I know those push to start cars have high theft...2 of my coworkers Nissan got stolen overnight...when they called their car insurance company..before they even said a word...the operator on the phone earlier asked if it was push to start?
Let's not get alarmist here (pun intended
). It's a different theft method, not a higher rate one. Sure there will be more of those as more cars with push-button hit the roads. But the highest rate still belong to... keys left in the ignition.
Actually, you could also be hacked with a traditional remote key fob : the RF code is easily intercepted thus the car immobilizer defeat. Much like credit card with chip. The irony is that OBDII "snapshot" devices from insurance companies open the biggest security breach.
In the case of your co-worker, this kind of theft involve either several minutes near the car with computer material or someone per-targeting the owner and figuring a way to get close to to the key fob (never leave them close to an entrance door). In other words, enough to perpetrate a "traditional" theft.
I don't see why the insurer had to ask if it was push-button start, as they pretty much know all about the product they insured, and the risks involved. Beside luxury car, statistics shows that old pick-ups and old Civic/Corolla (or whatever popular car popular ten years ago) are more at risk (for after-market parts) than mainstream current cars.
But there was an epidemic of push-button luxury car theft in Toronto last year, shipped to African and Arabic countries. Their trick ? Accomplices at dealers and shipping yards... That just shows that 100% security simply just don't exist, no matter what.