Compare Car Insurance Rates for August 2024
![](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-1665923565-1-1.jpg)
Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
Car insurance prices keep climbing nationwide . You can minimize the impact on your wallet if you compare car insurance rates with multiple insurers. This is because each company has its own “secret sauce” when it comes to setting rates, and their recipes change with time. That's why comparing rates from two car insurance companies may reveal wildly different results for the same driver.
![Car with shield on road](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/car-lanes-shield_Blue.png)
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.Why trust NerdWallet
Compare car insurance rates by age
Key insights 💡
20-year-old drivers have the most expensive car insurance, with an average rate of $3,647 per year for full coverage and $1,035 per year for minimum coverage.
The cost of car insurance levels out once a driver reaches 30, with an average of $1,822 a year for full coverage.
Geico is the cheapest company for 20-year-olds, while American Family is cheapest for 30-year-olds.
It’s hard to determine which factors have the most impact on your car insurance rate because each company weighs those factors differently. We can tell you what most of those ingredients are, but there’s no way to know which is the most important with a particular insurer.
So, to help you find the best price for the insurance you want, we can show you average annual rates for minimum and full coverage car insurance. To narrow it down even further, we've collected average rates for drivers with various driving experiences and credit histories in every state and for every major auto insurance company.
» MORE: Get free car insurance quotes
Your age can have a big impact on your car insurance rate. For example, you might already know teen drivers have some of the highest car insurance rates on average, but they aren’t the only ones. Although your rates will likely decrease once you hit your thirties, most drivers tend to see higher rates once they reach their 70s.
Below are the average costs of full and minimum coverage, by age, for drivers with good credit and a clean driving history, according to our August 2024 analysis.
Read more about car insurance by age
NerdWallet has car insurance guides for several age groups, including teens, college students and seniors.
Compare insurance rates for 20-year-olds
Drivers around the age of 20 typically get higher car insurance rates because they are more likely to get into accidents than older drivers, on average. NerdWallet recommends comparing car insurance quotes to find the cheapest option available, even if it may not be as affordable as other age groups.
To get more insight into how your age affects your car insurance, we compiled average annual rates from nine of the 10 largest private passenger auto insurers in the country based on market share data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Data for Liberty Mutual wasn't available.
Average annual rate for 20-year-olds, by company
Rates vary from company to company. For example, full coverage from Geico for a 20-year-old costs $2,454 a year, on average, while the average price from Farmers is $6,175.
Dive deeper below by comparing annual rates for 20-year-olds by state. Rates are averaged across the country separately for full and minimum coverage.
Company Name | Full coverage rate | Minimum coverage rate |
---|---|---|
Allstate | $5,443 | $1,135 |
American Family | $2,681 | $1,004 |
Farmers | $6,175 | $2,015 |
Geico | $2,454 | $675 |
Nationwide | $4,122 | $1,743 |
Progressive | $3,399 | $959 |
State Farm | $4,584 | $1,199 |
Travelers | $3,300 | $848 |
USAA* | $2,627 | $641 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
Average annual rate for 20-year-olds, by state
Average car insurance rates for a 20-year-old driver vary significantly from state to state. Some states, like Hawaii and North Carolina, have average annual rates of $2,015 or less for full coverage. In other states, such as Louisiana and Rhode Island, car insurance costs $6,408 or more per year, on average, for the same driver.
See how your state stacks up below.
Median full coverage rate | Median minimum coverage rate | State |
---|---|---|
$3,769 | $891 | Alabama |
$2,968 | $751 | Alaska |
$4,296 | $1,348 | Arizona |
$4,004 | $1,037 | Arkansas |
$2,909 | $803 | California |
$5,340 | $1,392 | Colorado |
$4,650 | $1,930 | Connecticut |
$5,491 | $2,252 | Delaware |
$5,606 | $1,423 | Florida |
$4,749 | $1,494 | Georgia |
$1,610 | $491 | Hawaii |
$2,815 | $726 | Idaho |
$3,554 | $1,113 | Illinois |
$3,185 | $904 | Indiana |
$2,796 | $636 | Iowa |
$3,687 | $957 | Kansas |
$5,687 | $1,594 | Kentucky |
$6,478 | $1,784 | Louisiana |
$2,993 | $1,017 | Maine |
$4,632 | $1,847 | Maryland |
$2,803 | $881 | Massachusetts |
$4,666 | $1,233 | Michigan |
$2,962 | $865 | Minnesota |
$3,849 | $993 | Mississippi |
$4,418 | $1,046 | Missouri |
$4,184 | $876 | Montana |
$2,906 | $789 | Nebraska |
$5,692 | $1,881 | Nevada |
$3,032 | $873 | New Hampshire |
$4,454 | $1,707 | New Jersey |
$3,709 | $950 | New Mexico |
$3,896 | $1,520 | New York |
$2,015 | $705 | North Carolina |
$2,962 | $703 | North Dakota |
$2,636 | $770 | Ohio |
$4,996 | $1,124 | Oklahoma |
$2,736 | $1,223 | Oregon |
$3,750 | $791 | Pennsylvania |
$6,408 | $2,211 | Rhode Island |
$4,459 | $1,552 | South Carolina |
$3,038 | $627 | South Dakota |
$3,890 | $1,067 | Tennessee |
$6,132 | $2,158 | Texas |
$3,481 | $1,280 | Utah |
$2,985 | $745 | Vermont |
$3,499 | $1,316 | Virginia |
$3,531 | $1,262 | Washington |
$3,534 | $1,622 | Washington, D.C. |
$3,528 | $1,028 | West Virginia |
$3,441 | $868 | Wisconsin |
$2,561 | $465 | Wyoming |
![Car with shield on road](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/car-lanes-shield_Blue.png)
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.Compare car insurance rates for 35-year-olds
Because drivers around the age of 35 get in fewer accidents than younger drivers, they typically can get lower car insurance rates than 20-somethings.
Average annual rate for 35-year-olds, by company
Aside from USAA (which is only available to military, veterans and their families), American Family provides the lowest price for full coverage for 35-year-olds, at $1,281, on average.
Farmers comes in the highest at $2,690, on average.
The table below compares national average annual car insurance rates for 35-year-olds by company. Keep in mind that not all car insurance companies are available in every state.
Company Name | Full coverage rate | Minimum coverage rate |
---|---|---|
Allstate | $2,276 | $617 |
American Family | $1,281 | $484 |
Farmers | $2,690 | $894 |
Geico | $1,303 | $353 |
Nationwide | $1,875 | $743 |
Progressive | $1,742 | $490 |
State Farm | $2,040 | $465 |
Travelers | $1,412 | $436 |
USAA* | $1,273 | $308 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
Average annual rate for 35-year-olds, by state
While average car insurance rates fluctuate by state, 35-year-olds in several states — including Wyoming, Vermont and New Hampshire — can pay $1,130 or less per year, on average, for full coverage policies. Similar drivers in Florida and Texas could pay $2,680 or more a year for full coverage, on average.
Louisiana is the only state with median rates as high as $3,150 a year for 35-year-old drivers with full coverage car insurance.
See how your state stacks up below.
Median full coverage rate | Median minimum coverage rate | State |
---|---|---|
$1,798 | $402 | Alabama |
$1,527 | $322 | Alaska |
$2,092 | $641 | Arizona |
$1,788 | $446 | Arkansas |
$1,622 | $462 | California |
$2,415 | $547 | Colorado |
$1,789 | $785 | Connecticut |
$1,923 | $877 | Delaware |
$3,069 | $810 | Florida |
$2,051 | $651 | Georgia |
$1,610 | $491 | Hawaii |
$1,164 | $319 | Idaho |
$1,558 | $465 | Illinois |
$1,449 | $409 | Indiana |
$1,440 | $286 | Iowa |
$1,788 | $474 | Kansas |
$2,415 | $666 | Kentucky |
$3,150 | $892 | Louisiana |
$1,245 | $388 | Maine |
$1,889 | $839 | Maryland |
$1,314 | $412 | Massachusetts |
$2,411 | $608 | Michigan |
$1,693 | $470 | Minnesota |
$1,857 | $503 | Mississippi |
$1,973 | $506 | Missouri |
$1,814 | $425 | Montana |
$1,486 | $346 | Nebraska |
$2,334 | $763 | Nevada |
$1,130 | $370 | New Hampshire |
$2,136 | $860 | New Jersey |
$1,834 | $440 | New Mexico |
$2,025 | $794 | New York |
$1,949 | $643 | North Carolina |
$1,572 | $367 | North Dakota |
$1,214 | $335 | Ohio |
$2,512 | $501 | Oklahoma |
$1,349 | $599 | Oregon |
$1,756 | $371 | Pennsylvania |
$2,476 | $900 | Rhode Island |
$1,942 | $630 | South Carolina |
$1,650 | $274 | South Dakota |
$1,839 | $445 | Tennessee |
$2,680 | $842 | Texas |
$1,458 | $554 | Utah |
$1,085 | $310 | Vermont |
$1,666 | $653 | Virginia |
$1,570 | $539 | Washington |
$1,737 | $857 | Washington, D.C. |
$1,693 | $495 | West Virginia |
$1,549 | $382 | Wisconsin |
$970 | $185 | Wyoming |
Compare insurance rates by driver history
Key insights 💡
Full coverage for a 35-year-old good driver with good credit costs an average of $1,765 a year.
A recent DUI increases that cost to an average of $3,237 a year.
A recent at-fault accident costs an average of $2,599 a year.
Having poor credit costs an average of $2,795 a year for full coverage.
Car insurance companies pay close attention to a variety of factors when determining rates. We’ve analyzed rates for a few of the most common driver "profiles" to give you an idea of how much insurance might cost for each one.
Use these links when comparing auto insurance rates for specific driver histories:
Compare car insurance rates for drivers with a DUI
After a DUI, your auto insurance rate will go up — in some cases, it could even double. But one thing you can control is your choice of insurance company. A DUI can affect car insurance rates for three to 10 years, so it’s a good idea to shop around for the best rates after getting a DUI.
If you have a DUI, you may be required to submit an SR-22 form, depending on your state’s requirements. Insurers can typically file an SR-22 form for you. However, some car insurance companies drop drivers who have a recent DUI or other serious offense.
Average annual rate for drivers with a DUI, by company
Below you can compare average car insurance rates from different companies for 35-year-olds before and after a DUI. Keep in mind that not all of these options are available in every state.
Company Name | Rate for drivers with a DUI | Rate for drivers with a clean record |
---|---|---|
Allstate | $3,455 | $2,276 |
American Family | $2,087 | $1,281 |
Farmers | $5,093 | $2,690 |
Geico | $3,052 | $1,303 |
Nationwide | $3,837 | $1,875 |
Progressive | $2,174 | $1,742 |
State Farm | $3,099 | $2,040 |
Travelers | $2,382 | $1,412 |
USAA* | $2,352 | $1,273 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
Average annual rate for drivers with a DUI, by state
In Oklahoma, the average insurance cost for drivers with a recent DUI is 35% higher, on average, than for similar drivers with no incidents — $882 more a year. However, in our analysis, a DUI in North Carolina added $5,698 to the annual cost of full coverage car insurance for 35-year-old drivers.
See below for how your state measures up.
Rate for drivers with a DUI | Rate for drivers with a clean record | State |
---|---|---|
$2,950 | $1,798 | Alabama |
$2,613 | $1,527 | Alaska |
$3,465 | $2,092 | Arizona |
$2,958 | $1,788 | Arkansas |
$4,302 | $1,622 | California |
$3,852 | $2,415 | Colorado |
$3,253 | $1,789 | Connecticut |
$3,893 | $1,923 | Delaware |
$4,262 | $3,069 | Florida |
$3,394 | $2,051 | Georgia |
$3,060 | $1,610 | Hawaii |
$2,347 | $1,164 | Idaho |
$2,983 | $1,558 | Illinois |
$2,909 | $1,449 | Indiana |
$2,611 | $1,440 | Iowa |
$3,239 | $1,788 | Kansas |
$4,435 | $2,415 | Kentucky |
$4,624 | $3,150 | Louisiana |
$2,549 | $1,245 | Maine |
$3,427 | $1,889 | Maryland |
$2,486 | $1,314 | Massachusetts |
$6,336 | $2,411 | Michigan |
$2,708 | $1,693 | Minnesota |
$2,909 | $1,857 | Mississippi |
$3,397 | $1,973 | Missouri |
$3,070 | $1,814 | Montana |
$2,454 | $1,486 | Nebraska |
$3,659 | $2,334 | Nevada |
$2,146 | $1,130 | New Hampshire |
$4,185 | $2,136 | New Jersey |
$2,805 | $1,834 | New Mexico |
$3,631 | $2,025 | New York |
$7,647 | $1,949 | North Carolina |
$2,837 | $1,572 | North Dakota |
$2,289 | $1,214 | Ohio |
$3,394 | $2,512 | Oklahoma |
$2,407 | $1,349 | Oregon |
$2,929 | $1,756 | Pennsylvania |
$4,652 | $2,476 | Rhode Island |
$3,534 | $1,942 | South Carolina |
$2,830 | $1,650 | South Dakota |
$3,240 | $1,839 | Tennessee |
$4,645 | $2,680 | Texas |
$2,701 | $1,458 | Utah |
$2,478 | $1,085 | Vermont |
$2,714 | $1,666 | Virginia |
$2,479 | $1,570 | Washington |
$3,296 | $1,737 | Washington, D.C. |
$3,119 | $1,693 | West Virginia |
$2,962 | $1,549 | Wisconsin |
$2,413 | $970 | Wyoming |
While your car insurance rate will almost always increase after a DUI, it’s clear that the amount it increases will depend partially on where you live.
![Car with shield on road](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/car-lanes-shield_Blue.png)
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.Compare auto insurance rates for drivers with poor credit
Your credit history is one of the largest factors affecting your car insurance rate. (California, Hawaii and Massachusetts don't allow insurers to use credit when determining car insurance rates.) Carriers use credit history to determine how likely you are to file a claim.
Average annual rate for drivers with poor credit, by company
While rates may double for some drivers with poor credit, know that every company considers credit differently. An insurance company may evaluate your credit differently depending on which state you live in.
Drivers with poor credit insured by Nationwide could pay about 40%more a year, on average, compared with similar drivers with good credit. Meanwhile, the average price for full coverage from State Farm or Farmers rises 98% or more for drivers with poor credit compared with those with good credit.
Below you can compare average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers with poor credit by company.
Company Name | Rate for drivers with good credit | Rate for drivers with poor credit |
---|---|---|
Allstate | $2,276 | $3,312 |
American Family | $1,281 | $2,101 |
Farmers | $2,690 | $5,347 |
Geico | $1,303 | $1,874 |
Nationwide | $1,875 | $2,640 |
Progressive | $1,742 | $2,951 |
State Farm | $2,040 | $7,107 |
Travelers | $1,412 | $2,299 |
USAA* | $1,273 | $2,267 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
Average annual rate for drivers with poor credit, by state
Certain states prohibit the use of credit in setting car insurance rates, and how insurers treat credit differs from state to state. For example, state regulators in one state may allow more wiggle room for credit-based pricing than others, which leads to variations by state as well as by company.
Our analysis revealed that:
In North Carolina, a driver with poor credit pays about 20% more than one with good credit, on average.
Having poor credit in either Missouri or Nebraska raises the average insurance rate 60% or more compared with drivers with good credit.
Average rates for those with poor credit in Wyoming or New York were at least 91% higher than average rates for drivers with good credit.
Below you can compare average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers with poor credit by state.
Rate for drivers with good credit | Rate for drivers with poor credit | State |
---|---|---|
$1,798 | $3,277 | Alabama |
$1,527 | $2,205 | Alaska |
$2,092 | $3,183 | Arizona |
$1,788 | $2,986 | Arkansas |
$1,622 | $1,622 | California |
$2,415 | $3,970 | Colorado |
$1,789 | $2,837 | Connecticut |
$1,923 | $3,531 | Delaware |
$3,069 | $4,552 | Florida |
$2,051 | $3,238 | Georgia |
$1,610 | $1,610 | Hawaii |
$1,164 | $1,861 | Idaho |
$1,558 | $2,530 | Illinois |
$1,449 | $2,653 | Indiana |
$1,440 | $2,114 | Iowa |
$1,788 | $3,325 | Kansas |
$2,415 | $4,453 | Kentucky |
$3,150 | $4,719 | Louisiana |
$1,245 | $1,887 | Maine |
$1,889 | $3,262 | Maryland |
$1,314 | $1,314 | Massachusetts |
$2,411 | $4,311 | Michigan |
$1,693 | $3,126 | Minnesota |
$1,857 | $2,984 | Mississippi |
$1,973 | $3,284 | Missouri |
$1,814 | $3,037 | Montana |
$1,486 | $2,448 | Nebraska |
$2,334 | $3,591 | Nevada |
$1,130 | $1,863 | New Hampshire |
$2,136 | $3,990 | New Jersey |
$1,834 | $2,521 | New Mexico |
$2,025 | $3,914 | New York |
$1,949 | $2,396 | North Carolina |
$1,572 | $2,497 | North Dakota |
$1,214 | $2,045 | Ohio |
$2,512 | $3,403 | Oklahoma |
$1,349 | $2,044 | Oregon |
$1,756 | $2,831 | Pennsylvania |
$2,476 | $3,980 | Rhode Island |
$1,942 | $3,365 | South Carolina |
$1,650 | $2,843 | South Dakota |
$1,839 | $3,142 | Tennessee |
$2,680 | $4,608 | Texas |
$1,458 | $2,650 | Utah |
$1,085 | $2,151 | Vermont |
$1,666 | $2,790 | Virginia |
$1,570 | $1,933 | Washington |
$1,737 | $2,822 | Washington, D.C. |
$1,693 | $2,460 | West Virginia |
$1,549 | $2,254 | Wisconsin |
$970 | $2,576 | Wyoming |
*Credit is not used to price rates in this state.
California, Hawaii and Massachusetts don't allow insurers to use credit when determining car insurance rates. In Washington, the legal code around this issue is being debated.
![Car with shield on road](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/car-lanes-shield_Blue.png)
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.Compare insurance rates for drivers with an accident
Your driving history can affect auto insurance rates in different ways from one company to another. It’s a good idea to compare how each insurer’s car insurance rates stack up against the rest if you have a recent accident.
If you have an on-record accident, make sure to compare auto insurance rates one, three and five years after the date of the incident to continue to get the best and cheapest rate possible.
Average annual rate for drivers with an accident, by company
Comparing auto insurance rates after a crash shows how differently insurers treat accidents. For example, rates for car insurance from State Farm are 27% higher on average for drivers with an at-fault accident compared with a driver with a clean record. Meanwhile, our data shows rates for Geico and American Family are higher by 69% or more, on average, for drivers with a recent crash compared with our base profile.
Below you can compare average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers with a recent at-fault accident by company.
Company Name | Rate after one at-fault accident | Rate for drivers with a clean record |
---|---|---|
Allstate | $3,523 | $2,276 |
American Family | $2,143 | $1,281 |
Farmers | $4,255 | $2,690 |
Geico | $2,207 | $1,303 |
Nationwide | $2,991 | $1,875 |
Progressive | $2,578 | $1,742 |
State Farm | $2,636 | $2,040 |
Travelers | $1,903 | $1,412 |
USAA* | $1,856 | $1,273 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
Average annual rate for drivers with an accident, by state
State regulators set limits on how much a company can increase your car insurance rates after a crash. Let’s say you caused an accident that resulted in $10,000 worth of damage. In some states, that could cause average annual rates to spike by 70% or more, while in other states the increase is far less.
For example, drivers in Rhode Island with full coverage policies and one recent at-fault accident paid $62 more per year, on average, than drivers with no accidents, which is just a 2% increase. Meanwhile, drivers in California paid $1,314 more per year, on average, after causing an accident than incident-free drivers, which is a 81% increase.
Here are the average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers with a recent at-fault accident by state:
Rate after one at-fault accident | Rate for drivers with a clean record | State |
---|---|---|
$2,536 | $1,798 | Alabama |
$1,947 | $1,527 | Alaska |
$3,234 | $2,092 | Arizona |
$2,705 | $1,788 | Arkansas |
$2,936 | $1,622 | California |
$3,501 | $2,415 | Colorado |
$2,603 | $1,789 | Connecticut |
$2,833 | $1,923 | Delaware |
$4,385 | $3,069 | Florida |
$3,135 | $2,051 | Georgia |
$2,190 | $1,610 | Hawaii |
$1,588 | $1,164 | Idaho |
$2,380 | $1,558 | Illinois |
$2,221 | $1,449 | Indiana |
$2,037 | $1,440 | Iowa |
$2,528 | $1,788 | Kansas |
$3,410 | $2,415 | Kentucky |
$4,483 | $3,150 | Louisiana |
$1,888 | $1,245 | Maine |
$3,212 | $1,889 | Maryland |
$2,010 | $1,314 | Massachusetts |
$3,406 | $2,411 | Michigan |
$2,428 | $1,693 | Minnesota |
$2,678 | $1,857 | Mississippi |
$2,524 | $1,973 | Missouri |
$2,860 | $1,814 | Montana |
$2,302 | $1,486 | Nebraska |
$3,574 | $2,334 | Nevada |
$1,824 | $1,130 | New Hampshire |
$3,239 | $2,136 | New Jersey |
$2,528 | $1,834 | New Mexico |
$2,895 | $2,025 | New York |
$3,046 | $1,949 | North Carolina |
$2,284 | $1,572 | North Dakota |
$1,688 | $1,214 | Ohio |
$3,112 | $2,512 | Oklahoma |
$2,083 | $1,349 | Oregon |
$2,600 | $1,756 | Pennsylvania |
$2,539 | $2,476 | Rhode Island |
$2,907 | $1,942 | South Carolina |
$2,348 | $1,650 | South Dakota |
$2,704 | $1,839 | Tennessee |
$4,174 | $2,680 | Texas |
$2,296 | $1,458 | Utah |
$1,689 | $1,085 | Vermont |
$2,468 | $1,666 | Virginia |
$2,184 | $1,570 | Washington |
$2,635 | $1,737 | Washington, D.C. |
$2,335 | $1,693 | West Virginia |
$2,321 | $1,549 | Wisconsin |
$1,640 | $970 | Wyoming |
Your rates will probably increase after an at-fault accident, so be sure to include the accident when you compare car insurance rates.
![Car with shield on road](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/car-lanes-shield_Blue.png)
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.How to compare car insurance rates
First, every car insurance quote you receive should be free — whether it’s from Geico, Farmers or a small insurer you’ve never heard of. Some auto insurers require a down payment to start your policy, but whether you’re comparing car insurance rates online or with an agent, a simple estimate should always be free of charge.
Key terms as you compare auto insurance
1. Gather your information
To quickly and easily compare insurance online, you should have the following on hand:
2. Choose the right liability car insurance coverage levels
Auto insurance is financial protection, not just for the investment you made when you bought or leased your car. After a really serious accident, bills for property damage and injuries can easily reach into hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you happen to cause this kind of wreck, the victims could sue you. And in that situation, assets such as your savings and even your home could be seized.
Liability auto insurance protects you from that worst-case scenario by providing a cushion between your assets and the amount you’re on the hook for. That’s why choosing the right liability limits is the most important part of a car insurance quote comparison. NerdWallet typically recommends having at least as much liability coverage as your net worth.
You may not know your net worth off the top of your head, and that's actually pretty common. NerdWallet's net worth calculator can help you figure it out.
But liability coverage levels come in threes — you’ll probably see something like 50/100/50 or 250/500/250 included in most policies. You can think of these limits as individual injuries/total injuries/property damage. (Insurers are a little more technical with the names, calling them bodily injury liability/total bodily injury liability/physical damage liability.)
Liability insurance comes in thousand-dollar increments, so when you choose an auto insurance policy with 100/300/100 limits, you’ll be choosing:
$100,000 for bodily injuries per person in a crash that you caused.
$300,000 total for all bodily injuries in a crash that you caused.
$100,000 for damage to any property in a crash that you caused, including cars, buildings and objects like mailboxes and lampposts.
When choosing liability car insurance coverage, make sure the middle number is equal to or greater than the value of your net worth. This should also be the highest number in your policy’s coverage limits.
Understand car insurance requirements in your state
Any car insurance comparison tool you use should have your state’s minimum car insurance requirements pre-loaded into its options. In certain states, you may be required to have a car insurance policy that includes personal injury protection (PIP), medical payments coverage (MedPay) or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage — or two of the three. If you have MedPay you don’t need PIP, and vice versa.
States requiring PIP or MedPay are generally referred to as “no-fault” states. This means that when injuries occur, each driver in a crash makes a claim with their own insurance company to pay for them. Then, the at-fault driver’s liability insurance will kick in to cover any expenses beyond the PIP or MedPay limit.
3. Decide if you need full coverage car insurance
Liability coverage doesn’t pay for your car or injuries — or for any injuries your passengers sustain — if you cause a wreck. This is why you may want “full coverage” car insurance, especially if your car isn’t paid off.
However, full coverage insurance isn’t actually a type of coverage. It typically refers to policies that include liability coverage plus comprehensive and collision coverage.
In other words, you can’t just click a “full coverage” button when comparing car insurance quotes online or buy something called a full coverage auto insurance policy. You’ll need to add collision and comprehensive coverage in the amounts you want, which will also increase the amount you’ll pay.
If you add collision or comprehensive coverage to your policy, you’ll choose deductible amounts for each. These deductibles are amounts you will pay out of pocket for each claim you make, similar to a deductible when you go to a doctor’s office or pick up a pharmacy prescription. (The difference is they tend to be significantly higher than either of those examples.)
Collision insurance pays for:
Damage to your car in an accident you cause.
Damage to your car if you hit an object such as a fence or pole.
Damage to your car if someone else hits you. Another option in this case is to make a claim against the other driver’s liability insurance.
Comprehensive insurance pays for the value of your car if it’s stolen and not recovered, and damage from:
Weather such as tornadoes or hail.
Floods.
Fire.
Falling objects.
Explosions.
Crashes with an animal, such as striking a deer.
Riots and civil disturbances.
Learn more about the different types of car insurance:
4. Collect and compare car insurance quotes
You’ll want to get car insurance quotes from at least two or three companies. And if you want to be sure you’re getting a good deal, you may want to compare car insurance quotes from regional companies as well as the big companies such as Allstate, Progressive and State Farm.
To make sure you’re able to accurately compare auto insurance quotes, each one should include:
The same levels of liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist protection.
The same deductibles for collision and comprehensive coverage, if you’re buying them.
The same drivers and cars.
All discounts you’re eligible for (most insurers list discounts on their websites).
How to get car insurance
![Couple of hands typing on a laptop.](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/laptop-search-desktop.png)
![A person looking at a mobile phone.](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/woman-device-desktop.png)
![Storefront with a door and window.](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/storefront-desktop.png)
A deep dive on how to shop for car insurance.
No matter what coverage you choose, compare the same types and amounts of coverage from each company so you can find the best rates for the auto insurance you need.
How to choose an insurance company
Let’s assume you've compared rates and found the cheapest car insurance companies for you. But before you buy a policy, you'll want to consider a few other factors besides price. The best car insurance companies offer more than just affordable rates. They also provide reliable and helpful customer service as well as a simple way to update your policy or file a claim.
Take these steps before you buy a policy
![Green shopping bag.](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/shopping-bag-spot.png)
![Green paycheck.](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/paycheck-spot.png)
![Couple of hands typing on a laptop.](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/laptop-search-desktop.png)
Compare car insurance companies
You can use NerdWallet's reviews to compare car insurance companies and find the best fit for you. NerdWallet has researched policy options, consumer complaint data, customer satisfaction ratings, financial stability and other key factors for all of the country's top auto insurance companies. We also researched many smaller, regional insurers.
Methodology
NerdWallet averaged rates based on public filings obtained by pricing analytics company Quadrant Information Services. We examined rates for men and women for all ZIP codes in all of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Although it’s one of the largest insurers in the country, Liberty Mutual is not included in our rates analysis due to a lack of publicly available information.
In our analysis, “good drivers” had no moving violations on record; a “good driving” discount was included for this profile. Our “good” and “poor” credit rates are based on credit score approximations and do not account for proprietary scoring criteria used by insurance providers.
These are median rates, and your rate will vary based on your personal details, state and insurance provider.
Sample drivers had the following coverage limits:
$100,000 bodily injury liability coverage per person.
$300,000 bodily injury liability coverage per crash.
$50,000 property damage liability coverage per crash.
$100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person.
$300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per crash.
Collision coverage with $1,000 deductible.
Comprehensive coverage with $1,000 deductible.
In states where required, minimum additional coverages were added. We used the same assumptions for all other driver profiles, with the following exceptions:
For drivers with minimum coverage, we adjusted the numbers above to reflect only the minimum coverage required by law in the state.
We changed the credit tier from “good” to “poor” as reported to the insurer to see rates for drivers with poor credit. In states where credit isn’t taken into account, we only used rates for “good credit.”
For drivers with one at-fault crash, we added a single at-fault crash costing $10,000 in property damage.
For drivers with a DUI, we added a single drunken-driving violation.
For drivers with a ticket, we added a single speeding violation for driving 16 mph over the speed limit.
We used a 2021 Toyota Camry LE in all cases and assumed 12,000 annual miles driven. We analyzed rates for drivers of the following ages: 20, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60 and 70.
These are rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different.