Tucson is the second-largest city in Arizona. Its relatively low crime rates and low risk for severe weather make it a great place to live—and help keep the city’s car insurance costs low. The average cost of car insurance in Tucson is around $836 a year, which is almost 14% lower than the Arizona state average of $971 a year.
Tucson Car Insurance: Quick Facts
- Tucson drivers pay an average of $88/month for full coverage.
- Tucson drivers pay an average of $38/month for minimum coverage.
- Arizona state law only requires drivers to carry 25/50/15 liability coverage.
But even though Tucson car insurance costs are relatively low, rates are rising nationwide—and an increase in auto thefts in Tucson in 2023 could mean your insurance will be much higher in the future.
How much does car insurance cost in Tucson, AZ?
Car insurance in Tucson is about 38% lower than the Arizona state average and an impressive 51% lower than the national average.
| Coverage type | Tucson | Arizona | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full coverage (monthly) | $175 | $241 | $265 |
| Minimum coverage (monthly) | $72 | $93 | $115 |
Keep in mind that the average cost of car insurance is not indicative of what you will pay. Depending on factors, such as your age, driving history, and vehicle type, you may experience higher or lower costs.
To find out how much your car insurance will cost, use the Jerry app. Start by building a profile and once you’re ready, you can run quotes to see what your rates would be from some of the top providers in Tucson.
Estimate your Tucson, AZ car insurance costs
Car insurance companies consider a number of factors when they’re setting car insurance premiums. Some of the most notable include:
- Age and experience of the driver
- Vehicle type
- Driving history
- Credit score
- ZIP code
By understanding how these factors impact your Tucson car insurance costs, you can determine whether you’re paying too much for your policy.
Age
Drivers under the age of 25 generally pay the most for car insurance, but rates are especially high for teenagers.
Teen drivers’ inexperience behind the wheel makes them statistically more likely to get into an accident—according to the CDC, teen drivers are involved in three times more fatal crashes than drivers over the age of 20. As a result, insurers charge steep premiums in return for the additional risk.
| Age group | Average monthly cost of car insurance |
|---|---|
| 18-21 | $176 |
| 22-25 | $88 |
| 26-34 | $69 |
| 35-44 | $64 |
| 45-54 | $62 |
| 55-64 | $48 |
| 65+ | $51 |
SHOP SMARTIf you’re the parent of a teen driver, consider keeping them on your insurance instead of having them buy a standalone policy. The average cost of adding a teen to your policy is around $244 a month, but it would cost around $416 a month for them to have their own policy.
Driving record
Your driving history has a significant impact on your car insurance premiums. If you have traffic violations or at-fault accidents on your record, insurers will assume you’re more likely to use unsafe driving behaviors in the future. Your insurance rates will be higher as a result.
| Coverage type | Clean driving record | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| Full coverage (monthly) | $88 | $112 |
| Minimum coverage (monthly) | $38 | $48 |
While one speeding ticket probably won’t cause your rates to go up by much—having multiple tickets or causing an accident will likely cause insurance rates to skyrocket. And they’ll usually stay high for three to five years.
If you’re charged with a serious infraction like a DUI that requires an SR-22 form, you’ll pay significantly higher car insurance rates as long as that form is on file with the Arizona DMV—which is a minimum of three years.
| Infraction type | Average monthly cost of insurance |
|---|---|
| Homicide | $360 |
| Eluding Police | $235 |
| Racing/Drag Racing | $227 |
| Wrong Way/Wrong Lane | $217 |
| Illegal Turn | $209 |
Credit
In most states, including Arizona, insurance companies can consider a driver’s credit-based insurance score as a factor when setting their rates. Insurers have concluded that drivers’ financial reliability is directly related to how likely they are to file insurance claims.1
| Credit range | Average monthly cost of car insurance |
|---|---|
| 600 or less | $91 |
| 601–699 | $90 |
| 700 or more | $60 |
Vehicle type
Insurance companies will consider the type of car you drive when they’re setting your rates. You’ll pay less to insure a practical, safe, and inexpensive car than you will to insure a high-end, fast vehicle, for instance.
Here’s what drivers pay nationwide to insure some of the most popular vehicles in Arizona:
| Model | Average monthly cost of full coverage |
|---|---|
| Chevy Silverado | $166 |
| Ram 1500 | $187 |
| Ford F150 | $152 |
| Toyota Tacoma | $148 |
| Toyota RAV4 | $152 |
ZIP code
Where you live can affect your car insurance rates. Insurers will look at factors specific to a ZIP code, including crime rates, driving conditions, frequency of natural disasters, how often accidents occur, and the cost of living. They’ll use this data to determine higher or lower rates for everyone in that ZIP code.
Here are the average monthly insurance costs for the five most and least expensive Tucson ZIP codes:
The most expensive ZIP codes in Tucson, AZ
| ZIP code | Average monthly cost of insurance |
|---|---|
| 85707 | $2,472 |
| 85708 | $2,410 |
| 85757 | $2,331 |
| 85750 | $2,257 |
| 85736 | $1,984 |
The cheapest ZIP codes in Tucson, AZ
| ZIP code | Average monthly cost of insurance |
|---|---|
| 85704 | $1,414 |
| 85713 | $1,452 |
| 85743 | $1,454 |
| 85718 | $1,466 |
| 85749 | $1,486 |
Find the best car insurance companies in Tucson, AZ
Every auto insurance company has its own method for assessing all of these factors and setting rates. That means that you can get very different rates from one insurer to the next—which is why comparison shopping is so important.
This table shows the average rates Tucson drivers paid with some of the area’s most popular auto insurance providers.
| Insurance company | Average monthly cost of car insurance |
|---|---|
| Travelers | $30 |
| Clearcover | $52 |
| Safeco | $53 |
| Allstate | $60 |
| Progressive | $75 |
| Gainsco | $76 |
| Assurance America | $77 |
| Dairyland | $82 |
| Bristol West | $92 |
| The General | $103 |
Why is car insurance so cheap in Tucson?
Arizona’s low minimum liability limits and Tucson’s relatively smooth traffic are likely reasons why you can find cheap car insurance in the Tucson area. We’ll take a closer look below.
Weather
Overall, Tucson isn’t especially prone to natural disasters—winter weather is rarely an issue, and tornadoes occur somewhat infrequently.2 The relatively low risk of having your vehicle damaged by severe weather could encourage insurers to keep insurance costs low in the region.
But monsoons and flash floods do pose a threat, which could cause rates to be a little higher than they might be otherwise.3
Traffic
Crowded, poorly-managed roads can lead to frustrated drivers and heavy traffic congestion—which in turn can lead to increased accidents and higher insurance rates. Fortunately, this isn’t the situation in Tucson.
Tucson’s Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is currently in the last phase of a 20-year project to improve the city’s roads—they’ve been widening lanes, adding pedestrian corridors, improving intersections, and more.4 The project, which began in 2007, is expected to be finished in 2026.5 The city is also tentatively planning to begin a new 20-year project once the old one has been completed.6
These intentional efforts to stay on top of Tucson’s transportation needs could be a factor in why the city’s insurance rates stay on the lower side.
Crime rates
In 2022, motor vehicle thefts in Tucson were down almost 76% from 2021. That almost certainly helped keep insurance rates low throughout 2023.
But while decreasing crime rates may have lowered costs for 2023, the situation could be changing. Auto theft rates in Tucson went up almost 106% from 2023 compared to 2022, which will likely lead to an increase in premiums over the next year.7
SHOP SMARTTo combat rising car insurance costs in your area, turn on Jerry’s reshop feature. Before your next policy renewal, we’ll check whether any other insurance companies can offer you a lower rate.
Uninsured drivers
According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), about 11.8% of Arizona drivers are uninsured.8 This puts the Grand Canyon State squarely in the middle of the pack—it ranks 24th for uninsured motorists in the United States.
Having a high number of uninsured drivers puts more strain on insurance companies because insured drivers are more likely to have to rely on their own policies for coverage if they get into an accident caused by a driver without liability insurance.
Auto insurance requirements for Tucson, AZ
The state of Arizona requires all drivers to carry at least the following amounts of liability insurance:
- $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person
- $50,000 of bodily injury liability per accident
- $15,000 of property damage liability per accident
NEED TO KNOWInsurance companies must also offer $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident of uninsured motorist/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM). You can decline the coverage, but consider keeping it—UM/UIM can provide valuable protection if you’re in an accident caused by a driver who doesn’t have insurance or whose liability insurance won’t cover your damages.
Consider increasing your liability limits
Arizona’s relatively low liability limits may not fully protect you if you cause an accident. Rising medical expenses and car repair costs mean a serious accident can easily exceed those limits. The other party could sue for anything that your insurance doesn’t cover, including ongoing medical care and lost income in the case of serious, life-changing injuries.
“A general rule that I recommend is to carry enough coverage to protect your current and future assets – at least $100,000/$300,000 of liability coverage is recommended, but you may need more coverage depending on your financial situation.”
Add full coverage to protect your own vehicle
Liability insurance will only cover damages that you cause to other vehicles—it won’t pay for damage to your own car at all. For that, you’ll need full coverage, which includes:
- Collision coverage: Pays to repair or replace your car after a collision with another vehicle or an object.
- Comprehensive coverage: Provides financial protection from damage due to theft, vandalism, flooding, fire, hitting an animal, and more.
NEED TO KNOWIf you lease your vehicle or have a car loan, your lender will probably require you to carry full coverage insurance as part of your financing terms.
Customize your policy with optional insurance coverage
When you shop with Jerry, it’s easy to select the different types of insurance you want included in your policy. Here are a few car insurance coverage options we recommend:
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM): Helps pay for your medical bills if you’re in an accident with an uninsured driver or a driver whose liability insurance won’t cover all of your injury-related expenses.
- Towing and labor coverage: Also known as roadside assistance, this add-on can be invaluable if you run out of gas or need a tow—especially if you frequently travel the long rural stretches outside of Tucson.
- Medical payments (MedPay): MedPay helps pay for medical bills for you and your passengers if you’re injured in an accident.
- Rental reimbursement: If your car is in the shop for a covered repair, rental reimbursement will help cover the cost of a rental car.
FAQ
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How much is Tucson car insurance?
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How much is car insurance in Arizona?
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What insurance can I get on my car in Tucson, Arizona?
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Sources
- https://difi.az.gov/sites/default/files/Consumer%20Guide%20to%20How%20Insurers%20Use%20Credit_20180618.pdf ↩︎
- https://www.weather.gov/twc/20thcentury_top10wx_Tucson ↩︎
- https://azgs.arizona.edu/center-natural-hazards/severe-weather ↩︎
- https://rtamobility.com/who-we-are/rta-plan/ ↩︎
- https://rtamobility.com/wp-content/docs/2023/05/OurMobilityTimeline.pdf ↩︎
- https://pagregion.com/info-center/news/next-steps-on-development-of-a-new-regional-transportation-plan/ ↩︎
- https://azcrimestatistics.azdps.gov/tops/report/motor-vehicle-theft/tucson-pd/2023 ↩︎
- https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-uninsured-motorists ↩︎
Expert insurance writer and editor Amy Bobinger specializes in car repair, car maintenance, and car insurance. Amy is passionate about creating content that helps consumers navigate challenges related to car ownership and achieve financial success in areas relating to cars. Amy has over 10 years of writing and editing experience. After several years as a freelance writer, Amy spent four years as an editing fellow at WikiHow, where she co-authored over 600 articles on topics including car maintenance and home ownership. Since joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2022, Amy has edited over 2,500 articles on car insurance, state driving laws, and car repair and maintenance.
As Vice President of Insurance Operations at Jerry, Josh Damico leads teams across product development, operations and carrier relations, integrating Jerry’s smart and fast car insurance customer experience with that of traditional carriers to help customers find savings and coverage. Josh’s nearly 20 years of insurance-industry experience and knowledge generate partnerships with more than 55 name-brand and specialty insurance partners that enable Jerry to serve customers with all types of vehicle and policy needs.
Previously, Josh held executive roles at Geico, where he had vast regional oversight and leadership opportunities. In his most recent role as director of sales, servicing, and underwriting, Josh developed and executed profit and growth strategy for the New England states and New Jersey.
Josh holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Medaille College.
*Illustration only. For all the pricing information presented in this article (including various tables), please note that not all customers find savings and the information is for illustrative purposes only. Savings depend on type of car, location, policy features, driving history and other factors. Drivers who switch through Jerry save over $70/month on average.
