Find the Best Cheap Car Insurance (March 2024)

The best way to find cheap car insurance is to compare quotes from several different providers and qualify for discounts.
Written by R.E. Fulton
Edited by Kathleen Flear
Reviewed by Stephanie Ubaldini
The best cheap
car insurance
for you depends on your driver profile, your location, and your coverage needs. 
  • GEICO and State Farm have the lowest car insurance rates overall for good drivers with strong credit and no accidents or violations. 
  • In most states, the cheapest insurance provider is a smaller regional company like Erie, Mercury, or MAPFRE. 
  • Multi-policy discounts, high deductibles, and telematics discounts can all help drivers find cheap insurance. 

The cheapest car insurance companies for most drivers

Insurance company
Average monthly cost of full coverage
Average annual cost of full coverage
Clearcover
$169
$2,028
Commonwealth
$188
$2,260
GEICO
$113
$1,356
Kemper/Infinity
$177
$2,112
MAPFRE
$151
$1,807
Mercury
$181
$2,188
Nationwide
$143
$1,712
National General
$159
$1,908
Progressive
$152
$1,824
Safeco
$176
$2,115
State Farm
$123
$1,477
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Savings 101: How to find cheap car insurance
  • Compare quotes: Always get car insurance quotes from at least three different insurers before you settle on a policy. Each provider uses a unique algorithm to calculate car insurance rates. 
  • Understand what you’re paying for: Minimum coverage will give you the lowest possible rates, but most drivers actually need full coverage. Know the difference—and which you need. 
  • Find car insurance discounts: You could qualify for a discounted rate by bundling homeowners or renters and auto coverage, maintaining a B average or better, or just by paying your bill (on time!) via electronic funds transfer (EFT). 
  • If you still can’t afford coverage: High-risk drivers and low-income drivers may struggle to find affordable car insurance coverage. Non-standard insurance companies and state programs can help. 
10 essential insurance hacks for 2023

The cheapest car insurance in your state might be from a smaller or non-standard insurance company

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Cheapest state for car insurance: Maine

Average minimum coverage premium: $800 per year
Average full coverage premium: $992 per year
Find cheap car insurance in Maine
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Most expensive state for car insurance: Louisiana

Average minimum coverage premium: $1,638 per year
Average full coverage premium: $2,791 per year
Find cheap car insurance in Louisiana
Although big insurers like GEICO and State Farm claim to have the lowest rates, many drivers actually find cheaper car insurance with small regional companies or non-standard insurance companies like Kemper/Infinity, MAPFRE, or National General. 
Look for a low-cost policy from one of the cheap car insurance companies in the table below. 
State
Cheapest insurance company
Average annual rate
Alabama
Infinity
$1,124
Alaska
Progressive
$1,497
Arizona
MAPFRE
$939
Arkansas
National General
$1,102
California
Infinity
$1,435
Colorado
Aspire Advantage
$814
Connecticut
Kemper
$1,421
Delaware
Infinity
$1,080
District of Columbia
Clearcover
$1,625
Florida
Commonwealth
$1,645
Georgia
Commonwealth
$1,508
Hawaii
Gainsco
$1,676
Idaho
National General
$1,106
Illinois
Allstate
$1,462
Indiana
National General
$1,105
Iowa
Kemper
$1,153
Kansas
Kemper
$1,179
Kentucky
National General
$931
Louisiana
AAA
$1,618
Maine
Nationwide
$1,203
Maryland
Plymouth Rock
$1,253
Massachusetts
Clearcover
$1,397
Michigan
Mercury
$752
Minnesota
Kemper
$1,113
Mississippi
Mercury
$1,264
Missouri
National General
$748
Montana
Clearcover
$812
Nebraska
Gainsco
$852
Nevada
MAPFRE
$1,130
New Hampshire
Clearcover
$852
New Jersey
Dairyland
$840
New Mexico
Electric
$1,183
New York
Anchor General
$1,510
North Carolina
Aspire Advantage
$1,191
North Dakota
Clearcover
$970
Ohio
Grange
$888
Oklahoma
Commonwealth
$734
Oregon
Encompass
$1,011
Pennsylvania
Kemper
$1,547
Rhode Island
AAA
$1,106
South Carolina
Commonwealth
$1,084
South Dakota
Dairyland
$903
Tennessee
AAA
$1,106
Texas
The General
$1,121
Utah
Aspire Advantage
$836
Vermont
National General
$813
Virginia
Infinity
$1,051
Washington
Safeco
$1,675
West Virginia
Commonwealth
$1,381
Wisconsin
Infinity
$980
Wyoming
The General
$893
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Cheap car insurance after an accident

Average rate increase after an at-fault accident: 48%
Cheapest insurance company after an at-fault accident: Erie
Most expensive insurance company after an at-fault accident: GEICO 
If you cause a car accident, you can expect your rate to go up at your next policy renewal. Some companies raise rates more than others after an accident—if you’re worried about a rate hike, consider switching to a more lenient insurer. 
Insurance company
Average % increase after an at-fault accident
GEICO
64%
Progressive
53%
Allstate
49%
Nationwide
48%
Farmers
46%
AAA
45%
USAA
41%
Travelers
35%
State Farm
31%
Erie
29%
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Find cheap car insurance after an accident
If your auto insurance policy includes comprehensive coverage and collision coverage, setting a high deductible can reduce your overall insurance costs. (Just don’t choose a deductible you can’t afford in an emergency!)
Read More

Cheap car insurance with a bad record

Finding affordable car insurance with a spotty driving record can be a serious challenge. 
Speeding tickets
DUIs 
Average rate increase after a speeding ticket: 24.6%
Cheapest insurance company after a speeding ticket: Allstate
Most expensive insurance company after a speeding ticket: Progressive
Cheapest state after a speeding ticket: Texas 
Most expensive state after a speeding ticket: New Jersey
Average rate increase after a first DUI: 81%
Cheapest insurance company after a DUI: Progressive
Most expensive insurance company after a DUI: GEICO
Cheapest state after a DUI: Missouri
Most expensive state after a DUI: North Carolina
If you have new violations on your driving record, keep in mind: 
  • Rates will go up at renewal: Your insurance company won’t raise your premium right away—but when your policy is up for renewal, they’ll add a surcharge to your rate to account for the higher risk. 
  • Surcharges typically last three to five years: Depending on the severity of your violation, you can expect to see your rates drop again three to five years after the original surcharge. 
  • You may lose discounts: If you had a safe driving discount from your insurer based on a clean driving record, you might see an extra increase in your premium to account for the lost discount. 
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Find cheap car insurance with a spotty record
Taking a defensive driving course can help lower your rate after violations in most states. Ask your insurer about defensive driving discounts before you find a course. 
Read More

Cheap car insurance for young drivers

Regardless of your driving history, you’re likely to pay a higher rate for insurance until you reach age 25. The table below compares average rates for drivers under 25. 
AgeAverage annual premium
19$2,069
20$2,754
21$2,909
22$2,983
23$2,294
24$2,621
25$2,475
Teen drivers are the most expensive group to insure, thanks to a fatal crash rate almost three times the rate for older drivers. Because they’re still getting used to driving, very young drivers pose a high risk to insurers.

The cheapest insurance companies for teen drivers

Insurance companyAverage annual premiumAverage monthly premium
Nationwide$1,677$140
State Auto$1,971$164
Electric
$2,090$174
Trexis
$2,264$189
Anchor General$2,274$190
Commonwealth Insurance$2,279$190
National General$2,370$198
Kemper$2,477$206
Aspire Advantage$2,514$209
Infinity$2,566$214
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Find cheap car insurance under age 25
Most insurers offer a good student discount to drivers enrolled full time in high school or college who maintain a B average or better. 
Read More

Cheap car insurance with poor credit 

On average, a car insurance policy costs 90% more with poor credit than with excellent credit.
When it comes to your credit score, where you live matters more than which insurance company you work with. While most insurers evaluate credit the same way, states show huge differences in how credit affects your insurance rates—and in some states, it’s illegal for insurance companies to use your credit score to calculate your premium. 
States which restrict insurers from using credit history to set rates: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Washington 
The state where credit has the least effect on car insurance rates: North Carolina 
The state where credit has the most effect on car insurance rates: Wisconsin 
State
Average rate increase (poor credit vs. excellent)
North Carolina
44%
Nevada
59%
New Mexico
62%
Alaska
62%
Montana
68%
Maryland
70%
Florida
73%
Wyoming
76%
Kansas
76%
Indiana
77%
Pennsylvania
77%
Oklahoma
78%
Iowa
81%
Vermont
81%
Georgia
82%
Oregon
82%
Idaho
83%
West Virginia
83%
District of Columbia
84%
Rhode Island
87%
Illinois
87%
Delaware
88%
Alabama
89%
Missouri
90%
Ohio
91%
Maine
92%
Mississippi
92%
South Carolina
93%
Colorado
93%
Texas
93%
Virginia
94%
Kentucky
95%
Louisiana
97%
Utah
101%
North Dakota
102%
Connecticut
103%
Nebraska
105%
Arkansas
105%
Tennessee
105%
Minnesota
111%
South Dakota
113%
New Hampshire
117%
New York
117%
New Jersey
118%
Arizona
122%
Wisconsin
172%
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Find cheap car insurance with bad credit
The next time your policy’s up for renewal, evaluate your credit score and try to pay off your bills on time. Moving a few points up from average to good credit could earn you a rate drop! 
Read More

Cheap car insurance for rideshare drivers

Average cost to add a rideshare endorsement to an existing policy: $28 per month
The cheapest insurance company for rideshare drivers: Mercury or Allstate
Major insurers without rideshare insurance: GEICO, Nationwide
If you drive for a rideshare company like Uber or Lyft, having a cheap endorsement on your personal auto policy is essential. But many major insurers are still wary of rideshare companies. Look for a company like Mercury or Allstate with transparent coverage options and affordable auto insurance rates for rideshare drivers. 
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Find cheap rideshare insurance
Never start driving for a rideshare company without disclosing it to your insurance company. While you might avoid paying for an endorsement in the short term, you risk denied claims and a canceled policy when your insurer finds out. 
Read More

How to get expert help finding cheaper auto insurance

If you’re struggling to find cheap car insurance quotes, working with an independent insurance broker can help you pin down the cheapest rates from the best auto insurance companies in your area. 
Jerry is an independent broker with a state-of-the-art app and a team of 100+ licensed insurance agents standing by to help you get cheap coverage in place as fast as possible. On average, policyholders who compare auto insurance quotes with Jerry reduce their insurance premiums by over $800 a year! 

Methodology

Jerry’s editorial team analyzed publicly available data from Forbes, Car and Driver, Insurance.com, ValuePenguin, Bankrate, WalletHub, MoneyGeek, and PolicyGenius along with real quote data from over 15,000 Jerry customers to produce the averages listed in this article. 
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Compare insurance quotes from 50+ carriers with Jerry in under 45 seconds
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FAQs

The cheapest type of car insurance is state minimum coverage, which typically includes some amount of bodily injury and property damage liability coverage. In some states, minimum coverage includes uninsured motorist coverage and/or personal injury protection (PIP). 
If you can only afford minimum coverage, a simple liability insurance policy can help lower costs—but most drivers actually need comprehensive and collision coverage, which cover damage to your vehicle and satisfy lender requirements for financed cars. 
The best way to find cheap car insurance is to compare quotes from multiple providers. Every insurance company uses a slightly different method to calculate premiums, so comparing quotes is the only way to find the best fit for your profile. 
Tracking your driving habits with a telematics app or device from your insurance provider could save you as much as 30% to 40% on your insurance premiums. 
For most good drivers, GEICO, Nationwide, and State Farm all have rates close to or below the national average of $1,672 per year, but no single company has the cheapest car insurance for every driver. 
It’s impossible to get legitimate car insurance without any money down, but you can reduce your upfront costs by selecting a monthly payment plan and lowering your rates with discounts.
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