For years, Caddy’s big SUV, the Escalade is the number one target of thieves in the States and this hasn't changed in the latest study from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI). According to the latest data for 2008-10 models from HLDI, the Escalade is more than six times as likely to be stolen by thieves compared to the average vehicle.
This time, four versions of the Escalade appear at the top spot with the pickup-bed EXT model being the most “popular” amongst thieves, with more than 14 claims per 1,000 insured vehicles annually – or more than eight times those of the average vehicle.
Large SUVs and pickup trucks, like Ford’s F-250 Series and F450 also appear in the top 10, with the first passenger car being the Chrysler 300 with 7.1 claims per 1,000 vehicles. Strangely enough, thieves appear to prefer American models, as the top 10 list is comprised only cars and trucks from U.S. brands.
Half of the vehicles with the lowest claim rates are either European or Japanese. Audi’s A6 is at the bottom of the list with just 0.5 claims per 1,000 cars.
But there is another factor to be taken into consideration: according to the data, the average payment per claim for the A6 is $16,882, whereas for the Escalade much lower, at $10,555. Before you jump to a conclusion, though, consider that the much higher number of claims for Caddy’s SUV results in overall theft losses of $114 per insured vehicle, whereas Audi’s mid-size sedan figure costs the insurance companies only eight bucks a year.
So what can be done to make owners feel more secure? “Immobilizers are a good deterrent against joy-riding teenagers, but professional thieves can easily haul away an SUV on a flatbed truck,” says HLDI’s senior vice president Kim Hazelbaker.
Carmakers are working to find a solution. GM offers two optional sensors for the 2012 Escalade, an inclination sensor that will sound an alarm if someone tries to load it in a flatbed, and a shock sensor that activates when a glass is shattered.
Chrysler’s Vince Muniga responded that “we ‘ve beefed up the security of our interior components like navigation systems to stay one step ahead of the thieves”, while Ford’s spokesman, Wes Sherwood, noted that the company is offering transponder immobilization systems to F-250, 350 and 450 trucks since 2007.
