Shopping for affordable car insurance doesn’t have to be hard — the easiest way to find your best rates is to compare quotes from top companies before picking a policy.
Auto insurance rates are based on lots of factors, like your age, ZIP code, driving history — even whether or not you own your home can affect what you pay for car insurance.
But not all companies charge the same amount for coverage, which is why the same driver will get different quotes from different car insurance companies — sometimes to the tune of hundreds of dollars a year.
Comparing car insurance quotes through an insurance marketplace like Policygenius will help you find the company that offers you the best coverage for the best price, so you can feel confident about the policy you choose.
Here’s what determines your car insurance rates:
Your address: Accident rates, population density, and repair costs in your neighborhood will all go into calculating your premiums.
Your coverage: More types of coverage and higher limits means more protection, but it also means higher premiums.
Your age: Younger, less experienced drivers (under 25) are more likely to get in accidents and file claims, so they often pay the most for car insurance.
Your car: The make and model of car you drive will affect your insurance rates. Luxury cars with expensive parts cost more to insure than a budget daily driver, and cars with certain safety features can get you a lower rate.
Your credit score: Drivers with poor credit scores may have more trouble finding affordable coverage than drivers with higher credit scores.
Your driving history: Recent accidents and driving violations will raise a red flag on your profile, while having a squeaky clean record can earn you extra savings.
Your insurance history: Recent claims on your record or gaps where you were uninsured will mean higher rates.
Genius tip
Car insurance quotes are free — you don’t start paying until you sign your policy. That means you can get as many quotes as you want to make sure you’re getting the best deal.
Compare car insurance rates by state
Car insurance costs vary by state, city, and even ZIP codes. That’s why comparing rates can help you find the cheapest company in your area.
We found that, when it comes to car insurance, the difference between the most and least expensive states is $1,905 per year.
But even if car insurance is normally expensive in your area, you could still save thousands of dollars a year by comparing rates. Some companies in your area may charge much less for coverage than others.
For example, the difference between the most expensive and cheapest insurance company in Florida — which is already known for high auto insurance costs — is a massive $2,444 per year.
| Alabama | GEICO | $977 |
| Alaska | USAA | $930 |
| Arizona | Root | $747 |
| Arkansas | USAA | $962 |
| California | Wawanesa | $1,110 |
| Colorado | American National | $811 |
| Connecticut | GEICO | $756 |
| Delaware | State Farm | $1,152 |
| District of Columbia | GEICO | $1,025 |
| Florida | GEICO | $1,432 |
| Georgia | Auto-Owners Insurance | $858 |
| Hawaii | GEICO | $785 |
| Idaho | American National | $498 |
| Illinois | FAIA | $712 |
| Indiana | USAA | $706 |
| Iowa | State Farm | $719 |
| Kansas | USAA | $912 |
| Kentucky | GEICO | $1,019 |
| Louisiana | USAA | $1,486 |
| Maine | GEICO | $571 |
| Maryland | USAA | $806 |
| Massachusetts | GEICO | $1,067 |
| Michigan | GEICO | $1,059 |
| Minnesota | Western Agriculture | $964 |
| Mississippi | USAA | $856 |
| Missouri | USAA | $741 |
| Montana | USAA | $856 |
| Nebraska | Auto-Owners Insurance | $1,036 |
| Nevada | GEICO | $1,043 |
| New Hampshire | USAA | $676 |
| New Jersey | GEICO | $1,078 |
| New Mexico | USAA | $907 |
| New York | Main Street America | $1,033 |
| North Carolina | GEICO | $736 |
| North Dakota | USAA | $786 |
| Ohio | USAA | $711 |
| Oklahoma | USAA | $949 |
| Oregon | State Farm | $843 |
| Pennsylvania | Erie | $1,018 |
| Rhode Island | State Farm | $983 |
| South Carolina | American National | $683 |
| South Dakota | Kemper | $1,128 |
| Tennessee | State Farm | $755 |
| Texas | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,036 |
| Utah | GEICO | $856 |
| Vermont | State Farm | $666 |
| Virginia | USAA | $776 |
| Washington | USAA | $1,033 |
| West Virginia | USAA | $869 |
| Wisconsin | USAA | $680 |
| Wyoming | American National | $763 |
Some carriers may be represented by affiliates or subsidiaries.
→ Learn more about car insurance costs
| Abilene, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,010 |
| Albany, NY | Progressive | $823 |
| Albuquerque, NM | USAA | $1,004 |
| Alexandria, VA | USAA | $875 |
| Amarillo, TX | State Farm | $1,195 |
| Anchorage, AK | USAA | $949 |
| Arlington, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,121 |
| Athens, GA | Auto-Owners Insurace | $858 |
| Atlanta, GA | Auto-Owners Insurace | $858 |
| Augusta, GA | Auto-Owners Insurace | $858 |
| Austin, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,153 |
| Bakersfield, CA | Wawanesa | $1,054 |
| Baltimore, MD | USAA | $1,127 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | USAA | $1,660 |
| Beaumont, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,160 |
| Bellevue, WA | USAA | $1,100 |
| Billings, MT | USAA | $866 |
| Birmingham, AL | USAA | $1,032 |
| Blue Springs, MO | USAA | $746 |
| Boston, MA | GEICO | $1,106 |
| Bowling Green, KY | GEICO | $902 |
| Brownsville, TX | Germania Insurance | $1,233 |
| Buffalo, NY | Progressive | $1,032 |
| Charleston, SC | American National | $724 |
| Charlotte, NC | GEICO | $775 |
| Chattanooga, TN | State Farm | $750 |
| Chicago, IL | Auto-Owners Insurace | $1,103 |
| Chula Vista, CA | Wawanesa | $947 |
| Cleveland, OH | USAA | $783 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | American National | $905 |
| Columbia, MO | USAA | $775 |
| Columbia, SC | American National | $731 |
| Columbus, GA | Auto-Owners Insurace | $858 |
| Columbus, OH | USAA | $765 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,108 |
| Cumming, GA | Auto-Owners Insurace | $858 |
| Dallas, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,343 |
| Dayton, OH | USAA | $703 |
| Denver, CO | American National | $969 |
| Detroit, MI | USAA | $1,831 |
| Dothan, AL | GEICO | $868 |
| El Paso, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $954 |
| Fargo, ND | USAA | $773 |
| Farmington, NM | USAA | $892 |
| Fayetteville, NC | GEICO | $744 |
| Flint, MI | GEICO | $1,078 |
| Fort Myers, FL | GEICO | $1,372 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | USAA | $710 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,123 |
| Fredericksburg, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $910 |
| Fresno, CA | Wawanesa | $1,040 |
| Gainesville, FL | GEICO | $1,100 |
| Grand Rapids, MN | Western Agriculture | $960 |
| Greeley, CO | American National | $752 |
| Greensboro, NC | GEICO | $735 |
| Henderson, NV | GEICO | $1,174 |
| Honolulu, HI | GEICO | $751 |
| Houston, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,235 |
| Huntsville, AL | GEICO | $887 |
| Indianapolis, IN | USAA | $773 |
| Jackson, TN | State Farm | $817 |
| Jacksonville, FL | GEICO | $1,252 |
| Jonesboro, AR | USAA | $945 |
| Kansas City, MO | USAA | $746 |
| Killeen, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,029 |
| Knoxville, TN | State Farm | $757 |
| Lafayette, LA | USAA | $1,557 |
| Lakeland, FL | State Farm | $1,444 |
| Lakewood, CO | American National | $868 |
| Lansing, MI | MetLife | $968 |
| Laredo, TX | Germania Insurance | $1,238 |
| Las Cruces, NM | USAA | $849 |
| Las Vegas, NV | GEICO | $1,266 |
| Lexington, KY | GEICO | $787 |
| Lincoln, NE | Auto-Owners Insurace | $899 |
| Little Rock, AR | USAA | $1,009 |
| Loganville, GA | Auto-Owners Insurace | $858 |
| Longview, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,072 |
| Los Angeles, CA | Wawanesa | $1,535 |
| Louisville, KY | GEICO | $1,152 |
| Lubbock, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,082 |
| Macon, GA | Auto-Owners Insurace | $858 |
| Madison, WI | GEICO | $621 |
| Manhattan, KS | USAA | $767 |
| Martinsburg, WV | USAA | $780 |
| Melbourne, FL | GEICO | $1,348 |
| Memphis, TN | USAA | $924 |
| Mesa, AZ | Root | $804 |
| Miami, FL | GEICO | $1,598 |
| Midland, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $947 |
| Milwaukee, WI | USAA | $751 |
| Minneapolis, MN | USAA | $1,196 |
| Montgomery, AL | USAA | $991 |
| Mooresville, NC | GEICO | $719 |
| Murfreesboro, TN | State Farm | $734 |
| Murrieta, CA | Wawanesa | $1,038 |
| Naples, FL | GEICO | $1,139 |
| Nashville, TN | State Farm | $773 |
| New Orleans, LA | USAA | $2,009 |
| New York City, NY | Main Street America | $1,599 |
| Ocala, FL | State Farm | $1,294 |
| Odessa, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,113 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | USAA | $1,049 |
| Olathe, KS | USAA | $769 |
| Omaha, NE | Auto-Owners Insurace | $1,048 |
| Orlando, FL | GEICO | $1,378 |
| Palm Coast, FL | GEICO | $1,292 |
| Palmdale, CA | Wawanesa | $1,277 |
| Park Ridge, NJ | GEICO | $976 |
| Pensacola, FL | GEICO | $1,326 |
| Peoria, IL | FAIA | $598 |
| Philadelphia, PA | State Farm | $1,878 |
| Phoenix, AZ | Root | $905 |
| Plano, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,123 |
| Portland, OR | State Farm | $1,183 |
| Pueblo, CO | American National | $904 |
| Raleigh, NC | GEICO | $770 |
| Redding, CA | Wawanesa | $932 |
| Reno, NV | GEICO | $976 |
| Richmond, VA | USAA | $838 |
| Rochester, NY | Progressive | $810 |
| Rockford, IL | FAIA | $730 |
| Rockledge, FL | GEICO | $1,332 |
| Sacramento, CA | Wawanesa | $1,127 |
| Salem , OR | State Farm | $970 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | GEICO | $895 |
| San Angelo, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $935 |
| San Antonio, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,118 |
| San Diego, CA | Wawanesa | $1,043 |
| San Francisco, CA | Wawanesa | $1,231 |
| San Jose, CA | Wawanesa | $1,086 |
| Savannah, GA | Auto-Owners Insurace | $858 |
| Scottsdale, AZ | Root | $794 |
| Seattle, WA | USAA | $1,166 |
| Spokane, WA | USAA | $1,036 |
| Springfield, MO | USAA | $745 |
| St Louis, MO | USAA | $783 |
| Stockton, CA | Wawanesa | $1,077 |
| Syracuse, NY | Progressive | $894 |
| Tallahassee, FL | GEICO | $1,328 |
| Tampa, FL | GEICO | $1,827 |
| Toledo, OH | USAA | $803 |
| Topeka, KS | USAA | $903 |
| Tucson, AZ | Root | $766 |
| Tulsa, OK | USAA | $1,067 |
| Tyler, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,044 |
| Valdosta, GA | Auto-Owners Insurace | $858 |
| Vancouver, WA | USAA | $1,060 |
| Victoria, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $973 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | USAA | $845 |
| Waco, TX | Texas Farm Bureau | $953 |
| Wichita, KS | USAA | $906 |
| Wilmington, NC | GEICO | $709 |
| Yuma, AZ | Root | $664 |
Compare car insurance rates by age and gender
Your age and gender can also have an impact on your car insurance rates. Young and inexperienced drivers often face much higher costs than older drivers. That’s why it’s even more important for young drivers to compare rates before buying car insurance.
Teenage drivers may be stuck paying significantly more for car insurance if they don’t compare quotes from multiple companies before picking a policy. We found that the same 16-year-old can pay as much as $10,164 per year for car insurance — or less than $3,000, depending on the company.
In some situations, men pay slightly more for car insurance than women — although some states have passed laws banning insurance companies from using gender to determine rates. Still, young male drivers may have the most to gain from comparing rates.
Compare car insurance rates for seniors
Comparing car insurance costs and shopping around is also important for senior drivers. After a certain age, older drivers may start to pay more for car insurance. For retired seniors who are on a fixed income, comparing costs is an easy way to avoid overpaying.
For example, our analysis of rates shows that a 70-year-old driver can pay as much as $2,057 per year for car insurance with some companies. But with others, rates may be as low as $1,037 per year — a difference of more than half.
Compare car insurance rates by credit score
If your credit score is below average or poor — or if you don’t have any credit — it’s even more important to compare rates to avoid paying more than you have to. Just like drivers with an accident or DUI on their records, drivers with poor credit are also likely to pay much higher car insurance costs.
Based on our analysis of car insurance costs from some of the largest companies, drivers with poor credit may save more than $1,300 per year on car insurance by comparing quotes from different companies before picking a policy.
| Allstate | $3,335 | $2,365 | $2,007 | $1,903 | $1,706 |
| American Family | $2,206 | $1,543 | $1,321 | $1,219 | $1,101 |
| Erie | $2,836 | $1,630 | $1,200 | $1,056 | $955 |
| Farmers | $3,086 | $2,276 | $1,973 | $1,801 | $1,620 |
| GEICO | $2,219 | $1,513 | $1,185 | $1,065 | $940 |
| Nationwide | $2,205 | $1,802 | $1,511 | $1,431 | $1,331 |
| Progressive | $3,220 | $2,254 | $1,807 | $1,584 | $1,380 |
| State Farm | $3,338 | $1,843 | $1,395 | $1,224 | $1,095 |
| Travelers | $2,880 | $1,975 | $1,537 | $1,338 | $1,226 |
| USAA | $2,018 | $1,302 | $1,108 | $1,038 | $966 |
Compare car insurance rates by driving record
Car insurance is more expensive for drivers who have at least one prior accident or ticket on their records. While the cost of car insurance is $1,652 for drivers ages 30 to 45 with a clean record, insurance for riskier drivers can cost $1,500 more per year.
All drivers with a recent violation on their record, like an at-fault accident or citation, should compare rates to save money on car insurance, but drivers with serious violations — like a DUI or hit-and-run — stand to save the most.
| At-fault Accident | $2,555 |
| Driving with a suspended license | $3,117 |
| DUI | $3,153 |
| Hit and Run | $3,182 |
| Speeding Ticket | $2,277 |
Compare car insurance rates by coverage amount
Whether you want a full-coverage policy with comprehensive and collision coverage, or only enough insurance to meet your state’s minimum coverage amounts, the best way to avoid paying too much for car insurance is by comparing rates.
Our analysis shows that drivers can save hundreds of dollars per year on car insurance by comparing quotes. If you just want minimum coverage, you could save $410 per year by comparing rates. For a full-coverage policy, you could save $863 to $918 per year depending on the amount of liability insurance you choose.
Setting your liability limits higher (like getting $100,000 per driver and $300,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage and $100,000 in property damage liability coverage, written as 100/300/100) means more protection, but it also means you'll pay more.
| Allstate | $750 | $1,991 | $2,097 |
| American Family | $676 | $1,515 | $1,557 |
| Erie | $370 | $1,157 | $1,201 |
| Farmers | $781 | $1,968 | $2,109 |
| GEICO | $402 | $1,179 | $1,261 |
| Nationwide | $624 | $1,569 | $1,671 |
| Progressive | $737 | $1,814 | $1,967 |
| State Farm | $475 | $1,240 | $1,333 |
| Travelers | $683 | $1,586 | $1,690 |
| USAA | $369 | $1,128 | $1,191 |
Figure out how much coverage you need. Understand what each kind of coverage does and how much you need. We recommend drivers have at least $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident in bodily injury liability and $100,000 in property damage liability coverage in order to be fully protected.
Set a budget. Check out average rates for drivers in your area to get a sense of how much you’ll pay for coverage. While your rates may be higher or lower than average, it’s still good to know what to expect so you can tell when quotes are too high.
Fill out an application. Answer a few simple questions online, like your age, address, current insurance provider and whether or not you’ve had any recent accidents. Insurance companies use all of that information to set your rates.
Take a look at your quotes. Go through the offerings from different companies to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples. Are they all for the same term length — and do they all include the same add-ons?
Choose a policy and get insured. Found the right option for you? Sign your policy and set it to start the exact day you need it. Once you pay your first premium, you’re good to go.
Cancel your old policy (if you have one). As soon as your new policy is set up, you can cancel your old one. Make sure to set your old coverage to end on the same day your new policy starts, so you don’t have a lapse in coverage.
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Frequently asked questions
Why did my car insurance rates go up?
Your rates may have gone up because you had an accident, filed a claim, or added a new driver to your policy. Sometimes, your rates may rise because of changes in the industry. Remember, if you’re not happy with the cost of your car insurance, it never hurts to shop around for new coverage.
Who has the cheapest car insurance?
Since auto insurance rates are so personalized, the cheapest car insurance company might be different for every driver. That’s why it’s so important to shop around and compare quotes from different companies before you settle on a policy.
What age does car insurance go down?
Younger, inexperienced drivers pay more for car insurance because they’re riskier to insure. But rates for teen drivers drop over time until age 25, as long as they avoid accidents.
Does getting a car insurance quote affect my credit?
When you apply for car insurance, insurance companies will do a “soft inquiry” into your credit, which won’t affect your credit score or show up when future lenders check your credit. Credit score does matter when it comes to car insurance, though, and drivers with poor credit will see higher rates.
Policygenius has analyzed car insurance rates provided by Quadrant Information Services for every ZIP code in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. For full coverage policies, the following coverage limits were used:
- Bodily injury liability: 50/100
- Property damage liability: $50,000
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist: 50/100
- Comprehensive: $500 deductible
- Collision: $500 deductible
In some cases, additional coverages were added where required by state or insurer.
Rates for overall average rate, rates by ZIP code, and cheapest companies determined using averages for single drivers ages 30, 35, and 45. Our sample vehicle was a 2017 Toyota Camry LE driven 10,000 miles/year.
Rates for driving violations and “Poor” credit determined using average rates for a single male 30-year-old driver with a credit score under 578.
Some carriers may be represented by affiliates or subsidiaries. Rates provided are a sample of costs. Your actual quotes may differ.
