Insuring a Nissan

Nissan vehicles are known for their reliability, affordability and quality. Many different types of vehicles are produced under the Nissan name, so it's easy to find the perfect option. With reasonable price tags and strong safety ratings, these cars are popular with people from many different walks of life. If you're thinking about buying a Nissan, you're probably wondering how much you're going to have to pay to insure it. In terms of insurance cost, Nissans fall into the middle. Many cars are cheaper to insure, but many others are more expensive to insure. The average annual price to insure a Nissan is $1,492.73, which ranks it 15th on a list of 36 vehicles. You can get into a Nissan for a fairly low price, though, so you may not mind that these cars aren't the cheapest to insure. Learn more about the things that affect the cost to insure a Nissan below.

The History of Nissan

Like so many other Japanese car brands, Nissan's history stretches back quite a way. When it was founded in 1933, it was called the Jidosha Seico Company Ltd. With a 1934 merger, the company got a new name: Nissan Motor Company Ltd. For much of its history, Nissan marketed cars under the Datsun name. Datsuns made their debut in the United States in 1958. When the company merged with the Prince Motor Co. in the 1960s, its vehicles took on a more luxurious look and feel. The Nissan name was first used in 1981, and Nissan vehicles were especially popular during the 1990s. After a small slump, the brand seems to be revived now that the company has formed an alliance with Renault.

High Theft Rates Make Insurance Costs Rise

One of the big things that makes it a little more expensive to insure a Nissan is the fact that certain Nissans are popular with thieves. According to state-by-state top-ten lists that are maintained by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, models like the Altima and the Maxima are stolen fairly regularly. It looks like thieves primarily target 1990s models. These statistics give insurance companies pause, which is why it's a little more expensive to insure Nissan vehicles.

Good Safety Ratings Help to Keep Insurance Prices Lower

On the positive side, Nissan vehicles tend to have fairly good safety ratings. In crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS, the Nissan Altima earned a top rating of "Good" in all categories except roof strength, in which it earned a second-best rating of "Acceptable." The same exact ratings were given to the Quest and the Xterra, so it is clear that these cars are generally safe but may have small issues with roof strength. If their safety ratings weren't so good, the cost to insure them would be much higher.

Reasonable Price Tags Keep Costs Low Too

Although Nissan vehicles aren't economy cars, they aren't terribly expensive either. The starting MSRP for the Quest minivan, for example, is just under $26,000. The Xterra SUV can be had for a starting price of around $25,000. Finally, the perennially popular Altima sedan has a starting MSRP of just over $20,000. These reasonable prices help to keep insurance costs in check.

The average yearly price to insure various Nissan vehicles is as follows:

• Altima 4-Cylinder Sedan - $1,330.00
• Quest 6-Cylinder Minivan - $1,354.00
• Xterra 6-Cylinder SUV - $1,190.00