Insuring a Lexus

With its reputation for refinement and performance, Lexus has cemented its position in the U.S. luxury car segment. Lexus vehicles are popular for their sleek, plush designs, exceptional performance and comparatively affordable prices. When stacked up against many European counterparts, they are a lot less punishing on the pocketbook. The average yearly cost to insure a Lexus vehicle is $1,794.68, which ranks it 27th on a list of 36 vehicles. Lexus cars may not be cheap to insure, but they are so loaded with features that few drivers are going to mind. Learn about the factors that come into play when calculating Lexus auto insurance premiums by checking out the information below.

Brief History of Lexus

Lexus's parent company, Toyota, decided that it needed to get in on the luxury car game. The auto manufacturer took its time in developing the new brand. It did a great deal of market research during the 1980s to determine what American drivers wanted. Countless road tests and other tests were performed. The first Lexus vehicles began to roll out of assembly plants in 1989, which was just in time for the 1990 model year. Its first few models, the LS 400 and ES 250, proved to be hits. The Lexus brand immediately made a splash with its impeccable V8 engines and exceptional standard features. By keeping its prices somewhat lower than those of European luxury car makers, Lexus managed to snap up a lot of the business in that segment.

Mid-Range MSRPs have Strong Impact on Insurance Rates

If one thing affects the cost to insure a vehicle, it's its price tag. Cars that are on the pricier end of the scale tend to cost more to insure. This makes sense because such cars are more expensive to repair, so they result in more expensive claims. Lexus vehicles tend to be more expensive than regular vehicles, but they are still much cheaper than many European luxury cars. The IS 250, for instance, has a starting MSRP of $33,595. The IS 350's starting MSRP is $40,020 while the IS F has a price tag that starts at just over $60,000.

Strong Safety Ratings Mitigate Insurance Costs

Lexus cars would be even more expensive to insure if they weren't so safe. In general, Lexus vehicles have strong safety ratings. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS, has awarded the IS 250 a perfect score of "Good" in nearly every category; there are a few second-best "Acceptable" ratings sprinkled in too. The IS 350 has the same types of ratings, so it's a very safe vehicle. Safety ratings are not available for the IS F, but it is loaded with a bevy of standard safety features.

Low Theft Rates Lower Insurance Costs Too

The more likely a car is to be stolen the more expensive it is to insure. Fortunately, Lexus vehicles aren't popular targets for car thieves. On lists that are compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, or NICB, there isn't a single Lexus. That is true for the nationwide top-ten list and for top-ten lists for each of the fifty states. If you decide to buy a Lexus, you don't have to worry too much about it being stolen.

The average cost to insure popular Lexus vehicles is as follows:

• IS 250 6-Cylinder Sedan - $1,510.00
• IS 350 6-Cylinder Sedan - $1,591.00
• IS F 8-Cylinder Sedan - $1,986.00