry greater insurance requirements because they cost more to repair and their parts are more expensive.

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But a list of the most expensive cars to insure in 2004, compiled by Insure.com, is made up of a mix of seemingly lower-profile automobiles and trucks. This is probably because even though a vehicle is not that expensive, it is more prone to theft. And whether or not thieves are apt to take a liking to your car also affects your insurance rate significantly. Included in Insure.com's 2004 list of cars with the highest insurance rates in the US are: the Honda Civic, Chevrolet Cavalier, Nissan Altima, Ford Focus, and GMC Sierra.

On the other hand, a list from the Insurance Services Office (ISO) shows that some high-priced vehicles are expected to have the lowest insurance rates. Some of these cars are Chrysler Town & Country, Chevrolet Venture, Saturn Ion, Buick LeSabre, and the Ford Freestar van. Studies show that some of the more expensive models have more durable and crashworthy components than their lesser-priced counterparts. They are more likely to withstand serious damage in an accident; hence, their lower insurance rates.

So before you buy that new car you've been eyeing for quite some time, it would pay to do a bit more research. Knowing which are the most and least expensive cars to insure may help you make a firm commitment to buying that car – or get you to consider another model altogether.

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