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Car Insurance for Tesla Models: Why Premiums Differ, Model by Model

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What you pay to insure a Tesla depends heavily on which Tesla it is. The insurance industry's own claim data shows where the cost comes from: damage to the Tesla itself costs insurers more than average, while the damage Teslas do to other people runs close to average. This guide is part of our car insurance cost guide.

Key takeaways

  • In HLDI's 2022-24 data, every Tesla model had collision losses above the average for all passenger vehicles. Model S and Model X were more than double the average.
  • Property damage liability losses, which track the damage a car does to others, were within HLDI's "average" band for every Tesla listed.
  • Theft is not the driver. HLDI's theft report puts the Model 3 4WD and Model Y 4WD far below average for whole vehicle theft claims.
  • Tesla sells its own insurance in 15 states, priced in most of them partly on a monthly Safety Score from the car.
  • Model matters. One publisher's Texas estimates put the Model Y lowest and the Model S highest among Tesla's four main models.

Why does a Tesla cost more to insure?

Insurers price the coverage that fixes your car on what your car costs to repair or replace. Triple-I says "the cost of your car is a major factor in the cost to insure it," with the likelihood of theft, the cost of repairs, engine size and the car's safety record as other variables. It adds that insurers look at how much damage a model can inflict on another car when they set liability prices.

For electric cars in general, repair cost is the pressure point. Triple-I, summarizing a June 2024 Swiss Re Institute report, said a 2022 U.S. study found total repair costs for EVs averaged 26.6% higher than for gas vehicles. Swiss Re's reasons:

Those are industry-wide EV findings, not Tesla-specific ones. For Tesla specifically, the better evidence is the claim data below. For the broader EV picture, see why EV insurance costs more.

What does HLDI's loss data show for each Tesla model?

The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), the IIHS affiliate that studies insurance claim data, publishes insurance losses for hundreds of vehicles. Each figure is the percentage above or below the average for all passenger vehicles. HLDI adjusts the results for non-vehicle factors such as driver age, state and deductible. Collision, property damage liability and comprehensive figures are overall losses (how often claims happen and how much they cost). Injury coverages show claim frequency only.

Here are HLDI's results for 2022-24 Tesla models, as shown on its site on October 19, 2026:

Tesla model (HLDI series name)HLDI classCollisionProperty damage liabilityComprehensiveBodily injury liability
Model 3 electric 4drMidsize luxury car+33-2-13-9
Model 3 electric 4dr 4WDMidsize luxury car+49-6+4-15
Model Y electric 4drMidsize luxury SUV+18-18-23-17
Model Y electric 4dr 4WDMidsize luxury SUV+34-14+2-25
Model S 4dr electric 4WDLarge luxury car+116-8+52-25
Model X electric 4dr 4WDLarge luxury SUV+118+2+57-14
Cybertruck electric crew cab 4WDVery large pickup+12+14Insufficient dataInsufficient data

Figures are percent above (+) or below (-) the average for all passenger vehicles. Source: IIHS-HLDI, "Insurance losses by make and model," 2022-24 models.

Three patterns stand out:

  1. Collision is the expensive coverage. HLDI rates the Model 3 (both versions), Model Y 4WD, Model S and Model X as "substantially worse than average" for collision. The Model Y without 4WD sits in HLDI's "average" band.
  2. Liability is not. Every Tesla's property damage liability result falls in HLDI's average band. Bodily injury liability claim frequency came in below the all-vehicle figure for each model with enough data, though HLDI places most of those results in its average band too.
  3. The big two are a different tier. Model S and Model X collision losses were more than double the all-vehicle average, and both were rated substantially worse than average for comprehensive.

Class context matters, because HLDI groups Teslas with luxury cars and SUVs, and several of those classes already run high on collision. HLDI's row for all midsize luxury cars shows collision losses 53% above average, higher than either Model 3. Its large luxury car row shows 88% above average, below the Model S at 116%. Its large luxury SUV row shows 53%, well below the Model X. Its midsize luxury SUV row shows 16%, close to the Model Y without 4WD.

HLDI also cautions that results for an earlier design may not predict a substantially redesigned model. IIHS notes the Model Y was redesigned for the 2026 model year, so the 2022-24 figures describe the earlier version. IIHS also notes the Model 3 was redesigned for the 2024 model year, so its 2022-24 rows mix both designs.

Are Teslas stolen more often?

Not according to HLDI. Its whole vehicle theft report for 2022-24 models, published in May 2025, sets the average for all passenger vehicles at 100. HLDI listed the Model 3 4WD at a relative claim frequency of 1, the Model Y 4WD at 2, and the Model S at 5. Across all 2022-24 passenger vehicles, HLDI counted 0.45 whole vehicle theft claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years.

Comprehensive coverage also pays for non-theft damage such as fire, weather and vandalism, so a high comprehensive figure is not the same thing as a theft problem.

How do Teslas rate in crash tests?

A car's safety record is one of the pricing factors Triple-I lists. Here is what the federal government and IIHS publish for the Model 3 and Model Y:

Crash ratings measure how well a car protects the people inside. Collision coverage pays to repair the car itself, and that is where HLDI's data shows Tesla's losses run highest.

How does Tesla Insurance price your premium?

Tesla sells its own policies. Tesla says Tesla Insurance is available in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia.

Outside California, Tesla uses what it calls Real-Time Insurance. Tesla says your premium is based on the Tesla you drive, your garaging address, how much you drive, your coverage choices, the vehicle's monthly Safety Score and its FSD (Supervised) usage. Key points from Tesla's pages:

A behavior-based price cuts both ways. A careful driver can see the premium fall, and a month of hard braking can raise it. Our guide to telematics programs compared shows how other insurers' driving-data programs work, so you can price the same trade-off with them.

How much do premiums differ between Tesla models?

Any average is an estimate for one driver profile, not your quote. ValuePenguin, using rate data from Quadrant Information Services, published these full-coverage estimates for a 30-year-old driver with good credit, as statewide averages in Texas:

ModelValuePenguin estimate, per monthModel year and trim used
Model Y$2552022 Long Range
Model 3$2822022 Standard Plus
Model X$3562022 Long Range
Model S$4132022 Long Range

ValuePenguin puts its overall Tesla average at $329 per month. The order of its estimates lines up with HLDI's collision data in one respect: the two large models, Model S and Model X, sit at the top of both lists.

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What can you do to lower Tesla insurance costs?

Rates and products vary by state and insurer, so confirm the details with the insurer before you buy. You can compare quotes for an electric car on our EV insurance page.

Frequently asked questions

Which Tesla is cheapest to insure?

In ValuePenguin's Texas estimates, the Model Y. In HLDI's 2022-24 collision data, the Model Y without 4WD had the lowest collision losses of Tesla's cars and SUVs; only the Cybertruck pickup was lower.

Why is Tesla insurance high if Teslas are safe?

Crash ratings measure how well a car protects the people inside. HLDI's data shows Tesla's high losses are in collision, the coverage that pays to repair the car itself.

Is Tesla Insurance available in my state?

Tesla lists 15 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia.

Does Tesla Insurance track my driving?

Tesla says it collects information from your vehicle, including driving behavior and miles driven. Outside California, that feeds a monthly Safety Score that can change your premium.

Are Teslas expensive to insure because they get stolen?

HLDI's theft data says no. The Model 3 4WD and Model Y 4WD had relative whole vehicle theft claim frequencies of 1 and 2, against 100 for the average passenger vehicle.

Sources

All accessed October 19, 2026.

This page is general information, not insurance advice. Premiums depend on the insurer, your state, your vehicle, your driving record and the coverage you choose.