The likelihood of your car being stolen is far greater if you’re under the age of 25, AMI Insurance can reveal.

According to AMI’s claims data, young drivers have their cars stolen at a rate approximately three times higher than the general population. 

Over the past three years, 26 percent of AMI’s theft claims were for cars owned by drivers under 25 years, even though they make up less than 10 percent of AMI’s customers.

AMI Executive General Manager Claims, Wayne Tippet, says that young drivers tend to drive cars that are smaller and older, making them a target for opportunistic thieves.

“Compared to the rest of the population, younger drivers are more likely to drive an older, second-hand car that won’t break the budget – an older Mazda Demio or Suzuki Swift are both good examples.

“Unfortunately, that also makes young drivers more susceptible to theft. Many older, imported vehicles lack security features such as car alarms and immobilisers which deter thieves from attempting to steal a car in the first place.”

AMI can also reveal the five cars most popular with young drivers are the Mazda Axela, Toyota Corolla, Suzuki Swift, Mazda Demio, and Subaru Legacy.

Two of those – the Mazda Demio and the Subaru Legacy – also feature on AMI’s list of New Zealand’s top 10 stolen cars, released earlier this year.

However, it’s unlikely under 25s are driving the latest versions of these models: the average age of cars driven by insured young drivers is 16 years, with most vehicles falling between the years 2005-2007.

Tippet says AMI wants to play a part in increasing young people’s financial resilience by making it easier for them to take up car insurance.

“With a tighter budget than most, young people won’t always have the spare cash to replace a stolen car, and that can be a major roadblock to simple things like getting to work or study, or seeing friends.

“If you’re driving something with quite a few years under its belt, I strongly recommend taking extra precautions to prevent it being stolen and consider getting an immobiliser installed. A steering wheel lock is another effective and affordable option that will help deter thieves.

“And of course, car insurance is there to help you absorb the financial hit if the worst happens and help you get back behind the wheel as fast as possible.”

To help make car insurance more accessible for young people, AMI has partnered with Fleetcoach to offer an online driver education course that eligible AMI young driver customers can complete to qualify for $250 off their vehicle policy excess.  

“We’re hoping this will encourage more young people to take up insurance and to know that we’re on their side in case things go wrong,” says Tippet.

The five most popular cars amongst insured drivers, under 25:

1. Mazda Axela

2. Toyota Corolla

3. Suzuki Swift

4. Mazda Demio

5. Subaru Legacy

Top 10 most frequently stolen cars:

1. Mazda Demio

2. Mazda Atenza (also known as Mazda6)

3. Nissan Tiida

4. Subaru Legacy

5. Mazda Familia

6. Subaru Impreza

7. Toyota Hilux

8. Ford Courier

9. Subaru Forester

10. Honda Civic

Tips to help prevent your vehicle being stolen:

1. Where possible, park down a driveway or inside a garage.

2. If there isn’t any off-street parking available, try to park your car in a well-lit area.

3. Consider using anti-theft protection measures, such as a car alarm system, immobiliser, steering wheel lock, fuel cut-out switch, handbrake lock, or car tracking system.

4. Don’t get out of your car and leave the engine running or keys in it, even for a few seconds.

5. Make sure you always lock your car, especially whenever your car is parked and unattended.

6. Don’t leave valuables on display.

7. Avoid leaving windows or the sunroof open when you're not in the car.