Mar 11, 2026
Not all vehicles cost the same to insure — and the difference can be significant. A new tool from the Insurance Bureau of Canada aims to make those differences easier to see.
The new online platform, called How Cars Measure Up (1), allows drivers to compare Canada’s most popular vehicles based on the frequency and cost of insurance claims. This helps buyers see how their choice could affect insurance premiums.
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“While there are many factors that impact the cost of insurance premiums, such as your driving record, your vehicle's make, model, year, value and potential repair costs also have a major impact on insurance prices,” said Rob de Pruis, national director of consumer and industry relations at IBC, in a statement (2).
How to use IBC’s new comparison tool
The How Cars Measure Up tool lets users search vehicles by make, model, year, body style and power type using dropdown menus — drivers can compare up to three vehicles at once.
The rankings are based on real insurance claims data collected from most Canadian auto insurers between 2019 and 2024. Each model included in the database had at least 1,500 insured vehicles during that period.
The tool currently includes models from 1997 to 2025.
“In general, the less likely your car is to be stolen, damaged or in a collision, as well as the less expensive it is to repair, the less you will pay to insure it,” de Pruis said.
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Why vehicle choice matters for insurance
Insurance premiums are influenced by several factors beyond a driver’s personal record.
Vehicles with higher theft rates, greater repair costs or a history of more frequent claims typically carry higher insurance premiums. In contrast, vehicles that generate fewer claims or are cheaper to repair can cost less to insure.
Repair costs have become an increasingly important factor in recent years as vehicles that incorporate more advanced sensors, cameras and safety systems can make even minor collisions expensive to fix.
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Because carriers rely heavily on claims data when calculating risk, these differences between vehicle models can translate into noticeable differences in insurance premiums.
Insurance risk is worth considering
IBC says insurance risk should be considered alongside more obvious factors when buying or leasing a vehicle.
“Drivers often consider factors such as reliability, safety, performance and fuel efficiency when buying or leasing a vehicle — but insurability should also be part of that research,” de Pruis said.
Understanding how a vehicle performs from an insurance perspective can help you better estimate the long-term cost of owning a specific model.
IBC also encourages drivers to compare insurance providers when shopping for coverage. Private insurers compete on price, coverage and service, and premiums can vary depending on the provider and policy selected.
For drivers weighing multiple vehicle options, comparing both insurance rates and vehicle claim history may help keep your total costs down in the long term.
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Steven Brennan is a freelance finance writer based in Vancouver, BC. He holds a BA and an MA from Maynooth University, Ireland. His work regularly appears at Canadian Mortgage Trends, Lowest Rates, Loans Canada and other Canadian and US brands, while also working as a ghostwriter for financial influencers.
