Laredo sits on the border between the US and Mexico. While international travel can lead to congestion on the city’s major highways, the roads in Laredo are fairly peaceful, and crime rates are relatively low.
This likely contributes to the area’s low car insurance rates—drivers pay around $86 a month for car insurance on average. But rising inflation costs and supply chain shortages are causing rates to go up nationwide, so you may need to shop smart to keep your Laredo
state average and about 36% less than the national average.
This table shows the average monthly cost of car insurance coverage for the city of Laredo, the state of Texas, and the US as a whole.
Coverage type
Laredo
Texas
United States
Full coverage
$91
$131
$150
Minimum coverage
$34
$53
$61
All coverage
$86
$97
$114
The best car insurance companies in Laredo, TX
Insurance companies all have a unique way of assigning risk based on your driving profile, which means you could pay very different prices from one insurer to the next. The only way to be sure you’re getting the cheapest car insurance available to you in Laredo is to compare rates from multiple insurance companies before you buy.
Let’s take a closer look at a few companies that were rated highly by drivers in South Texas.
Clearcover—Great for quick insurance on the go
Jerry score: 4.5 stars
AM Best rating: A-
Clearcover's easy-to-use mobile app is great for digital-savvy customers who want a hassle-free experience. Their rates are among the lowest in the Laredo area, and they're especially well-known for offering affordable insurance to customers who have a less-than-perfect driving record.
Mercury—Great add-ons
Jerry score: 4.3
AM Best rating: A
Mercury's low prices and convenient coverage options make them a South Texas favorite. Customers especially love that Mercury offers mechanical breakdown insurance and rideshare coverage.
Nationwide's customizable policies, wide range of discounts, and easy-to-use mobile app make them a great choice for most drivers. Most shoppers find low prices with Nationwide, especially drivers with poor credit who may struggle to find affordable premiums elsewhere.
Safeco's low prices and top-notch customer service make them a solid favorite in the Laredo area. They also offer a variety of coverage options, so it's easy to customize your policy.
Car insurance prices in Laredo are somewhat lower than the Texas state average, but they could be on the rise. Let’s look at a few factors that impact Laredo car insurance costs.
Inflation
According to a report by S&P Global Market Intelligence, car insurance rates have gone up 11.5% in Texas in 2023.1 Inflation is a big part of the reason why.
In recent years, inflation has caused medical expenses and vehicle repair costs to skyrocket. That means insurers have to pay out more for claims—and they pass those costs on to consumers.
In 2009, Laredo was named the “Most Unsafe City for Stolen Vehicles.” In an effort to turn this around, the city created the Laredo Auto Theft Task Force, which has helped bring auto theft rates down significantly. 23
Insurers charge more for car insurance in areas where motor vehicle theft is high, so the ATTF has almost certainly had an impact on bringing rates down for Laredo drivers.
That said, auto thefts are on the rise nationwide, and some reports indicate that they’re increasing in Laredo as well. 4 This could lead to an increase in car insurance costs in the near future.
Traffic
Despite I-35 being a major international corridor, traffic in Laredo is relatively smooth. Less congestion on the roads means less of a chance of getting into an accident, which could be a factor in why Laredo’s car insurance costs are lower than average.
However, an increase in severe car accidents in Laredo could lead to insurance costs going up over the next year. Collisions resulting in serious injuries or fatalities went up from 2022 to 2023, as did the overall number of collisions.
What is the minimum car insurance required in Texas?
Texas requires all drivers to carry at least the following liability coverage:
$30,000 in bodily injury liability per person
$60,000 in bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 in property damage liability per accident
State minimum liability may not fully cover all of the costs if you cause a serious accident. To better protect yourself from lawsuits after an at-fault accident, consider raising your liability limits to $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident of bodily injury liability and $100,000 in property damage liability.
Texas insurers are also required to offer personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM). You’re not required to carry them, but these valuable coverages are generally worth keeping.
Liability vs. full coverage: Which should you get in Laredo, TX?
Liability coverage will help pay for the other party’s property damage and medical bills if you get into an accident, but it won’t cover any of your own vehicle repairs. For that, you’ll need
: UM/UIM helps protect you if you’re in an accident with a driver who doesn’t have insurance or whose liability limits aren’t enough to cover your expenses. In Texas, both bodily injury and property damage UM/UIM are available.
: Also called roadside assistance, towing and labor coverage will come to your aid if you run out of gas, lock your keys in your car, or need a tow in the Laredo area.
What affects the cost of car insurance in Laredo, TX?
Your car insurance costs are highly individualized—they’re based on your driving profile, which includes information like your age, driving history, vehicle type, current insurance status, credit score, and more.
Age
In general, drivers under the age of 21 will pay the highest rates for car insurance due to their inexperience behind the wheel. Rates will stay relatively high until a driver reaches the age of 25, with drivers between the ages of 45 and 64 paying the lowest rates.
According to the CDC, teen drivers have a fatal crash rate that’s three times higher than older drivers—and insurance rates will reflect that.
Insurance company
Monthly full coverage rate
Progressive
$203
Allstate
$291
If you’re a parent, the best way to keep rates low for your teen or college-age driver is to keep them on your policy as long as possible. It costs significantly more for young drivers to have their own insurance plan—and as long as they still live at home, they’re eligible to be listed on your policy.
It costs around $245 a month to add a teen to your policy, but it would cost about $416 a month for them to carry their own insurance—almost 70% more.
While your car insurance premiums will go up for each car or driver you add to your policy, you may be able to get a discount for insuring multiple vehicles, which could help offset the overall price difference.
Auto insurance companies often offer lower rates to people who own their own homes. In addition, drivers can save by bundling their homeowners insurance with their car insurance policy, which may also contribute to the significant difference between car insurance costs for homeowners and renters.
According to the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), drivers with a poor credit score pay 115% more for car insurance than drivers with excellent credit, and 44% more than drivers with a fair credit score.
Your vehicle can have a big impact on your car insurance costs. Safe, practical vehicles generally cost the least to insure, while new cars and luxury or sports vehicles typically cost the most.
The table below looks at the average insurance costs for some of the most popular vehicles in Texas.
When calculating rates for a certain ZIP code, insurance companies look at factors like auto thefts, average income, frequency of collisions, and more.
Here are the average car insurance rates for five Laredo ZIP codes:
ZIP code
Average annual rate
78045
$1127.88
78041
$909.13
78043
$1139.51
78046
$1162.96
78040
$1273.32
Driving record
Coverage type
Clean record
Violations
Full coverage
$1,257
$1,294
Minimum coverage
$459
$592
The best Laredo car insurance companies for drivers with violations
Having violations on your record can cause your car insurance rates to go up for anywhere from 3–5 years. While your rates might not go up much for minor citations, serious violations that lead to a license suspension can have an outsized impact.
Violation
Average monthly cost of insurance
Speeding over 15
$168
Clean Record
$201
Other
$329
Speeding under 15
$167
Improper Passing
$326
SR-22 insurance in Laredo, TX
If your license is suspended due to a DUI or driving without insurance, you may be required to file an SR-22 form with the state DMV. This is a certificate verifying that you carry at least state-required liability insurance.
The violation that led to your SR-22 requirement will likely make your car insurance expensive, but it’s important not to let your coverage drop, or you’ll face additional penalties and an extension of your SR-22 period.
To help keep your car insurance costs as low as possible after an SR-22, compare car insurance quotes from companies that specialize in policies for high-risk drivers.
How to find affordable car insurance in Laredo, TX
While you can’t change many of the factors that go into calculating your car insurance costs, there are still plenty of things you can do to save.
Shop around: The best way to know you’re getting the lowest available rate on your car insurance is to compare free quotes from at least 3–5 insurance companies.
, so ask your insurance agent if you qualify for any that you’re not already enrolled in.
Keep a good driving record: It can take a while for violations to fall off your record, but if you avoid traffic citations, accidents, or filing insurance claims, your rates will eventually go down.
There’s not one single car insurance company that can offer the lowest rates to all Texas drivers, but we’ve found that companies like Travelers, Nationwide, and Progressive consistently offer low rates.
How much is car insurance a month in Texas?
The average cost of car insurance in Texas is around $98 a month—about $53 a month for minimum liability coverage and about $131 a month for full coverage.
How much is car insurance month in Laredo, TX?
The average cost of car insurance in Laredo, TX is around $86 a month—about $34 a month for minimum liability coverage and about $91 a month for full coverage.
What are the top-rated car insurance providers in Laredo, TX?
Some of the top-rated insurance carriers in Laredo include Progressive, Allstate, GEICO, and State Farm. But to find the provider that’s right for you, compare auto insurance quotes and coverage options from several different companies before you buy a policy.
How can I save on my car insurance in Laredo?
To save on your Laredo car insurance costs, compare quotes and insurance products from several different companies, shop around for discounts, and bundle your home insurance, renters insurance, or life insurance with your auto policy. Also, practice safe driving habits and avoid car accidents and speeding tickets.
Methodology
All premium data in this article comes from real car insurance quotes obtained through the Jerry app and analyzed by our editorial team. Jerry’s data scientists analyzed over 25 million real quotes issued to users in Jerry’s proprietary database. Jerry is partnered with 55+ insurance companies in 48 states.
Unless otherwise stated, all data represents the average of the lowest quoted price at time of writing (December 18, 2023) for a currently insured single driver with a clean driving record and a single vehicle.
Minimum coverage refers to policies with the following coverage limits:
$30,000 bodily injury liability per person
$60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident
Full coverage refers to policies that contain at least the minimum liability required in Texas, along with comprehensive and collision insurance with deductibles of either $500 or $1,000.
Maria is an insurance writer with over 10 years of experience as a professional writer. Prior to joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2023, she worked at various online publications like Nimble Media, Factinate.com, and served as editor-in-chief at The Medium. She holds a double major in English and Professional Writing and Communications.
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.
Josh Damico
Head Of Insurance Operations
18+ Years Experience in Insurance
Josh Damico is Jerry’s vice president of insurance operations and a licensed insurance professional with nearly two decades of experience in the industry. Previously, Josh held executive roles at Geico, where he had vast regional oversight and leadership opportunities. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Medaille College, and has appeared on news channels including FOX and CBS to offer insurance expertise and tips to drivers across the country. His work has appeared in Business Insider, Kelley Blue Book, and Digital Insurance and been quoted in The Balance, GOBankingRates, and Inspiring Workplaces.
*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.