Compare Car Insurance Rates & Quotes
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Hey, we get it — comparing car insurance quotes is about as fun as going to the dentist. But our research shows that average rates can vary by more than $1,000 per year from one company to another. That’s some serious potential savings.
We recommend comparing quotes from at least three companies to make sure you get the best deal. We can’t promise shopping for car insurance will be fun, but this guide will help make it a little easier — while hopefully saving you hundreds of dollars in the process.
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How to compare car insurance quotes
For a smooth shopping process, follow these five steps when you’re ready to compare car insurance.
1. Gather vehicle and driver information
You’ll need the details below for all the drivers and vehicles in your household:
Drivers
Date of birth.
Occupation and marital status.
Driver's license number.
Accidents or traffic violations in the past five years.
Vehicles
Year, make and model.
Vehicle identification number (VIN).
Mileage.
Year purchased.
Current insurer (if applicable).
If you’re shopping for other policies along with car insurance, like homeowners or renters insurance, make sure you also have information about your home on hand. Learn more about getting home insurance quotes.
2. Know your coverage amounts
The default limits you’ll see in an online car insurance quote may not match the coverage you want to buy, so decide how much coverage you want before you start shopping. You can typically customize your quote by adjusting the liability limits and adding options such as comprehensive and collision coverage.
If you already have a policy you’re happy with, grab your most recent car insurance declaration page and refer to it when choosing the coverage amounts for each quote.
If you’re new to auto insurance or unsure whether your current limits are right for you, check out our guide to how much car insurance coverage you need.
3. Ensure a fair comparison
Once you’ve started entering your information and collecting quotes, make sure all the offers have the same coverage limits and deductibles. Check for optional features, too, such as roadside assistance or accident forgiveness.
4. Research the companies
The last thing you need after an accident is a company that delays your claim or doesn’t respond to calls, so it pays to do your research. Pay particular attention to complaint records and customer satisfaction to make sure the company will be easy to work with if you have a claim. Auto insurance reviews are a good place to find that information.
Also, make sure the companies have the features you care about. For example, if you’d rather file claims online than call an agent, check whether the insurer’s website allows you to do that. Got a side hustle driving for Uber or Lyft? See if the company offers rideshare insurance.
5. Consider the whole package
If you’re shopping for another policy along with your auto insurance, such as a home or renters policy, make sure you’re happy with the price and coverage there, too. Although bundling can offer discounts and convenience, in some cases you may find better prices or coverage by buying your policies from two separate companies.
Why you should compare car insurance quotes
Car insurance costs vary substantially — from one company to the next and from one driver to the next. That’s because each insurer uniquely calculates car insurance rates using many personal factors, like your age, marital status and driving history. You can find the best rate for you by comparing quotes from multiple companies.
Compare sample car insurance rates
Checking out average auto insurance rates for drivers like you can give you an idea of how much you can expect to pay. Below are a few key factors that may affect your premiums, along with how much each one might change your average cost.
Jump to:
Compare car insurance rates by driving history
Having a DUI or at-fault accident on your record will cause your rates to go up — or even double. But each car insurer prices these incidents a little differently, so it’s worth shopping around for the best rates.
These are average full coverage car insurance rates in the U.S. for a 35-year-old driver:
Clean driving history
$2,281 per year
Recent DUI
$4,179 per year
Recent at-fault accident
$3,375 per year
Compare car insurance rates by credit
You might be surprised to learn that your credit history is one of the largest factors affecting your car insurance rate. In states where it's allowed, carriers use credit history to determine how likely you are to file a claim.
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.
These are average full coverage car insurance rates in the U.S. for a 35-year-old driver:
Good credit
$2,281 per year
Poor credit
$3,766 per year
Compare car insurance rates by age
Your age can have a big impact on your car insurance rates. Teens pay the most, with rates typically decreasing once you hit your 30s and going up again in your 70s.
These are average full coverage car insurance rates in the U.S. for a driver with a clean record and good credit:
Age 20
$4,684 per year
Age 35
$2,281 per year
Age 70
$2,112 per year
Compare car insurance rates by where you live
Because insurance regulations vary from state to state, where you live can have a big impact on your car insurance rates. Click on your state in the map below to see our roundup of the cheapest auto insurance companies there.
» ESTIMATE YOUR COST: Car insurance calculator
3 ways to compare car insurance quotes
There are three main ways to shop for car insurance, each with pros and cons.
Direct car insurance quotes online or by phone
Your first option is to call insurance companies one by one, or visit each of their websites to get individual quotes. Not sure which insurers to check? Start with our lists of the best car insurance and the cheapest car insurance companies.
You can reach out to as many companies as you’d like, including big-name insurers like State Farm that typically don’t sell their policies through independent agents.
You can often quickly customize your coverage options online to see how they impact your quote.
Requires making multiple phone calls or entering your information over and over again.
No access to smaller insurers, like Safety or Auto-Owners, that don’t sell directly to consumers.
Car insurance quote comparison sites
Another option is to shop with multiple companies at once using a comparison website. (Fun fact: NerdWallet offers its own comparison tool you can try.)
After you enter some basic information about yourself and your vehicle, the site will match you with one or more car insurance companies. Keep in mind that you may not see a list of personalized rates at this stage — you’ll often need to visit each company’s website individually to provide more information and get your final price.
Saves you time by shopping with several companies at once.
Ideal for users who want to buy online instead of making phone calls.
Comparison sites generally pass some of your information on to the insurer, so you don’t have to type it all in again.
Depending on your circumstances, you may not see as many options as you want.
Expect follow-up phone calls or emails, as comparison sites often share your personal information with other insurers and brokers.
May partner with a limited number of carriers.
Independent agents or brokers
A final option is to work with an independent insurance agent or insurance broker. This is often a local professional who will take your information by phone or in person, then shop around for insurance on your behalf. An agent or broker may be a good fit for people with complicated insurance needs — if you have a spotty driving history, for example, or you’re trying to get quotes for multiple cars, a house and an umbrella policy for extra liability coverage.
Often has access to smaller regional insurers that may not offer online quotes.
Saves you time by comparing rates for you.
Can answer questions and give personalized guidance.
Generally requires at least one initial phone call.
Your options are limited to insurance companies the agent or broker works with.
Brokers may charge a fee.
» MORE: How to buy car insurance
Car insurance quote comparison example
Below are three sample auto insurance quotes, along with advice on how to compare them. All three quotes feature the same standard coverage with the following limits and deductibles:
Bodily injury liability coverage: $100,000 per person and $300,000 per crash.
Property damage liability coverage: $50,000 per crash.
Uninsured motorist coverage: $100,000 per person, $300,000 per crash and $50,000 for property damage.
Collision and comprehensive coverage, each with a $1,000 deductible.
Company | Coverage included | Quoted price |
|---|---|---|
Standard coverage only. | $2,000 per year. | |
Standard coverage plus declining deductibles. | $2,025 per year. | |
Standard coverage plus declining deductibles and accident forgiveness. | $2,250 per year. | |
These are fictionalized quotes for the purposes of illustration. | ||
Geico has the lowest rate, but Liberty Mutual’s quote includes a “Deductible Fund,” which effectively reduces your collision deductible by $50 every six months. Is that worth an extra $25 to you? Travelers’ rate is the highest of the three, but you might decide that its extra perks are worth the price.
We also recommend comparing the companies themselves, not just the quotes. Here’s a quick look at how the ones above stack up based on NerdWallet’s research:
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
NerdWallet rating 4.5 /5 | NerdWallet rating 4.0 /5 | NerdWallet rating 5.0 /5 |
Complaints to NAIC Close to expected | Complaints to NAIC More than expected | Complaints to NAIC Fewer than expected |
Ease of use Above average | Ease of use Above average | Ease of use Above average |
Discounts Great set of discounts | Discounts Great set of discounts | Discounts Great set of discounts |
Bottom line With nationwide availability and a raft of discounts, Geico is a popular, and often affordable, choice for car insurance. | Bottom line Liberty Mutual offers a long list of discounts, plus robust digital tools on its website and app. | Bottom line Travelers offers a broad range of coverage options and discounts to help you customize your car insurance policy. |
Company | NerdWallet star rating | Consumer complaints | Discounts |
|---|---|---|---|
Close to expected | Great set of discounts | ||
More than expected | Great set of discounts | ||
Fewer than expected | Great set of discounts |
All three companies have strong star ratings and lots of discounts, but Travelers has the fewest consumer complaints. If customer service is your top priority, you might consider paying a little more for the Travelers policy. But if you want an affordable price from a solid company and don’t need any extra perks, Geico’s quote is probably the way to go.
What Reddit users say about comparing car insurance quotes
Reddit is an online forum where users share their thoughts in “threads” on various topics. The popular site includes plenty of discussion on financial subjects like auto insurance, so we sifted through Reddit forums to get a pulse check on how users feel about comparing car insurance. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances.
Many Redditors are frustrated about the rising cost of insurance around the country. Some drivers shop around regularly to try and find better deals, even using their car insurance quotes as leverage to see if insurers can match or beat another company’s quote. At NerdWallet, we recommend comparing quotes at least once a year for this exact reason.
However, Redditors are equally disappointed with the time and effort that go into getting quotes. People want to find a way to get quotes quickly and reliably, and contacting a handful of insurers to get quotes can certainly feel tedious. You can always use a car insurance comparison tool to save time and effort on this part of the process. (Hint: We’ve got a comparison tool right here.)
Additionally, many Redditors suggest working with a local independent insurance agent. It’s a smart move to take advantage of an insurance expert because they know the industry and how to match drivers with insurers. For example, these agents often direct drivers to smaller regional insurers that may not be well-known but still provide affordable rates.
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.
