Leading the most expensive list is the Dodge Ram pickup at $1,336. Also included were: Nissan's Altima and Ford's Focus, which get up to 32 and 35 mpg and are $1,198 and $1,185 to insure, respectively.

There are some possible reasons for fuel-efficient-vehicle rates.

Prius technology is new and relatively expensive to replace, said Carolyn Gorman, vice president of the Insurance Information Institute's Washington, D.C., office.

However, not all insurance companies consider the hybrid engine in rates. Progressive, for instance, says it's still too new. "This is a group we'll be monitoring going forward as loss experience begins to develop," spokeswoman Kathy Bell said.

Another possibility: Fuel-efficient cars tend to be smaller and lighter.

"Unfortunately, when they come up against a much larger vehicle, they're going to lose, and the people inside are going to lose," said Don Griffin, vice president of personal lines for Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, a trade association that includes more than half the nation's auto insurers.

Small, two-door cars are the subject of more property claims than any other class of car, according to a claims frequency report issued by the Highway Loss Data Institute, which accounted for claims on 2005-07 vehicle models. Claims on "very large" SUVs were least frequent. This doesn't mean, however, that smaller vehicles are not safe. The 2008 Focus, for example, received top ratings in offset-front, rear and side crash tests, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Some smaller cars also attract thieves. Older model Honda Civics and Accords were the top two most-stolen vehicles in 2007, largely because of profitable parts, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reports. Thefts resulted in a $2 billion loss to insurers in 2006, the Highway Loss Data Institute reports.

Insurance rates also are relative. Meaning, a lot depends on the kind of car you're driving now.

The Deseret News sought quotes on four 2008 vehicles: The Chrysler Town & Country — which Insure.com listed as the cheapest 2008 top-seller to insure — the Accord, Prius and Toyota Tundra. It used three different major insurance companies — Farmers, Geico and Progressive — and averaged the quotes.

The newspaper found insurance would go up $122 a year for trading a Chrysler Town & Country for a Prius. It would go up just $32 more a year for trading it for a Honda Accord sedan instead.

That's based on rates for a 35-year-old married woman with a good driving record and credit report, receiving the standard $100,000/$300,000 coverage and $500 deductible.