Car insurance companies don’t take unnecessary risks—and now, for State Farm and Progressive, many Hyundais and Kias are a risk they are not willing to take, at least temporarily. The reason? That same viral TikTok trend from the “Kia Boyz” we covered back in February, in which users learned how to easily hot-wire the vehicles. Since then, the thefts have only increased, leading to 18 attorneys general to recently call on the federal government to step in and demand a recall for the affected Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
Black-listed vehicles
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The following is a list of all the Hyundai and Kia models that are blacklisted from being added or renewed to insurance policies by State Farm and Progressive given the many reports of stolen vehicles that have surfaced, according to The Zebra:
2015-2021 Hyundai Accent (all body styles)2015-2021 Hyundai Elantra (two-door and four-door)2015-2021 Hyundai Kona2015-2021 Hyundai Santa Fe2015-2021 Hyundai Tucson2015-2018 Hyundai Veloster2015-2021 Kia Forte2015-2021 Kia Optima2015-2016 Kia Optima Hybrid2015-2021 Kia Rio (all body styles)2015-2021 Kia Sedona2015-2016 Kia Sorento2015-2021 Kia Soul2015-2021 Kia SportageNot everyone will be affected equally—it depends on the vehicle and location. The latest official announcement by State Farm lists Georgia, Louisiana, Oregon, Washington, and Pennsylvania as the states where new policies or renewed policies will be denied. Cities like Denver and St. Louis, and states like Texas have also seen bans or increases in insurance. The restrictions apply to those looking for a new policy, not current policy holders. However, at the very least, most vehicle owners from the list will see an increase in their car insurance, if it’s granted at all.
The restriction is waived if the vehicles have an engine immobilizer installed—that’s electronic security technology that makes it harder for thieves to hot-wire vehicles if they don’t have the key to start the engine.
Keep in mind these are just the vehicles labeled by two car insurance companies as too risky to cover. If you are a Hyundai or Kia owner, you should be aware that people hot-wiring cars are targeting more than just those black-listed vehicles. Almost the whole Hyundai lineup is a target—that’s about 4 million of their vehicles, from 2011 Elantras, Tucsons, and Sonatas to 2022 Accents, Konas, and Santa Fes, according to Hyundai.
What can you do if your vehicle is black-listed?
The best thing to do is to call your insurance as ask if they plan to renew your policy. If they say no, start shopping for a new carrier.
The software update that is supposed to roll out this summer will add an “ignition kill system” that activates when you use the keyfob to lock the car, will require the key to be in the ignition switch to turn the vehicle on, and will add or extend a trigger alarm to last 60 seconds.
Other than waiting for your turn to get the software update from the dealership, you can do some preventative DIY anti-theft precautions:
Claim your free wheel-lock from Kia, Hyundai, or your local police department (some police departments received some from the vehicle manufacturers and offer them as well).Make sure to always leave your windows rolled all the way up.Make sure your doors are always locked.If parking the car overnight or over an extended period of time, leave it in a well-lit area or garage, and if possible, in an area with a security camera.If parking it at home, it’s worth the investment to install motion-sensor lights and have a home security camera. At the very least, it’ll spook some potential thieves from trying to steal the car.If you have questions about your Kia, call the customer care team directly at 1-800-333-4542 or online via the Owners Portal. Hyundai owners can call 800-633-5151 for information on the software update.
