Range Rover, HUMMER H2, other luxury cars costly to insure

That luxury sport-utility vehicle you're eyeing could come with lots of street credentials - as well as a hefty insurance bill.

It's no surprise that expensive rides can cost a lot at the showroom, but a new study by Insure.com drops the other shoe on costs of ownership for the finest, most capable vehicles on the planet. Namely, it's going to cost you a lot to insure some of the best vehicles on the road against accidents, liability, and acts of God.

According to the site, some of the most expensive vehicles to insure include the 2009 Mercedes-Benz G-Class, the 2009 HUMMER H2, and the 2009 Land Rover Range Rover. In particular, the Benz G-Class has costly parts, the Web site says, while the H2 takes on more than its fair share in damage claims because it pummels the other car into sheetmetal submission.

The Range Rover? A big target for thieves, no surprise. Along with the British luxo-ute, the list also includes several more of the biggest, priciest scene-stealing SUVs that tend to be popular in higher-theft urban areas, including the Cadillac Escalade, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, Infiniti QX56, and Lexus LX 570.

Also on the list? The 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, likely because its two-mode hybrid system is difficult and expensive to repair or replace.

To compile the list, the site based calculations around a 40-year-old man with a 12-mile commute daily, then averaged out insurance costs nationwide as quoted by several insurers.

Insure.com estimates an annual insurance tab of $2,088 for the Mercedes G-Class. But at least you'll feel safe and secure in any of these if the worst happens--six of ten SUVs that cost the least to insure are 2009 IIHS Top Safety Picks.

The results of the study ranked as follows, with average insurance costs in dollars:
1 $2,088 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
2 $1,912 Hummer H2
3 $1,603 Land Rover Range Rover
4 $1,584 BMW X6
5 $1,553 Cadillac Escalade
6 $1,472 Laxus LX 570
7 $1,457 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
8 $1,392 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
9 $1,290 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
10 $1,389 Infiniti QX56
Via: TheCarConnection