When it comes to insurance premiums, big SUVs cost more because they do more damage in collisions, but they get a break because they protect occupants better than most other vehicles do. All-state, the nation's second-largest auto insurer, recently announced that it will consider both factors. The net result for big SUVs such as the Chevrolet Tahoe will be an average annual increase of $50 or less in the owner's insurance bill. Previously, personal-injury and liability premiums for SUVs, as for all vehicles, were determined not by the record of claims but by your age, address, and driving record.

Smaller, lower SUVs like the Subaru Forester are not affected by such differentials, since they do less damage to other vehicles. Overall, SUVs don't cost a lot more than standard sedans to insure. The bill for a married couple with good driving records in a typical suburban area should range from $1,300 to $1,950 annually. (Toyota's Camry, the best-selling sedan in the U.S., costs about $1,500 to insure.)