Minivan vs. SUV Auto Insurance Quotes: Which Offers More Affordable Quotes (2024)

So you’re deciding between a minivan or an SUV. Which one is cheaper to insure? Is there a major difference in the price of insurance for a minivan compared to an SUV? Today, we’re answering all your questions about the difference between minivans and SUVs insurance.

SUVs vs. Minivan Debate: What things should you consider?

Both have plenty of space for either storage space of space for people, but what about an insurance policy? From your insurer’s point of view, SUVs and minivans have a lot of things in common – but also several major differences. Here are some of the things insurance companies look at when assessing rates for these types of vehicles:

• SUVs are generally favored by men, and men tend to pay higher insurance rates than women (especially men under the age of 25)
• Males seem to choose SUVs over minivans. 41% of SUV drivers are male compared to 36.4% of minivan drivers
• The average age of both SUV and minivan drivers is about equal: the average driver is in their early 50s
• SUVs tend to have higher claim rates due to their size and weight; in a collision, an SUV tends to cause more damage to property, vehicles, and passengers, which means more third-party claims
• In a collision, an SUV is more likely to roll over than a minivan
• SUVs typically cost more to repair than a minivan.

Is a minivan cheaper to insure than an SUV?

Based on all of the information above, you can see why a minivan tend to be cheaper to insure than an SUV.

A minivan is seen as the traditional family vehicle. They’re most relied on for family usage with their extra rows of seats for passenger space and extra cargo space. Auto insurance companies know this, and they take it into account when building a policy. Parents driving kids in a minivan is associated with less risk than someone driving an SUV.

A minivan also tends to do less damage in a collision. They’re less likely to roll over, and their smaller size and lower weight make them less likely to damage other vehicles and property.

Statistics tell us that married couples and parents tend to have lower rates of collisions and other violations. A minivan, or family haulers, comes with a wide variety of insurance policies and costs, but in general, they’re cheaper to insure.

The difference isn’t small, either.

Which costs less to insure?

In general, a minivan costs about $930 to insure. An SUV, on the other hand, costs about $1,250 to insure. That’s a difference of about $330 a year.

In other words, you can expect to pay about $30 more per month on your minivan insurance compared to your SUV insurance.

Other reports tell us that a minivan costs about 12 to 14% less to insure than an SUV – which is significantly smaller than the $330 difference we mentioned above.

Which are the cheapest vehicles to insure?

If you’re looking to pay the cheapest possible rate on vehicle insurance, then a minivan is your best option. These vehicles are consistently ranked as some of the cheapest cars to insure.

According to a report from Forbes and Quadrant,

“American and Japanese non-luxury minivans, SUVs and sedans make up the 10 least expensive cars to insure, according to Quadrant’s data.  The top four cheapest cars to insure are minivans.”

Specifically, a Toyota Sienna came with an average annual insurance policy of $1,100 per year, while a four-door Chrysler Town & Country LX was priced at $1,090 per year.

Can you still get cheap insurance policies on family-friendly SUVs?

It’s true that SUVs cost more to insure. However, family-friendly SUVs still typically cost less than other vehicles – for all of the same reasons why minivans cost less.

You may not have minivan seating, but family-oriented SUVs are typically driven by safety-conscious parents and families. Statistically speaking, these groups get into fewer collisions than other demographics. So yes, you’ll pay more for your SUV insurance than your minivan insurance, but you’re still saving hundreds of dollars per year compared to sports car insurance.

What is our conclusion?

Ultimately, all things considered, a minivan is generally cheaper to insure than an SUV. Vehicle types certainly come in a variety of sizes, and these can both help with cargo space for larger items and family-friendly features for road travel. Driving a minivan will typically cost you anywhere from 12% to 20% less than driving an SUV – at least from an insurance standpoint. Obviously, specific rates and policies vary between vehicles, providers, states, and individuals.