Compare Car Insurance Rates – NerdWallet

Compare Car Insurance Rates – NerdWallet

How comparing car insurance gets you the best rates

Shopping around and comparing car insurance rates from multiple insurers could potentially save you hundreds of dollars a year. Why? Each auto insurance company has their own unique way of pricing coverage, so one company could be far more expensive than another for the same driver. Simply put, the policy you have may not be the cheapest option out there, even for the same exact coverage.

While it may be tempting to go with the first insurer you get a quote from, the most effective way to shop is to compare quotes from a minimum of three insurers at least once a year.

How to compare car insurance rates

You can use NerdWallet’s car insurance comparison tool to get matched with car insurance companies in your area. Simply input information like your age, vehicle type and driving history to get matched with insurers. You can also go directly to insurer websites for quotes, or work with an independent agent who can compare car insurance on your behalf. No matter the source, you will need to provide your personal data to get an accurate quote.

Here’s what to do to compare car insurance rates quickly, while still getting the right coverage for you.

1. Gather your information

To quickly and easily compare insurance online, you should have the following on hand:

2. Choose your liability limits

Liability insurance protects you from paying out of pocket for any damage or injuries you cause in a crash, and it’s required to drive in most places. If expenses after a crash go above your liability limits, you’ll be responsible to pay out of pocket. If you don’t have enough cash on hand, you could face a lawsuit. With bills for property damage and injuries easily reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars, NerdWallet recommends you get liability limits high enough to cover your net worth.

Be sure you understand your state’s requirements

Almost every state requires a minimum amount of car insurance to drive legally. If you work with an agent or comparison shop online, your state’s minimum car insurance requirements should automatically be included in your quote.

While liability insurance is almost always mandatory, some states also require uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, personal injury protection or medical payments coverage. To learn more about what these are, read our guide to the most common types of car insurance.

🤓Nerdy Tip

Minimum coverage car insurance will always be the cheapest option, but you’ll likely be underinsured — especially if you cause a bad accident. In that case, you could be left having to pay (or face a lawsuit) for any damage or injuries you cause. If you’re unsure how much car insurance to get, read our guide on how much car insurance you need.

3. Decide if you need full coverage

Full coverage car insurance is a term used for auto policies that include comprehensive and collision coverage. Combined, comprehensive and collision cover just about any damage to your own car after a wreck, regardless of who caused it, once you pay a deductible. If you have a loan or a lease on your vehicle, full coverage is probably required by your lender.

Full coverage policies are more expensive than simply buying your state’s minimum required policy. If you drive an older, less valuable car, though, it’s possible you don’t need full coverage. That’s because comprehensive and collision coverage only pay out up to your vehicle’s current market value, minus your deductible.

4. Collect and compare car insurance quotes

You should get car insurance quotes from at least three companies — ideally more. To be sure you’re getting the best deal, compare car insurance quotes from smaller, regional companies plus the big names, like Allstate, Geico, Progressive and State Farm.

To accurately compare quotes, ask the agent or company representative to find all discounts you’re eligible for. Plus, make sure you’re using the same coverage limits and deductible amounts for every company you get quotes from.

Frequently asked questions

Compare car insurance rates by age

Key insights 💡

  • 20-year-old drivers have the most expensive car insurance, with an average rate of $3,647 per year for full coverage and $1,035 per year for minimum coverage.

  • The cost of car insurance levels out once a driver reaches 30, with an average of $1,822 a year for full coverage.

  • Geico is the cheapest company for 20-year-olds, while American Family is cheapest for 30-year-olds.

Your age can have a big impact on your car insurance rate. For example, you might already know teen drivers have some of the highest car insurance rates on average, but they aren’t the only ones. Although your rates will likely decrease once you hit your thirties, most drivers tend to see higher rates once they reach their 70s.

Below are the average costs of full and minimum coverage, by age, for drivers with good credit and a clean driving history, according to our August 2024 analysis.

Compare insurance rates for 20-year-olds

Drivers around the age of 20 typically get higher car insurance rates because they are more likely to get into accidents than older drivers, on average. NerdWallet recommends comparing car insurance quotes to find the cheapest option available, even if it may not be as affordable as other age groups.

To get more insight into how your age affects your car insurance, we compiled average annual rates from nine of the 10 largest private passenger auto insurers in the country based on market share data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Data for Liberty Mutual wasn’t available.

Average annual rate for 20-year-olds, by company

Company Name Full coverage rate Minimum coverage rate
Allstate $5,443 $1,135
American Family $2,681 $1,004
Farmers $6,175 $2,015
Geico $2,454 $675
Nationwide $4,122 $1,743
Progressive $3,399 $959
State Farm $4,584 $1,199
Travelers $3,300 $848
USAA* $2,627 $641

*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.

Average annual rate for 20-year-olds, by state

Median full coverage rate Median minimum coverage rate State
$3,769 $891 Alabama
$2,968 $751 Alaska
$4,296 $1,348 Arizona
$4,004 $1,037 Arkansas
$2,909 $803 California
$5,340 $1,392 Colorado
$4,650 $1,930 Connecticut
$5,491 $2,252 Delaware
$5,606 $1,423 Florida
$4,749 $1,494 Georgia
$1,610 $491 Hawaii
$2,815 $726 Idaho
$3,554 $1,113 Illinois
$3,185 $904 Indiana
$2,796 $636 Iowa
$3,687 $957 Kansas
$5,687 $1,594 Kentucky
$6,478 $1,784 Louisiana
$2,993 $1,017 Maine
$4,632 $1,847 Maryland
$2,803 $881 Massachusetts
$4,666 $1,233 Michigan
$2,962 $865 Minnesota
$3,849 $993 Mississippi
$4,418 $1,046 Missouri
$4,184 $876 Montana
$2,906 $789 Nebraska
$5,692 $1,881 Nevada
$3,032 $873 New Hampshire
$4,454 $1,707 New Jersey
$3,709 $950 New Mexico
$3,896 $1,520 New York
$2,015 $705 North Carolina
$2,962 $703 North Dakota
$2,636 $770 Ohio
$4,996 $1,124 Oklahoma
$2,736 $1,223 Oregon
$3,750 $791 Pennsylvania
$6,408 $2,211 Rhode Island
$4,459 $1,552 South Carolina
$3,038 $627 South Dakota
$3,890 $1,067 Tennessee
$6,132 $2,158 Texas
$3,481 $1,280 Utah
$2,985 $745 Vermont
$3,499 $1,316 Virginia
$3,531 $1,262 Washington
$3,534 $1,622 Washington, D.C.
$3,528 $1,028 West Virginia
$3,441 $868 Wisconsin
$2,561 $465 Wyoming

Compare car insurance rates for 35-year-olds

Because drivers around the age of 35 get in fewer accidents than younger drivers, they typically can get lower car insurance rates than 20-somethings.

Average annual rate for 35-year-olds, by company

*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.

Average annual rate for 35-year-olds, by state

Median full coverage rate Median minimum coverage rate State
$1,798 $402 Alabama
$1,527 $322 Alaska
$2,092 $641 Arizona
$1,788 $446 Arkansas
$1,622 $462 California
$2,415 $547 Colorado
$1,789 $785 Connecticut
$1,923 $877 Delaware
$3,069 $810 Florida
$2,051 $651 Georgia
$1,610 $491 Hawaii
$1,164 $319 Idaho
$1,558 $465 Illinois
$1,449 $409 Indiana
$1,440 $286 Iowa
$1,788 $474 Kansas
$2,415 $666 Kentucky
$3,150 $892 Louisiana
$1,245 $388 Maine
$1,889 $839 Maryland
$1,314 $412 Massachusetts
$2,411 $608 Michigan
$1,693 $470 Minnesota
$1,857 $503 Mississippi
$1,973 $506 Missouri
$1,814 $425 Montana
$1,486 $346 Nebraska
$2,334 $763 Nevada
$1,130 $370 New Hampshire
$2,136 $860 New Jersey
$1,834 $440 New Mexico
$2,025 $794 New York
$1,949 $643 North Carolina
$1,572 $367 North Dakota
$1,214 $335 Ohio
$2,512 $501 Oklahoma
$1,349 $599 Oregon
$1,756 $371 Pennsylvania
$2,476 $900 Rhode Island
$1,942 $630 South Carolina
$1,650 $274 South Dakota
$1,839 $445 Tennessee
$2,680 $842 Texas
$1,458 $554 Utah
$1,085 $310 Vermont
$1,666 $653 Virginia
$1,570 $539 Washington
$1,737 $857 Washington, D.C.
$1,693 $495 West Virginia
$1,549 $382 Wisconsin
$970 $185 Wyoming

Compare insurance rates by driver history

Key insights 💡

  • Full coverage for a 35-year-old good driver with good credit costs an average of $1,765 a year.

  • A recent DUI increases that cost to an average of $3,237 a year.

  • A recent at-fault accident costs an average of $2,599 a year.

  • Having poor credit costs an average of $2,795 a year for full coverage.

Car insurance companies pay close attention to a variety of factors when determining rates. We’ve analyzed rates for a few of the most common driver “profiles” to give you an idea of how much insurance might cost for each one.

Use these links when comparing auto insurance rates for specific driver histories:

Compare car insurance rates for drivers with a DUI

After a DUI, your auto insurance rate will go up — in some cases, it could even double. But one thing you can control is your choice of insurance company. A DUI can affect car insurance rates for three to 10 years, so it’s a good idea to shop around for the best rates after getting a DUI.

Average annual rate for drivers with a DUI, by company

Below you can compare average car insurance rates from different companies for 35-year-olds before and after a DUI. Keep in mind that not all of these options are available in every state.

Company Name Rate for drivers with a DUI Rate for drivers with a clean record
Allstate $3,455 $2,276
American Family $2,087 $1,281
Farmers $5,093 $2,690
Geico $3,052 $1,303
Nationwide $3,837 $1,875
Progressive $2,174 $1,742
State Farm $3,099 $2,040
Travelers $2,382 $1,412
USAA* $2,352 $1,273

*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.

Average annual rate for drivers with a DUI, by state

In Oklahoma, the average insurance cost for drivers with a recent DUI is 35% higher, on average, than for similar drivers with no incidents — $882 more a year. However, in our analysis, a DUI in North Carolina added $5,698 to the annual cost of full coverage car insurance for 35-year-old drivers.

See below for how your state measures up.

Rate for drivers with a DUI Rate for drivers with a clean record State
$2,950 $1,798 Alabama
$2,613 $1,527 Alaska
$3,465 $2,092 Arizona
$2,958 $1,788 Arkansas
$4,302 $1,622 California
$3,852 $2,415 Colorado
$3,253 $1,789 Connecticut
$3,893 $1,923 Delaware
$4,262 $3,069 Florida
$3,394 $2,051 Georgia
$3,060 $1,610 Hawaii
$2,347 $1,164 Idaho
$2,983 $1,558 Illinois
$2,909 $1,449 Indiana
$2,611 $1,440 Iowa
$3,239 $1,788 Kansas
$4,435 $2,415 Kentucky
$4,624 $3,150 Louisiana
$2,549 $1,245 Maine
$3,427 $1,889 Maryland
$2,486 $1,314 Massachusetts
$6,336 $2,411 Michigan
$2,708 $1,693 Minnesota
$2,909 $1,857 Mississippi
$3,397 $1,973 Missouri
$3,070 $1,814 Montana
$2,454 $1,486 Nebraska
$3,659 $2,334 Nevada
$2,146 $1,130 New Hampshire
$4,185 $2,136 New Jersey
$2,805 $1,834 New Mexico
$3,631 $2,025 New York
$7,647 $1,949 North Carolina
$2,837 $1,572 North Dakota
$2,289 $1,214 Ohio
$3,394 $2,512 Oklahoma
$2,407 $1,349 Oregon
$2,929 $1,756 Pennsylvania
$4,652 $2,476 Rhode Island
$3,534 $1,942 South Carolina
$2,830 $1,650 South Dakota
$3,240 $1,839 Tennessee
$4,645 $2,680 Texas
$2,701 $1,458 Utah
$2,478 $1,085 Vermont
$2,714 $1,666 Virginia
$2,479 $1,570 Washington
$3,296 $1,737 Washington, D.C.
$3,119 $1,693 West Virginia
$2,962 $1,549 Wisconsin
$2,413 $970 Wyoming

While your car insurance rate will almost always increase after a DUI, it’s clear that the amount it increases will depend partially on where you live.

Compare auto insurance rates for drivers with poor credit

Your credit history is one of the largest factors affecting your car insurance rate. In states where it’s allowed, carriers use credit history to determine how likely you are to file a claim.

Average annual rate for drivers with poor credit, by company

While rates may double for some drivers with poor credit, know that every company considers credit differently. An insurance company may evaluate your credit differently depending on which state you live in.

Drivers with poor credit insured by Nationwide could pay about 40% more a year, on average, compared with similar drivers with good credit. Meanwhile, the average price for full coverage from State Farm or Farmers rises 98% or more for drivers with poor credit compared with those with good credit.

Below you can compare average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers with poor credit by company.

Company Name Rate for drivers with good credit Rate for drivers with poor credit
Allstate $2,276 $3,312
American Family $1,281 $2,101
Farmers $2,690 $5,347
Geico $1,303 $1,874
Nationwide $1,875 $2,640
Progressive $1,742 $2,951
State Farm $2,040 $7,107
Travelers $1,412 $2,299
USAA* $1,273 $2,267

*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.

Average annual rate for drivers with poor credit, by state

Certain states prohibit the use of credit in setting car insurance rates, and how insurers treat credit differs from state to state. For example, state regulators in one state may allow more wiggle room for credit-based pricing than others, which leads to variations by state as well as by company.

Below you can compare average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers with poor credit by state.

Rate for drivers with good credit Rate for drivers with poor credit State
$1,798 $3,277 Alabama
$1,527 $2,205 Alaska
$2,092 $3,183 Arizona
$1,788 $2,986 Arkansas
$1,622 $1,622 California
$2,415 $3,970 Colorado
$1,789 $2,837 Connecticut
$1,923 $3,531 Delaware
$3,069 $4,552 Florida
$2,051 $3,238 Georgia
$1,610 $1,610 Hawaii
$1,164 $1,861 Idaho
$1,558 $2,530 Illinois
$1,449 $2,653 Indiana
$1,440 $2,114 Iowa
$1,788 $3,325 Kansas
$2,415 $4,453 Kentucky
$3,150 $4,719 Louisiana
$1,245 $1,887 Maine
$1,889 $3,262 Maryland
$1,314 $1,314 Massachusetts
$2,411 $4,311 Michigan
$1,693 $3,126 Minnesota
$1,857 $2,984 Mississippi
$1,973 $3,284 Missouri
$1,814 $3,037 Montana
$1,486 $2,448 Nebraska
$2,334 $3,591 Nevada
$1,130 $1,863 New Hampshire
$2,136 $3,990 New Jersey
$1,834 $2,521 New Mexico
$2,025 $3,914 New York
$1,949 $2,396 North Carolina
$1,572 $2,497 North Dakota
$1,214 $2,045 Ohio
$2,512 $3,403 Oklahoma
$1,349 $2,044 Oregon
$1,756 $2,831 Pennsylvania
$2,476 $3,980 Rhode Island
$1,942 $3,365 South Carolina
$1,650 $2,843 South Dakota
$1,839 $3,142 Tennessee
$2,680 $4,608 Texas
$1,458 $2,650 Utah
$1,085 $2,151 Vermont
$1,666 $2,790 Virginia
$1,570 $1,933 Washington
$1,737 $2,822 Washington, D.C.
$1,693 $2,460 West Virginia
$1,549 $2,254 Wisconsin
$970 $2,576 Wyoming

*Credit is not used to price rates in this state.

California, Hawaii and Massachusetts don’t allow insurers to use credit when determining car insurance rates. In Washington, the legal code around this issue is being debated.

Compare insurance rates for drivers with an accident

Your driving history can affect auto insurance rates in different ways from one company to another. It’s a good idea to compare how each insurer’s car insurance rates stack up against the rest if you have a recent accident.

Average annual rate for drivers with an accident, by company

Below you can compare average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers with a recent at-fault accident by company.

Company Name Rate after one at-fault accident Rate for drivers with a clean record
Allstate $3,523 $2,276
American Family $2,143 $1,281
Farmers $4,255 $2,690
Geico $2,207 $1,303
Nationwide $2,991 $1,875
Progressive $2,578 $1,742
State Farm $2,636 $2,040
Travelers $1,903 $1,412
USAA* $1,856 $1,273

*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.

Average annual rate for drivers with an accident, by state

Here are the average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers with a recent at-fault accident by state:

Rate after one at-fault accident Rate for drivers with a clean record State
$2,536 $1,798 Alabama
$1,947 $1,527 Alaska
$3,234 $2,092 Arizona
$2,705 $1,788 Arkansas
$2,936 $1,622 California
$3,501 $2,415 Colorado
$2,603 $1,789 Connecticut
$2,833 $1,923 Delaware
$4,385 $3,069 Florida
$3,135 $2,051 Georgia
$2,190 $1,610 Hawaii
$1,588 $1,164 Idaho
$2,380 $1,558 Illinois
$2,221 $1,449 Indiana
$2,037 $1,440 Iowa
$2,528 $1,788 Kansas
$3,410 $2,415 Kentucky
$4,483 $3,150 Louisiana
$1,888 $1,245 Maine
$3,212 $1,889 Maryland
$2,010 $1,314 Massachusetts
$3,406 $2,411 Michigan
$2,428 $1,693 Minnesota
$2,678 $1,857 Mississippi
$2,524 $1,973 Missouri
$2,860 $1,814 Montana
$2,302 $1,486 Nebraska
$3,574 $2,334 Nevada
$1,824 $1,130 New Hampshire
$3,239 $2,136 New Jersey
$2,528 $1,834 New Mexico
$2,895 $2,025 New York
$3,046 $1,949 North Carolina
$2,284 $1,572 North Dakota
$1,688 $1,214 Ohio
$3,112 $2,512 Oklahoma
$2,083 $1,349 Oregon
$2,600 $1,756 Pennsylvania
$2,539 $2,476 Rhode Island
$2,907 $1,942 South Carolina
$2,348 $1,650 South Dakota
$2,704 $1,839 Tennessee
$4,174 $2,680 Texas
$2,296 $1,458 Utah
$1,689 $1,085 Vermont
$2,468 $1,666 Virginia
$2,184 $1,570 Washington
$2,635 $1,737 Washington, D.C.
$2,335 $1,693 West Virginia
$2,321 $1,549 Wisconsin
$1,640 $970 Wyoming

Your rates will probably increase after an at-fault accident, so be sure to include the accident when you compare car insurance rates.

Compare car insurance companies

You can use NerdWallet’s reviews to compare car insurance companies and find the best fit for you. NerdWallet has researched policy options, consumer complaint data, customer satisfaction ratings, financial stability and other key factors for all of the country’s top auto insurance companies. We also researched many smaller, regional insurers.

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