The cheapest car insurance company for you depends on many factors, including your age, driving record and location. However, no matter where you live, our study can help you find affordable insurance. We found that some drivers can pay as little as $30 a month!
Find the cheapest company…
- Overall
- Nationally available
- After a speeding ticket
- By age group
- After an accident or DUI violation
Cheapest auto insurance companies overall
We included more than 20 companies in our study of the cheapest auto insurance. From those companies, the following eight stood out for offering consistently affordable rates. Some companies like Erie and USAA have rates as much as 64% below average!
For both minimum and full coverage, Erie, Auto-Owners and Travelers offer some of the cheapest rates around.
Erie: cheapest auto insurance in the East
Erie offers the cheapest auto insurance rates, based on our research. With an average of $30 a month for minimum coverage, or $92 a month for full coverage, Erie’s rates are tough to beat.
Whether you’re looking for minimum coverage or full coverage, are a new or experienced driver, or have an accident on your record, make sure to consider Erie for affordable coverage.
What to know:
- Erie’s Rate Lock program means your rates won’t change unless your policy does
- Erie offers first accident forgiveness after three years of safe driving
- Erie only operates in 12 states: IL, IN, KY, MD, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WI and Washington D.C.
Auto-Owners: cheapest auto insurance in the South and Midwest
Auto-Owners customers pay an average of $38 a month for minimum coverage, or $111 for full coverage, making it one of the cheapest insurers we researched. Auto-Owners is widely available across the Midwest and South, serving 26 states in total.
What to know:
- Auto-Owners auto insurance is sold through independent agents
- Performs better than average in customer satisfaction surveys like J.D. Power
- Auto-Owners offers more discounts than we usually see, giving you more opportunities to save
Travelers: cheapest auto insurance in the West
Travelers is widely available as one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S. Travelers is one of the cheapest options for people living in the western U.S., with a full-coverage policy costing an average of $114 a month.
What to know:
- Travelers has two accident and minor violation forgiveness plans, a base and a premier
- Travelers offers better-than-average coverage for new cars through its Premier New Car Replacement add-on
- There are options to customize your policy through base and premier options
>> See how we made our picks in our methodology.
Cheapest among the major insurers
There are advantages to going with a large auto insurance company. Together, the following six companies account for 55% of auto insurance policies in the U.S. That means there is a good chance you’ll be able to compare quotes from at least a few of them in your area.
Here are the average monthly rates for a full-coverage policy from the national leaders in auto insurance:
State Farm: $130
Progressive: $163
GEICO: $136
Allstate: $215
USAA: $102
Farmers: $228
Large companies frequently offer more robust agent networks and customer service teams than smaller insurers. That can be a plus for folks who value 24/7 support and responsiveness.
Additionally, the biggest companies tend to more fully incorporate technology into the customer experience, meaning you can adjust and manage your policy online, or take advantage of telematics.
Cheapest companies after a speeding ticket
Speeding tickets increase your rates by an average of 35%. Our previous picks remain among the most affordable options because they hike up your rates less than other companies. Some companies may increase your rates by more than 50%!
| Company | No speeding ticket | One speeding ticket | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie | $92 | $97 | 5% |
| USAA | $102 | $129 | 27% |
| Auto-Owners | $111 | $141 | 27% |
| Travelers | $114 | $160 | 40% |
| American Family | $129 | $165 | 28% |
| State Farm | $130 | $179 | 37% |
| Mercury | $128 | $180 | 40% |
| National General | $172 | $181 | 5% |
| Cincinnati | $136 | $182 | 34% |
| GEICO | $136 | $195 | 44% |
| Kemper | $150 | $197 | 32% |
| Nationwide | $169 | $203 | 20% |
| U.S. average | $155 | $209 | 35% |
| Progressive | $163 | $209 | 29% |
| CSAA | $177 | $223 | 26% |
| Auto Club | $178 | $232 | 30% |
| Allstate | $215 | $272 | 27% |
| Farmers | $228 | $322 | 41% |
| MetLife | $237 | $356 | 50% |
| The Hartford | $219 | $362 | 66% |
| Amica | $263 | $496 | 88% |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | |||
Cheapest companies by age group
Younger drivers pay substantially more for car insurance than middle-aged and older drivers. On average, a 20-year-old can pay almost twice as much as a 30-year-old! Rates plateau around age 35 and begin to increase again slowly for drivers over 60 years old.
For most age groups, Erie, State Farm, USAA, Auto-Owners, Travelers and American Family tend to have the cheapest rates.
| Age | Cheapest companies |
|---|---|
| 20 | Erie, State Farm, USAA, Auto-Owners |
| 25 | Erie, Travelers, USAA, Auto-Owners |
| 30 | Erie, Auto-Owners, USAA, American Family |
| 35+ | Erie, USAA, Auto-Owners, Travelers |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | |
Cheapest companies after an accident or DUI violation
Getting into a bad accident or driving drunk can make finding affordable rates difficult, as many people see their rates skyrocket after a serious incident. According to our data, rates increase by 77% after an accident, and 135% after a DUI, or by $318 and $580 a year, respectively.
Here’s what you can expect to pay from some of the top companies after an accident.
| Company | No incidents | After one accident | After one DUI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie | $92 | $118 | $140 |
| Auto-Owners | $111 | $132 | $243 |
| USAA | $102 | $154 | $219 |
| Travelers | $114 | $174 | $185 |
| American Family | $129 | $201 | $232 |
| State Farm | $130 | $220 | $348 |
| Mercury | $128 | $237 | $168 |
| GEICO | $136 | $251 | $394 |
| Progressive | $163 | $254 | $185 |
| National General | $172 | $255 | $181 |
| U.S. average | $155 | $275 | $365 |
| Nationwide | $169 | $275 | $313 |
| Cincinnati | $136 | $283 | $359 |
| Auto Club | $178 | $285 | $537 |
| Kemper | $150 | $322 | $322 |
| CSAA | $177 | $359 | $635 |
| Allstate | $215 | $387 | $333 |
| Amica | $263 | $401 | $929 |
| Farmers | $228 | $402 | $402 |
| The Hartford | $219 | $500 | $909 |
| MetLife | $237 | $527 | $560 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | |||
Erie, Auto-Owners, USAA and Travelers continue to be some of the cheapest options after an accident or DUI. For more ideas on getting cheap rates after a DUI, check our DUI insurance guide.
Get cheaper rates by taking advantage of discounts
When it comes to finding cheap auto insurance, there are things you cannot control easily or at all, like your age, gender or vehicle. That’s why taking advantage of all the discounts at your disposal is so important. If you think the following discounts could apply to you, make sure to ask your insurance company if they offer them.
Low-mileage discounts are available through many car insurance companies. Often, this discount applies to people who drive their vehicle 8,000 miles per year or less, but the exact number varies between insurers.
Bundling multiple policies with one company, like your home and auto or renters and auto insurance policies, can save you hundreds of dollars every year. Bundling discounts tend to be around 5% to 25%.
Defensive driver courses can lower your rates, sometimes lowering specific parts of your policy by around 10%, according to our survey of courses. Over a few years, the cost of the course usually pays for itself.
Seniors can enjoy discounted car insurance rates, often starting around 50 or 55 years old.
Check out our complete guide on auto insurance discounts for more ways to save.
Methodology
To find the cheapest auto insurance companies, we aggregated and analyzed 219,032 quotes from every ZIP code in California, Connecticut and Illinois. These states were chosen because they tend to have rates near the national average and are representative of the U.S. insurance marketplace.
We considered the following 20 companies: Allstate, American Family, Amica, Auto Club, Auto-Owners, Cincinnati, CSAA, Erie, Farmers, GEICO, Kemper, Mercury, MetLife, National General, Nationwide, Progressive, State Farm, The Hartford, Travelers and USAA.
We evaluated two policies: a minimum-coverage policy and a full-coverage policy. The specifications were:
| Coverage | Minimum-coverage policy | Full-coverage policy |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury | 25/50 | 100/300 |
| Property damage | $25,000 | $100,000 |
| Uninsured motorist BI | 25/50 | 100/300 |
| Comprehensive | None | $500 deductible |
| Collision | None | $500 deductible |
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