Kia and Hyundai Owners' Insurance Woes

By Mindy Cohn

State Farm and Progressive are the first insurers to refuse to write new policies on specific Kia and Hyundai vehicles which are so easy to steal that they are stolen twice as often as other vehicles.

The problem of stolen cars increased during the pandemic. Still, the problem with Kia and Hyundai thefts, which have risen by as much as 300% over the last year, was further exasperated after a social media challenge. The challenge directly increased thefts by kids in their low teens who wanted to meet the challenge.

The Kias and Hyundais, which the insurance companies are refusing to insure any longer, were manufactured between 2015 and 2019. These specific models were blocklisted because they don't have electronic immobilizers that prevent the cars from starting if their key is not present. Without an electronic immobilizer,  a thief can easily break into the car and bypass the ignition. 

TikTok videos showing how to start the cars with the tip of a phone charger or USB cable prompted teens to try and steal Kia and Hyundais for joyrides.

As a stopgap measure, Hyundai offers steering wheel locks to help prevent thefts.

photo credit: Flickr