Insuring an Infiniti

Infiniti is Nissan's answer to luxury divisions like Lexus and Acura. Although it got off to a somewhat rocky start, the make is really making a name for itself in the luxury car sector. One thing that really makes these vehicles stand out is their affordable price tags. Although they are laden with superior features and boast gorgeous designs, they manage to be relatively affordable too. In addition to looking and feeling great, these cars typically boast exceptional power and performance too. They aren't cheap in the scheme of things, but they are affordable when stacked up against other upscale brands. One area in which Infiniti falls short is the cost of insurance. These vehicles are not cheap to insure. The average annual cost to insurance an Infiniti is $1,996.30, which ranks it 31st on a list of 36 makes.

Brief History

The Infiniti marque has not been around for very long. The brand was mostly developed as a way for Nissan to compete with the Acura line and Lexus line. By the time this brand was launched, those other brands were dominating the market. Infiniti was launched in 1990, and it hardly hit the ground running. In fact, the brand struggled along for some time. It wasn't until 2003 and the debut of the G35 that Infiniti finally started to get noticed. These days, the automaker produces upscale SUVs, sedans and other cars with sporty edges and exceptional style.

Strong Safety Ratings Balance Out Insurance Rates

Although it's expensive to insure an Infiniti vehicle, it would be even more expensive if the brand didn't have such a strong reputation for safety. Infiniti vehicles generally perform quite well in crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the national government. In IIHS tests, for instance, the EX35 earned perfect "Good" ratings from the IIHS across the board. The IIHS also awarded a long string of "Good" ratings to the G37, although a few "Marginal" ratings were thrown into the mix as well. As a whole, Infiniti is a safe choice.

Infiniti Vehicles aren't Popular Targets for Thieves

Cars that are popular targets for thieves cost a lot more to insure. After all, the insurance company is exposing itself to more risk by insuring a vehicle that is stolen frequently. The good news for Infiniti is that these vehicles are not hot targets for thieves. In fact, none of Infiniti's vehicles show up on top-ten lists by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The NICB also publishes individual top-ten lists for the fifty states, and there's not a single Infiniti on those lists either.

Mid-Range MSRPs Drive Up Insurance Costs

So-so safety ratings don't help when it comes to insuring an Infiniti. The price of the average Infiniti vehicle drives up insurance costs too. Although the G37 has a somewhat reasonable starting MSRP of $32,600 and the EX35 has a starting MSRP of $35,800, those prices put them well beyond the reach of many average drivers. The QX56 has a starting MSRP of $59,200, which highlights why these vehicles tend to be pretty expensive to insure. With that being said, these MSRPs are far lower than the average prices for many other luxury vehicles.

The typical cost to insure various Infiniti cars is as follows:

• EX35 6-Cylinder - $1,400.00
• QX56 8-Cylinder - $1,577.00
• G37 6-Cylinder - $1,561.00