Insure.com: Nissan GT-R Most Expensive Car to Insure

Insure.com calculated average car insurance premiums for almost 300 vehicles in model year 2009. Insure.com's average car insurance rankings are available in Excel or Word format by contacting Amy Danise, editor of Insure.com, at 860-386-6446. 

Topping the list is the Nissan GT-R, which Nissan bills as a "multi performance supercar" that delivers fantasy driving. 

The GT-R's supercharged engine helped drive it to the top. It's a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged 24-valve V6 with 485 horsepower. Compare that to the Honda Accord Coupe EX-L V6, with a horsepower of 271. Or take the Smart Fortwo, the smallest car available and one of the least expensive to insure, which has 71 horsepower. 

Owners of the GT-R buy it for power and speed, and their drivng habits will be reflected in frequent and expensive insurance claims. 

GT-R owners who are young with less-than-spotless driving records could easily see their annual car insurance premiums zoom to several thousand dollars. 

Sports cars dominate the "most expensive" roster, along with theft favorites like the Cadillac Escalade.

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The 20 most expensive 2009 vehicles to insure

If your readers are looking to lower premium costs, the "least expensive" list contains a good selection of SUVs, minivans and passenger cars. Low insurance rates tend to reflect a vehicle's safety because drivers of those models have submitted fewer and less-expensive insurance claims. 

Enjoying the bottom spot, with the lowest average car insurance rate, is the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe, an SUV.

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The 20 least expensive 2009 vehicles to insure

Complete rankings can also be viewed on MSN Money.

About the rankings

To compare car insurance rates, Insure.com used a driver profile of a 40-year-old single male who drives 12 miles to work. with policy limits of 100/300/50 ($100,000 for injury liability for one person, $300,000 for all injuries and $50,000 for property damage in an accident) and a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive. Policies quoted include uninsured motorist coverage of 100/300. Rates were averaged across multiple ZIP codes and insurance companies. Average rates are for comparative purposes; drivers' own rates will depend on personal factors such as age, driving history, location, discounts and other factors. 

Average premiums for the profile used ranged from $2,533 to $832. When all vehicles were averaged together, the Chevy Tahoe ranked at the center, with an average car insurance premium of $1,169.