Fast Cars with Cheap Insurance: Top 10 List

Last Updated on October 7, 2026

By James Shaffer Reviewed by Thomas Rockford, insurance industry executive and financial analyst, on October 5, 2026 How we fact-check

So you want a fast car — but you don’t want to pay supercar-level insurance. The good news is that plenty of performance cars are genuinely fun (quick 0–60 times, strong power, sharp handling) without automatically being insurance nightmares.

In general, the world’s fastest cars are usually the most expensive to insure because they’re expensive to repair (and replace) and tend to have higher claim severity. That’s why it can cost thousands per year to insure a luxury vehicle like a Lamborghini, Bugatti, Rolls-Royce, or Ferrari.

However, plenty of cars are “fast enough” while still having reasonable car insurance premiums compared to exotics. That comparison is the one to keep in mind. None of the cars below is cheap to cover in absolute terms — the loss data further down shows every one of them running above the all-vehicle average — but the gap between a Mustang and a Ferrari is enormous, and that is where the saving is.

Below are 10 performance cars that cost less to insure than their acceleration suggests. Two of them — the Camaro and the Challenger — are no longer sold new, so they are used-market buys only. For the rest, buying an older model year lowers the replacement cost and usually the premium with it.

Fast cars aren’t automatically expensive to insure — replacement cost, repair cost, theft risk, and driver profile often matter more than 0–60 times.
Nobody publishes premiums by model, but the Highway Loss Data Institute publishes insurance losses by model. On its collision measure, where 100 is the all-vehicle average, the Subaru WRX is the closest to normal at 117 and the BMW M3 is the worst at 649.
Trim matters as much as model. The Camaro ZL1’s theft losses are about five times the ordinary Camaro’s, which are themselves about thirteen times the all-vehicle average.
The best way to save is still to compare quotes, stack discounts, and confirm rates using the VIN before you buy.

Table Of Contents

What Makes a Fast Car Cheaper to Insure?
Top 10 Cheapest Fast Cars to Insure
Compare Quotes Today to Save Even More
Other Discounts Available on Fast Cars
FAQs on Fast Cars With Cheap Insurance
Final Word – Cheapest Fast Cars to Insure
Sources

What Makes a Fast Car Cheaper to Insure?

Insurance pricing is never based on speed alone. “Cheaper-to-insure” performance cars tend to have a few things in common:

Lower replacement cost: lower MSRP and lower market value (especially used models).
More affordable repairs: more common parts, more repair shops, and fewer exotic materials.
Strong safety tech and crash performance: can reduce injury claim severity.
Theft rates: these drive comprehensive premiums, and they are the one factor where some popular muscle cars do badly. The Camaro’s whole-vehicle theft losses are roughly thirteen times the all-vehicle average.
How often the car crashes at all: this varies enormously by model. The Corvette and the Boxster have below-average collision claim frequency; the Mustang, Camaro, Challenger and Charger are all around 60% to 70% above average.

Also: your insurer matters. Two companies can price the same car very differently, so always compare quotes before you buy.

What the loss data actually says

No insurer and no agency publishes premiums by vehicle. What does exist is the Highway Loss Data Institute’s collision loss report, which uses real claims from member insurers and indexes every result so that 100 is the average for all passenger vehicles. These are losses rather than quotes, and losses are what premiums are built from, and they are the closest thing to a scorecard a car shopper can get.

Model (2020–22 model years)	Collision losses overall	How often it crashes	Cost per crash
Subaru WRX 4WD	117	119	98
Chevrolet Corvette 2dr	145	55	265
Audi S5 convertible 4WD	152	87	174
Porsche Boxster convertible	154	56	275
Ford Mustang 2dr	181	159	114
Chevrolet Camaro 2dr	184	160	115
Dodge Charger	200	172	116
Dodge Challenger	208	163	127
BMW M3 4dr 4WD	649	161	402

Two things jump out. The Corvette and the Boxster barely crash — claim frequency of 55 and 56 against an average of 100 — but each crash costs two and a half to nearly three times the average. The muscle cars are the reverse: they crash about 60% to 70% more often than the average car, at close to average cost. And the M3 is in a category of its own, at roughly six and a half times the average, because its repair bills are four times average. The Nissan Z and the Audi TT are not in the report, so there is no figure for them either way. Figures from HLDI Insurance Report R-23, April 2023, covering 2020 to 2022 model years.

Top 10 Cheapest Fast Cars to Insure

Note: “Fast” here means quick for the money rather than any fixed 0–60 time, since the gap between base and top trims on several of these cars is huge. Pricing and performance vary by trim, year and options, and your insurance rate will vary more than either.

1) Ford Mustang GT

Whether buying the convertible or coupe, the Ford Mustang GT is one of the most popular “affordable-fast” cars in America. It’s quick, it has a huge aftermarket, and repairs are generally less exotic than true supercars — HLDI puts its cost per collision claim at 114 against an average of 100. The catch is how often it crashes: claim frequency of 159, almost 60% above average, which lands its overall collision losses at 181. Cheaper than a supercar, then, but not cheap.

Tip: convertibles often cost more to insure than coupes. The clearest same-car example in HLDI’s theft data is the Corvette: 255 for the coupe against 284 for the convertible. Get quotes for both body styles before you buy.

2) Chevrolet Camaro (used only — discontinued)

Start with the news: Chevrolet has stopped making the Camaro. Its own page says “it’s time to say goodbye to Camaro” and points you at the rest of the lineup, so this is a used-market car now, and the lower market value of older model years does help on premiums. On collision losses the Camaro tracks the Mustang closely: 184 overall, frequency 160, cost per claim 115.

Note: the Camaro has a theft problem, and it is not a small one. HLDI puts whole-vehicle theft losses for the Camaro 2dr at 1,117 and theft claim frequency at 1,287 — about thirteen times the all-vehicle average. For the ZL1 it is 5,763 and 3,949. That lands on your comprehensive premium, so quote your exact VIN and trim rather than the model.

3) Chevrolet Corvette

A Corvette is one of the best “performance-per-dollar” cars in the U.S., and the loss data is genuinely interesting. Its collision claim frequency is 55, just over half the all-vehicle average — Corvettes don’t crash much. But the cost per claim is 265, so the ones that do crash are expensive, and overall collision losses come out at 145. Theft losses are 255 for the coupe and 284 for the convertible. Where you live and how you drive matter a lot with Corvette insurance, so quotes can swing widely.

4) Audi S5

The Audi S5 is the high-performance version of Audi’s A5: quick, refined, and quietly sensible on the loss data. HLDI puts the S5 convertible’s collision claim frequency at 87, below the all-vehicle average, with a cost per claim of 174 and overall losses of 152. So it crashes less often than most cars and costs more to put right, which is the usual German-performance pattern. If you want a fast daily driver with a premium feel, that is a better insurance profile than most of this list.

5) BMW M3

The M3 is the high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, and it is the outlier on this list — in the wrong direction. HLDI puts its collision losses at 649, about six and a half times the all-vehicle average, with a cost per claim of 402. It crashes about as often as the Mustang; it just costs four times as much to fix. If you are comparing German sedans on running cost, get the M3 quote before you fall for the car, not after.

6) Dodge Challenger

The Dodge Challenger is a used-market car now. Dodge’s own page says the Challenger “has been discontinued and is no longer in production,” with production ending December 31, 2023, and points buyers to certified pre-owned cars and to the new Charger instead. On non-flagship trims and older model years it has been a bang-for-buck buy, and the lower market value of an older car does help. The loss data is less flattering: collision losses of 208, the second-worst on this list, with claim frequency of 163. The Charger is similar at 200, and it has the highest crash frequency here at 172.

Watch-outs: high-horsepower trims and certain ZIP codes can drive premiums up fast. Theft risk can also impact comprehensive pricing in some areas.

7) Nissan Z (formerly 370Z)

The Z is Nissan’s classic sports car line, separate from the GT-R, and it is still sold new: Nissan’s 2027 Z runs a 400-horsepower 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, and the previous model year is still on dealer lots. It is priced below many European sports cars, which helps on replacement cost. Fair warning on the insurance side: the Z does not appear in HLDI’s collision loss report, so there is no published loss figure for it, good or bad. Quote it rather than assuming.

8) Subaru WRX (STI discontinued, commonly referenced)

Most fast cars are two-doors, but the WRX is a practical four-door performance option — and on the loss data it is the one real bargain here. HLDI puts the WRX 4WD at 117 overall, with a cost per collision claim of 98, which is slightly below the all-vehicle average. Nothing else on this list comes close. The STI nameplate is gone; Subaru’s 2026 WRX tops out with the tS and Series.Yellow versions instead. Insurance pricing still varies a lot by driver age, claim history and modifications, so keep it stock if you want the best rates.

9) Audi TT (commonly bought used)

The Audi TT has long been a stylish, sporty option, and since it is no longer sold new in the U.S. every shopper is looking at older model years, which helps on replacement cost. Audi’s TT model page no longer exists on audiusa.com and the car is not in Audi’s current lineup. Like the Nissan Z, the TT does not appear in HLDI’s collision loss report, so there is no published loss figure to go on — only the general point that a cheaper car is a cheaper car to replace.

Important: convertibles typically cost more to insure than coupes, not less. And with any used performance car, get a quote using the VIN before you commit.

10) Porsche Boxster (718 Boxster)

When you think “cheap insurance,” you don’t usually think “Porsche.” But the 718 Boxster, which Porsche still sells new in the U.S., follows the Corvette pattern almost exactly: collision claim frequency of 56, barely half the all-vehicle average, with a cost per claim of 275 and overall losses of 154. Boxster owners crash rarely and expensively. That is a better overall number than any of the muscle cars on this list, even though the car costs far more.

Compare Quotes Today to Save Even More

The examples above are models that are insurance-friendly for performance cars, measured against each other and against exotics. Read the table as a ranking, not as a promise — nobody publishes premiums by model, and your own premium can vary by thousands a year on your record, your ZIP code and your insurer.

Use these levers to potentially bring premiums down:

Compare quotes (different insurers treat sports cars very differently).
Consider an older model year (the age of the car affects replacement cost and premiums).
Be honest about mileage and usage (especially if you rarely drive the car).
Check rates by location — even your ZIP code can be a major pricing factor.

If you want a quick benchmark, see how your quote compares to the average car insurance premiums in the U.S. (then shop around if you’re above average).

Other Discounts Available on Fast Cars

If you want to drive a fast car and pay cheaper insurance premiums, stack as many discounts as you legitimately can:

Safe Driver Discounts: if you have no speeding tickets or at-fault accidents in recent years, you could qualify for a safe driving discount with most insurers. Farmers sets its own bar at no chargeable accident or citation in three years; the window varies by company.

Bundling Discounts: putting more than one policy with the same company usually cuts the total. Farmers publishes “10% or more” for bundling home and auto insurance, and most insurers offer something similar.

Safety Features: Higher-end safety features like blind-spot monitoring and lane assist can also lower premiums with some insurers.

Good Student Discount: if you’re a student with good grades, you can qualify for a lower rate — State Farm publishes up to 25%, and Farmers sets the bar at a 3.0 GPA or honor roll under age 25. You’ll usually have to submit your report card for proof, so don’t throw it out.

Low mileage: if the car only comes out at weekends, this is where your saving is — but be careful what you ask for. None of the biggest personal auto insurers publishes a percentage or a mileage threshold for a plain low-mileage discount. GEICO, Liberty Mutual and Allstate name none at all on their own discounts pages, and State Farm mentions “low mileage” once with no numbers attached. The route to mileage savings is a telematics program or a pay-per-mile policy, so ask for those by name, and report your annual mileage accurately either way.

Convertible vs. Coupe vs. Sedan: within one model, a convertible usually costs more than the coupe — Corvette theft losses run 284 for the convertible against 255 for the coupe. Across models, body style is a weaker rule than people think: the BMW M3, a four-door sedan, has the worst collision losses on this entire list. Compare the actual car before you buy.

FAQs on Fast Cars With Cheap Insurance

Is insurance always higher for fast cars?

Usually, yes — but not always. Insurers care about more than speed: vehicle value, repair costs, theft rates, safety tech, and the typical claim history for that model can matter just as much. Some performance cars are priced surprisingly close to “regular” cars, especially for experienced drivers with clean records.

Do convertibles cost more to insure than coupes?

In many cases, yes. Convertibles can be more expensive to repair and may have higher theft or vandalism risk. But it varies by model, so it’s smart to quote both body styles before you buy.

Does a turbo engine increase insurance?

It can. Turbo engines often mean more power and higher performance potential, which some insurers associate with higher risk. That said, not every turbo car is expensive to insure — the vehicle’s overall value, safety rating, and claim history still matter.

Does a V8 cost more to insure?

Sometimes. More power can increase risk (and sometimes repair cost), which can raise premiums. But plenty of mainstream V8 models are widely insured, and the overall price impact depends heavily on the specific vehicle, trim, and driver profile.

What counts as a “sports car” for insurance?

There’s no single universal definition. Insurers often consider factors like horsepower, weight-to-power ratio, body style (2-door/2-seat), MSRP, and claim history. Two insurers may even classify the same model differently, which is why shopping quotes matters.

How can young drivers get cheaper insurance on a fast car?

Young drivers are rated as higher risk, so costs can jump on performance models. The best strategies are to choose a lower-performance trim, keep the car stock, take advantage of good-student and safe-driver programs, raise deductibles if you can afford them, and compare multiple insurers — pricing differences can be huge.

Final Word – Cheapest Fast Cars to Insure

If you want the fastest cars in the world, you’ll pay for it. High-end luxury vehicles are expensive to repair and expensive to replace. But the gap between a fast car and an exotic is large, and within the fast-car bracket the spread is large too: on insurance losses the Subaru WRX and the BMW M3 are not in the same conversation, even though both are quick four-doors.

My advice is to pick two or three cars you’d actually be happy with, get a quote on each with the exact VIN and the same limits and deductibles, and let the quotes break the tie. On this list that is worth real money, because the loss figures range from 117 to 649.

Sources

Checked October 5, 2026

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