The average annual cost of minimum car insurance is $1044, or $87 per month, according to a QuoteWizard study of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
But bear in mind that multiple factors may affect your auto insurance rates. After analyzing rate data from across the country, we found that premiums may vary significantly from person to person depending on their age, state, driving history and more.
Find out what to expect from your car insurance quotes. See how much car insurance is by:
We'll also answer the following questions:
Average cost of car insurance by age
One of the biggest determinants of your car insurance premium is your age. As you get older, your rates become cheaper, at least until you reach your 70s and your premiums start rising.
Teens, young adults and new drivers are significantly more likely to be involved in accidents compared to more experienced and middle-aged drivers. To compensate for this risk, insurers quote young drivers higher rates than their older counterparts.
In fact, the average 16-year-old driver received rates that were more than three times as expensive as the average 30-year-old driver, according to our data. While it may seem that the cost of car insurance for teens can break your wallet, there are ways to mitigate costs, including taking advantage of discounts and combining insurance plans with family members.
| Age | Minimum coverage | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | $335 | $692 |
| 17 | $298 | $617 |
| 18 | $260 | $545 |
| 19 | $192 | $408 |
| 20 | $170 | $364 |
| 25 | $97 | $202 |
| 30 | $87 | $178 |
| 35 | $86 | $174 |
| 40 | $85 | $172 |
| 45 | $84 | $169 |
| 50 | $82 | $162 |
| 55 | $80 | $158 |
| 60 | $80 | $157 |
| 65 | $83 | $162 |
| 70 | $88 | $171 |
| 75 | $99 | $194 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
Average cost of car insurance in your state
The average cost of car insurance differs from state to state. It also differs depending on whether you get a minimum or full-coverage policy.
For example, we saw the average monthly cost of state-minimum car insurance range from $36 in Wyoming to $230 in New York. The nationwide average for this kind of coverage is $87 per month, according to our research.
Here’s how much car insurance costs in your state if you only get the minimum amount of coverage your state requires:
| State | Average annual premium | Average monthly premium |
|---|---|---|
| National average | $1,044 | $87 |
| Alabama | $965 | $80 |
| Alaska | $697 | $58 |
| Arizona | $1,822 | $152 |
| Arkansas | $826 | $69 |
| California | $849 | $71 |
| Colorado | $1,193 | $99 |
| Connecticut | $1,346 | $112 |
| Delaware | $1,375 | $115 |
| District of Columbia | $1,856 | $155 |
| Florida | $1,821 | $152 |
| Georgia | $1,010 | $84 |
| Hawaii | $744 | $62 |
| Idaho | $614 | $51 |
| Illinois | $1,211 | $101 |
| Indiana | $605 | $50 |
| Iowa | $556 | $46 |
| Kansas | $621 | $52 |
| Kentucky | $1,527 | $127 |
| Louisiana | $1,616 | $135 |
| Maine | $506 | $42 |
| Maryland | $1,358 | $113 |
| Massachusetts | $874 | $73 |
| Michigan | $2,236 | $186 |
| Minnesota | $1,101 | $92 |
| Mississippi | $1,128 | $94 |
| Missouri | $956 | $80 |
| Montana | $622 | $52 |
| Nebraska | $576 | $48 |
| Nevada | $1,824 | $152 |
| New Hampshire | $868 | $72 |
| New Jersey | $1,037 | $86 |
| New Mexico | $810 | $68 |
| New York | $2,759 | $230 |
| North Carolina | $557 | $46 |
| North Dakota | $539 | $45 |
| Ohio | $544 | $45 |
| Oklahoma | $930 | $78 |
| Oregon | $1,404 | $117 |
| Pennsylvania | $746 | $62 |
| Rhode Island | $1,796 | $150 |
| South Carolina | $1,106 | $92 |
| South Dakota | $500 | $42 |
| Tennessee | $722 | $60 |
| Texas | $1,436 | $120 |
| Utah | $1,016 | $85 |
| Vermont | $516 | $43 |
| Virginia | $765 | $64 |
| Washington | $1,116 | $93 |
| West Virginia | $654 | $55 |
| Wisconsin | $560 | $47 |
| Wyoming | $426 | $36 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
We saw the average monthly cost of full-coverage car insurance range from $85 in Maine to $412 in New York. The national average for this type of coverage — which usually includes liability, collision and comprehensive car insurance protections — is $178.
How much does full-coverage car insurance cost in your state? Take a look at the table below.
| State | Yearly rate | Monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| National average | $2,133 | $178 |
| Alabama | $1,972 | $164 |
| Alaska | $1,387 | $116 |
| Arizona | $3,180 | $265 |
| Arkansas | $1,864 | $155 |
| California | $1,996 | $166 |
| Colorado | $2,198 | $183 |
| Connecticut | $2,524 | $210 |
| Delaware | $2,379 | $198 |
| District of Columbia | $2,020 | $168 |
| Florida | $4,651 | $388 |
| Georgia | $1,923 | $160 |
| Hawaii | $1,682 | $140 |
| Idaho | $1,251 | $104 |
| Illinois | $2,580 | $215 |
| Indiana | $1,368 | $114 |
| Iowa | $1,454 | $121 |
| Kansas | $1,584 | $132 |
| Kentucky | $2,997 | $250 |
| Louisiana | $4,178 | $348 |
| Maine | $1,018 | $85 |
| Maryland | $2,535 | $85 |
| Massachusetts | $2,218 | $185 |
| Michigan | $3,671 | $306 |
| Minnesota | $2,132 | $178 |
| Mississippi | $2,214 | $185 |
| Missouri | $2,194 | $183 |
| Montana | $1,590 | $133 |
| Nebraska | $1,380 | $115 |
| Nevada | $3,059 | $255 |
| New Hampshire | $1,887 | $157 |
| New Jersey | $2,135 | $178 |
| New Mexico | $1,887 | $144 |
| New York | $4,943 | $412 |
| North Carolina | $1,059 | $88 |
| North Dakota | $1,821 | $152 |
| Ohio | $1,291 | $108 |
| Oklahoma | $1,915 | $160 |
| Oregon | $2,257 | $188 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,717 | $143 |
| Rhode Island | $3,312 | $276 |
| South Carolina | $2,008 | $167 |
| South Dakota | $2,037 | $170 |
| Tennessee | $1,651 | $138 |
| Texas | $3,011 | $251 |
| Utah | $1,735 | $145 |
| Vermont | $1,287 | $107 |
| Virginia | $1,559 | $130 |
| Washington | $1,804 | $150 |
| West Virginia | $1,527 | $127 |
| Wisconsin | $1,300 | $108 |
| Wyoming | $1,577 | $131 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
Why is the average cost of car insurance so different from state to state? Because each state has different car insurance laws, accident rates and property crime statistics.
Also, what you pay for auto insurance may be more or less than the average rates for your state. This is because insurance companies consider several rate factors like your age, gender and what kind of car you drive to come up with your premium.
Find your best car insurance rates
Average cost of car insurance by company
USAA and Erie offer the cheapest car insurance policies in the U.S., based on rate data we gathered as part of our study. This is true whether you want state-minimum or full-coverage car insurance. However, USAA is only available to eligible military members and their families while Erie is not available in every state.
We found USAA to offer an average annual premium of $576 for minimum coverage, or $48 per month. USAA’s average annual premium for full coverage is $1,260, or $105 per month.
As for Erie, its average annual premium for state-minimum coverage is $636, or $53 per month, while its average annual premium for full coverage is $1,296, or $108 per month.
| Company | Minimum coverage | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| USAA | $48 | $105 |
| Erie | $53 | $108 |
| State Farm | $64 | $129 |
| Farm Bureau | $72 | $153 |
| Auto-Owners | $87 | $250 |
| Progressive | $87 | $165 |
| Mid-Century | $92 | $163 |
| American Family | $92 | $153 |
| Geico | $94 | $210 |
| Nationwide | $107 | $196 |
| Allstate | $110 | $222 |
| Farmers | $112 | $201 |
| Travelers | $134 | $248 |
| Average rates are based on non-binding estimates by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
A couple of important things to note: Erie only sells car insurance in a handful of states. And USAA only offers auto coverage to active and former military members, as well as eligible members of their families.
If you can’t or don’t want to get auto insurance from either of those companies, your next best options are State Farm, Farm Bureau and MetLife.
When shopping for car insurance, compare quotes from several companies like these to get the cheapest rate.
Average cost of car insurance by driving history
Having any sort of traffic violation or accident runs the possibility of raising your auto insurance rates. Traffic incidents indicate to insurance companies that you are a high-risk driver to insure and, as a result, your rates will likely increase.
Be aware that not all citations are created equally. Committing a serious offense like a DUI will almost certainly incur higher penalties and drive your rates up much more than failing to obey a traffic sign or getting caught speeding.
But these premium hikes don't last forever — certain incidents stay on your record for a limited amount of time. If you drive safely and steer clear of risky driving for a few years, you can go back to having a clean record. Speeding tickets, for instance, remain on your driving record for around three years, in most cases.
| Incident | Annual | Monthly | Increase after a traffic incident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean record | $2,133 | $178 | |
| At-fault accident | $2,999 | $250 | 41% |
| DUI | $3,767 | $314 | 77% |
| Speeding ticket | $2,587 | $216 | 21% |
| Average rates are based on non-binding estimates by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | |||
The most important thing when shopping for car insurance
Shopping around is incredibly important when it comes to car insurance. That’s because car insurance companies can charge vastly different rates for the same coverage. We compared car insurance rates for a 30-year-old man and woman across major carriers in each state. We found that nationwide, the average difference between the least expensive and most expensive plan is more than $2,600.
The cost difference between similar plans is particularly big in certain states. Louisiana, Florida and New Hampshire all have cost differences of more than $5,000. While the cost difference in California, Maine, North Carolina, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia is less than $1,000.
| State | Least expensive plan | Most expensive plan | Rate range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $996 | $3,818 | $2,822 |
| Alaska | $977 | $2,756 | $1,779 |
| Arizona | $1,649 | $5,021 | $3,373 |
| Arkansas | $1,064 | $5,139 | $4,075 |
| California | $1,660 | $2,459 | $799 |
| Colorado | $1,563 | $3,409 | $1,847 |
| Connecticut | $1,237 | $4,915 | $3,678 |
| Delaware | $1,553 | $3,384 | $1,832 |
| Florida | $2,166 | $8,029 | $5,864 |
| Georgia | $1,330 | $2,612 | $1,282 |
| Hawaii | $580 | $3,425 | $2,845 |
| Idaho | $773 | $2,031 | $1,259 |
| Illinois | $1,397 | $4,940 | $3,543 |
| Indiana | $779 | $1,965 | $1,186 |
| Iowa | $783 | $2,501 | $1,718 |
| Kansas | $965 | $2,070 | $1,105 |
| Kentucky | $1,802 | $6,719 | $4,918 |
| Louisiana | $1,389 | $13,311 | $11,922 |
| Maine | $752 | $1,335 | $583 |
| Maryland | $1,109 | $4,879 | $3,770 |
| Massachusetts | $902 | $4,013 | $3,111 |
| Michigan | $1,446 | $4,361 | $2,915 |
| Minnesota | $975 | $5,126 | $4,151 |
| Mississippi | $1,076 | $3,114 | $2,038 |
| Missouri | $937 | $4,050 | $3,113 |
| Montana | $1,010 | $2,256 | $1,246 |
| Nebraska | $960 | $2,112 | $1,152 |
| Nevada | $1,907 | $6,181 | $4,275 |
| New Hampshire | $789 | $6,021 | $5,232 |
| New Jersey | $1,742 | $2,904 | $1,162 |
| New Mexico | $965 | $2,185 | $1,220 |
| New York | $2,584 | $7,316 | $4,732 |
| North Carolina | $731 | $1,683 | $952 |
| North Dakota | $860 | $4,313 | $3,453 |
| Ohio | $814 | $2,240 | $1,426 |
| Oklahoma | $1,099 | $3,074 | $1,975 |
| Oregon | $1,016 | $4,547 | $3,531 |
| Pennsylvania | $865 | $2,259 | $1,394 |
| Rhode Island | $1,330 | $4,906 | $3,577 |
| South Carolina | $1,232 | $3,385 | $2,153 |
| South Dakota | $927 | $5,231 | $4,304 |
| Tennessee | $936 | $3,140 | $2,204 |
| Texas | $1,444 | $5,595 | $4,151 |
| Utah | $1,268 | $2,517 | $1,250 |
| Vermont | $759 | $1,719 | $960 |
| Virginia | $812 | $1,460 | $648 |
| Washington | $988 | $3,386 | $2,398 |
| West Virginia | $1,551 | $2,205 | $654 |
| Wisconsin | $746 | $2,216 | $1,470 |
| Wyoming | $992 | $2,053 | $1,061 |
| U.S. Average | $1,164 | $3,806 | $2,642 |
| Methodology: Rates quoted are for a 30-year-old man and women, driving a midsize car with a clean driving record. | |||
Additional factors that affect your car insurance rate
Vehicle. Expensive or luxury vehicles are usually much more costly to insure compared to cheaper models. The parts on these vehicles are pricey to replace and repair, so insurance companies typically charge you a higher premium to protect your car.
Credit score. Drivers with excellent credit scores will likely receive more affordable rates than those with poor credit. Some insurers use credit scores as a rate factor because they believe there is a correlation between credit scores and the number of claims filed. However, certain states have banned the use of credit scores to calculate insurance premiums.
Gender. Our study shows that young male drivers spend more, on average, for car insurance compared to young women. This is attributed to the fact that young male drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents and receive traffic citations than young women. However, we found that as women get older, they are quoted slightly higher rates than their male counterparts.
Mileage. The more you drive, the higher chance you have of being in an accident. Driving less frequently can also make you eligible for low mileage discounts offered by your insurance company.
Compare quotes from the cheapest car insurance companies
How to get the cheapest car insurance
Shop around. You should always be comparing car insurance rates from multiple companies. The difference between the least expensive and the priciest company is thousands of dollars annually.
Take advantage of discounts. Most insurers have a list of discounts available to their customers. They include discounts for receiving good grades, having safety devices installed in your car, being a member of certain organizations and more.
You may already qualify for some. However, many are not automatically applied, so when speaking to an insurance agent, ask about the discounts you can tack onto your policy.
See if there's a bundle option with your other insurance plans. Some major insurance companies allow you to bundle your auto insurance with home, renters or condo plans, if available. This can potentially equal hundreds of dollars in overall savings.
Consider a combined insurance policy. Opting to combine an insurance policy is especially beneficial for young drivers. Our study showed that teen drivers who signed onto their parents' insurance policy saved an average of $99 per month on car insurance.
The cost of your parents' policy will likely increase if they include a young or inexperienced driver on their plan. However, this option is much cheaper than having two separate auto insurance policies.
Constantly re-evaluate your car insurance policy. Your driver profile changes over time. Age, driving habits and state of residence, among other factors, are all considered when calculating your car insurance rate. If any of these have changed, contact your insurance company to see if they would be willing to calculate an updated rate for you. It may be cheaper than what you currently pay.
Methodology
We conducted a comprehensive study of auto insurance rates across every state and the District of Columbia through Quadrant Information Services. In total, we collected more than 100,000 quotes for this survey. The quotes came from every available insurer in a given state across 20 randomized ZIP codes.
When analyzing minimum liability policies, our sample driver met the bare coverage requirements to legally drive in their state. The rates shown for a full liability policy represent a sample driver who purchased the following coverage limits:
- $100,000/$300,000 bodily injury liability per person/per accident
- $100,000 property damage liability
- $500 collision and comprehensive deductible
Unless explicitly stated, our sample driver was a single, 30-year-old male with a clean driving record. He owns a 2012 Honda Accord LX and drives an average of 13,500 miles a year.
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