What are the most stolen cars?
We’re still awaiting the latest numbers on 2022. But 2021 was a bad year for car theft – and that’s one of the reasons car insurance premiums have been increasing lately.
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. car theft rose a whopping 8% increase in 2o21 compared to the year prior.
All told, some 932,329 vehicles were reported stolen to law enforcement in 2021 – a 17% increase over 2019.
Much of the increase in vehicle theft in 2021 is attributed to the general increase in car prices, as supply chain issues caused the available supply of cars to fall well behind the demand.
As prices increased, more people were forced to repair vehicles when they would otherwise have replaced them. Which in turn causes increased demand for parts.
And where there is demand for parts, there will be car thieves looking to steal cars and take them to clandestine “chop shops,” where their co-conspirators will strip the parts from in-demand cars and sell the parts over the Internet, or direct to local mechanics.
The Most Stolen Cars in 2021
According to NICB’s numbers, pickup trucks were the number one targets for theft in 2021, with Ford and Chevy full-size pickups topping the list as most stolen.
Thieves focused on easier-to-steal older models: The most stolen Chevy model year as 2004, while the most stolen Ford model year was 2006.
Hondas were the most popular sedans among car thieves in 2021, with the Civic and the Honda Accord coming in at 3rd and 4th place, respectively.
Number 5 was the Toyota Camry, followed by another American full-sized pickup truck, the GMC., at number 6.
Number 7 was the popular Nissan Altima, followed by another Honda, the CRV — the Third Honda model on the list.
The 8th most stolen car on the road in 2021 was the Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee, and number 10 was the Toyota Corolla.
When the 2022 numbers come out, we may see some of the older Kias and Hyundais make the list. That’s because of the so-called Tik-Tok hack, which you can read about here.
How to Prevent Car Theft
While car theft can strike any vehicle owner at any time, there are certain things all car owners should consider doing to prevent theft or help mitigate it by helping law enforcement quickly recover your stolen car before thieves can do too much damage to it, or ship it out of the country.
- Get a fob or chain that fastens your keys to your belt loop or purse. So you’re less likely to accidentally leave your keys somewhere.
- Park in well-lit areas.
- Install a steering-wheel lock. visible alarm system with signage, or both.
- Use smart keys, kill switches, fuel pump disablers, or fuse cutoffs – each of which can help stop thieves from starting your car.
- Use on-board telematics or GPS devices that will help law enforcement quickly locate your car in the event of theft.
- Report theft promptly: Passenger vehicles reported as stolen within 24 hours have a 34% recovery rate, according to the Hot Wheels National Insurance Crime Bureau Vehicle Theft Report.
Insure your cars properly. Remember that basic, state minimum insurance coverage and liability-only car insurance coverage will not compensate you or protect you against car theft!
If you can’t afford to just write a check to replace a stolen or vandalized car – or a car that’s totaled for any other reason, you need comprehensive car insurance. That’s on top of your liability insurance and collision insurance. It’s the comprehensive part of your car insurance policy that will pay out in case your car gets stolen.
Just about every carrier or agent can sell you comprehensive coverage. But lots of agents can’t shop around for the best coverage for you. These are so-called “captive” agents – ones who only sell policies for a single company.
Chances are pretty low that any one company is going to provide the best value. Especially for higher-risk drivers, who’ve had a ding or two on their driver’s record, band credit, or even a DUI.
If you need to add comprehensive insurance coverage, or comprehensive + collision (also called “full coverage), the best thing to do is contact us! As an independent car insurance brokerage, our agents are actually able to help you shop around with potentially dozens of competing carriers in order to get you the best possible rate on the coverage you really need.
Don’t risk losing your livelihood or having your life severely disrupted and your finances messed up just because of a car theft that could happen to anybody! Contact Select Insurance Group today, and let us go to work for you!
See you on the road!
Steve Ludwig