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Why is car insurance so expensive in Rhode Island?

So I’m moving to Rhode Island to escape pricey San Francisco, but my cousin—who never says anything of any utility, by the way—tells me out of the blue that car insurance in Rhode Island is ridiculously high. Of course, I ignored him, but curiosity got the better of me. When I looked it up, it turns out he was telling the truth. How is this possible? And why is car insurance so expensive in Rhode Island?

avatar
Jason Tushinski · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Isn’t it the worst when cousins with nothing useful to say… actually say something useful? We here at Jerry can confirm it—car insurance is very expensive in
Rhode Island
, primarily thanks to the Ocean State having the second-highest population density in the country.
Although it’s just 1,214 square miles, Rhode Island is home to over a million residents. Now, that’s dense!
The more people there are, the more drivers there are on the road. This means a higher risk of accidents, and insurers raise rates to compensate for the larger volume of payouts they’ll have to make because of it.
Why else is car insurance so expensive in Rhode Island?
  • To start, the average annual rate for full coverage here is $2,142 compared to the national average of about $2,000.
  • Approximately 17% of Rhode Island drivers are uninsured. The costs related to accidents with uninsured drivers are passed on by insurers to policyholders.
  • Healthcare costs are rising in the Ocean State. Medical bills make up a huge portion of insurance payouts, meaning insurers raise rates to keep up with this.
  • Rhode Island is no stranger to severe weather, including winter storms, tropical cyclones, and heavy rain, which can all seriously damage vehicles. Insurers raise rates due to this unpredictable risk.
So, when you head to Rhode Island, be sure to protect your vehicle with a robust
car insurance
policy by using
Jerry
. Sign-up takes just 45 seconds, and the average Jerry user saves more than $800 per year.
Don’t forget to tell your cousin about the app!
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

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