Compare Car Insurance Rates for December 2024

Shopping for car insurance? Comparing car insurance rates can help you find the best price.

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Get the cheapest car insurance by comparing car insurance rates from multiple companies. Every carrier sets rates differently, which means two different insurers could offer completely different rates for the same driver. By taking the time to compare car insurance rates on NerdWallet, you could uncover substantial savings.

  • 60+ years of combined experience covering insurance.

  • 1.5 billion+ auto insurance rates analyzed by our team of experts.

  • 700+ auto insurance companies analyzed in over 29,000 U.S. cities. (See our top picks.)

NerdWallet writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our writing and data analyses. Read our criteria for evaluating auto insurance companies.

How comparing car insurance gets you the best rates

Shopping around and comparing car insurance rates from multiple insurers could potentially save you hundreds of dollars a year. Why? Each auto insurance company has their own unique way of pricing coverage, so one company could be far more expensive than another for the same driver. Simply put, the policy you have may not be the cheapest option out there, even for the same exact coverage.

While it may be tempting to go with the first insurer you get a quote from, the most effective way to shop is to compare quotes from a minimum of three insurers at least once a year.

How to compare car insurance rates

You can use NerdWallet’s car insurance comparison tool to get matched with car insurance companies in your area. Simply input information like your age, vehicle type and driving history to get matched with insurers. You can also go directly to insurer websites for quotes, or work with an independent agent who can compare car insurance on your behalf. No matter the source, you will need to provide your personal data to get an accurate quote.

Here’s what to do to compare car insurance rates quickly, while still getting the right coverage for you.

1. Gather your information

To quickly and easily compare insurance online, you should have the following on hand:

2. Choose your liability limits

Liability insurance protects you from paying out of pocket for any damage or injuries you cause in a crash, and it’s required to drive in most places. If expenses after a crash go above your liability limits, you’ll be responsible to pay out of pocket. If you don’t have enough cash on hand, you could face a lawsuit. With bills for property damage and injuries easily reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars, NerdWallet recommends you get liability limits high enough to cover your net worth.

Want to learn more? Read NerdWallet’s guide to liability car insurance.

Be sure you understand your state’s requirements

Almost every state requires a minimum amount of car insurance to drive legally. If you work with an agent or comparison shop online, your state’s minimum car insurance requirements should automatically be included in your quote.

While liability insurance is almost always mandatory, some states also require uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, personal injury protection or medical payments coverage. To learn more about what these are, read our guide to the most common types of car insurance.

🤓Nerdy Tip

Minimum coverage car insurance will always be the cheapest option, but you’ll likely be underinsured — especially if you cause a bad accident. In that case, you could be left having to pay (or face a lawsuit) for any damage or injuries you cause. If you’re unsure how much car insurance to get, read our guide on how much car insurance you need.

3. Decide if you need full coverage

Full coverage car insurance is a term used for auto policies that include comprehensive and collision coverage. Combined, comprehensive and collision cover just about any damage to your own car after a wreck, regardless of who caused it, once you pay a deductible. If you have a loan or a lease on your vehicle, full coverage is probably required by your lender.

Full coverage policies are more expensive than simply buying your state’s minimum required policy. If you drive an older, less valuable car, though, it’s possible you don’t need full coverage. That’s because comprehensive and collision coverage only pay out up to your vehicle’s current market value, minus your deductible.

4. Collect and compare car insurance quotes

You should get car insurance quotes from at least three companies — ideally more. To be sure you’re getting the best deal, compare car insurance quotes from smaller, regional companies plus the big names, like Allstate, Geico, Progressive and State Farm.

To accurately compare quotes, ask the agent or company representative to find all discounts you’re eligible for. Plus, make sure you’re using the same coverage limits and deductible amounts for every company you get quotes from.

More Nerdy Perspectives
Frequently asked questions

You can compare car insurance on NerdWallet, going directly to insurer websites or by working with an agent.

Start by reading NerdWallet’s analysis of the cheapest car insurance, and then compare rates online from companies that offer the cheapest rates in your state. You can also work with an independent agent, who can get quotes from a variety of insurers.

The fastest way to compare rates is likely to work with an independent insurance agent. They’ll be able to pull quotes from multiple insurers on your behalf, so you can compare each company to see which is best for you. However, they only work with specific companies and may leave out bigger names.

The best insurance companies offer great customer service, a variety of coverage types to choose from, plus plenty of discounts and perks. You can read NerdWallet’s roundup of the best car insurance in the country to see our top picks.

Compare car insurance rates by age

Key insights 💡

  • 20-year-old drivers have the most expensive car insurance, with an average rate of $4,684 per year for full coverage and $1,271 per year for minimum coverage.

  • The cost of car insurance levels out once a driver reaches 30, with an average of $2,348 a year for full coverage.

  • Geico is the cheapest company for 20-year-olds, while Travelers is cheapest for 30-year-olds.

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 December 2024 analysis.

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

CompanyFull coverageMinimum coverage
Allstate$6,928$1,368
American Family$4,128$1,407
Farmers$7,928$2,612
Geico$3,640$948
Nationwide$6,044$2,084
Progressive$4,337$1,167
State Farm$5,149$1,313
Travelers$4,215$1,116
USAA*$3,192$815

*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.

Average annual rate for 20-year-olds, by state

StateMedian full coverage rateMedian minimum coverage rate
Alabama$4,419$961
Alaska$3,544$894
Arizona$5,567$1,751
Arkansas$5,013$1,235
California$3,346$852
Colorado$6,721$1,883
Connecticut$6,486$2,517
Delaware$7,240$2,826
Florida$7,626$1,623
Georgia$6,759$2,136
Hawaii$1,993$537
Idaho$3,650$878
Illinois$4,761$1,351
Indiana$4,303$1,166
Iowa$3,783$780
Kansas$4,863$1,256
Kentucky$7,637$2,049
Louisiana$8,180$2,196
Maine$3,512$1,071
Maryland$6,124$2,311
Massachusetts$3,744$1,009
Michigan$6,277$1,380
Minnesota$4,303$1,116
Mississippi$5,119$1,282
Missouri$5,254$1,354
Montana$5,612$991
Nebraska$3,665$861
Nevada$6,672$2,086
New Hampshire$3,941$1,099
New Jersey$7,203$2,151
New Mexico$4,607$1,172
New York$4,978$1,823
North Carolina$2,274$744
North Dakota$3,833$842
Ohio$3,544$1,042
Oklahoma$4,979$1,320
Oregon$3,944$1,748
Pennsylvania$4,828$982
Rhode Island$8,495$2,765
South Carolina$5,800$1,781
South Dakota$3,760$778
Tennessee$5,025$1,138
Texas$7,379$2,377
Utah$4,599$1,610
Vermont$3,822$783
Virginia$4,152$1,533
Washington$4,774$1,566
Washington, D.C.$5,424$2,207
West Virginia$4,784$1,438
Wisconsin$4,344$1,011
Wyoming$3,573$483

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

CompanyFull coverageMinimum coverage
Allstate$2,916$701
American Family$2,131$673
Farmers$3,857$1,186
Geico$2,002$479
Nationwide$2,622$882
Progressive$2,264$621
State Farm$2,288$518
Travelers$1,754$536
USAA*$1,447$373

*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.

Average annual rate for 35-year-olds, by state

StateMedian full coverage rateMedian minimum coverage rate
Alabama$2,046$419
Alaska$1,689$400
Arizona$2,791$873
Arkansas$2,397$524
California$1,904$499
Colorado$2,935$694
Connecticut$2,540$975
Delaware$2,581$1,146
Florida$3,976$951
Georgia$3,026$1,021
Hawaii$1,993$537
Idaho$1,692$375
Illinois$2,244$604
Indiana$2,010$505
Iowa$1,912$332
Kansas$2,526$632
Kentucky$3,198$796
Louisiana$4,038$985
Maine$1,457$445
Maryland$2,698$1,085
Massachusetts$1,749$443
Michigan$3,109$664
Minnesota$2,252$586
Mississippi$2,386$581
Missouri$2,660$624
Montana$2,437$457
Nebraska$1,949$386
Nevada$2,840$944
New Hampshire$1,447$443
New Jersey$3,045$1,126
New Mexico$2,366$525
New York$2,579$928
North Carolina$2,140$685
North Dakota$2,026$417
Ohio$1,611$452
Oklahoma$2,646$613
Oregon$1,976$868
Pennsylvania$2,278$456
Rhode Island$3,626$1,087
South Carolina$3,047$896
South Dakota$2,134$321
Tennessee$2,308$491
Texas$3,494$990
Utah$2,042$737
Vermont$1,409$351
Virginia$1,988$715
Washington$2,159$634
Washington, D.C.$3,046$1,286
West Virginia$2,435$675
Wisconsin$2,227$503
Wyoming$1,108$191

Compare insurance rates by driver history

Key insights 💡

  • Full coverage for a 35-year-old good driver with good credit costs an average of $2,281 a year.

  • A recent DUI increases that cost to an average of $4,179 a year.

  • A recent at-fault accident costs an average of $3,375 a year.

  • Having poor credit costs an average of $3,766 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.

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.

CompanyClean recordRecent DUI
Allstate$2,916$4,292
American Family$2,131$2,703
Farmers$3,857$7,003
Geico$2,002$4,665
Nationwide$2,622$5,513
Progressive$2,264$2,891
State Farm$2,288$3,455
Travelers$1,754$3,026
USAA*$1,447$2,799

*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.

Average annual rate for drivers with a DUI, by state

In Missouri, the average insurance cost for drivers with a recent DUI is 39% higher, on average, than for similar drivers with no incidents — $1,061 more a year. However, in our analysis, a DUI in North Carolina added $6,288 to the annual cost of full coverage car insurance for 35-year-old drivers.

See below for how your state measures up.

StateRate for drivers with a clean recordRate for drivers with a DUI
Alabama$2,046$3,678
Alaska$1,689$3,037
Arizona$2,791$4,242
Arkansas$2,397$4,124
California$1,904$5,226
Colorado$2,935$4,885
Connecticut$2,540$4,508
Delaware$2,581$5,212
Florida$3,976$5,789
Georgia$3,026$4,703
Hawaii$1,993$3,534
Idaho$1,692$3,119
Illinois$2,244$3,872
Indiana$2,010$4,036
Iowa$1,912$3,718
Kansas$2,526$4,360
Kentucky$3,198$6,050
Louisiana$4,038$6,095
Maine$1,457$3,104
Maryland$2,698$4,368
Massachusetts$1,749$3,289
Michigan$3,109$7,550
Minnesota$2,252$3,615
Mississippi$2,386$3,354
Missouri$2,660$3,722
Montana$2,437$4,004
Nebraska$1,949$2,853
Nevada$2,840$4,951
New Hampshire$1,447$2,468
New Jersey$3,045$6,438
New Mexico$2,366$3,604
New York$2,579$4,767
North Carolina$2,140$8,428
North Dakota$2,026$3,531
Ohio$1,611$3,371
Oklahoma$2,646$4,105
Oregon$1,976$3,289
Pennsylvania$2,278$3,939
Rhode Island$3,626$6,531
South Carolina$3,047$4,499
South Dakota$2,134$3,461
Tennessee$2,308$4,152
Texas$3,494$5,141
Utah$2,042$3,617
Vermont$1,409$2,853
Virginia$1,988$3,365
Washington$2,159$3,360
Washington, D.C.$3,046$5,712
West Virginia$2,435$4,168
Wisconsin$2,227$3,652
Wyoming$1,108$2,845

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.

Compare auto insurance rates for drivers with poor credit

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.

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 84% 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.

CompanyGood creditPoor credit
Allstate$2,916$4,405
American Family$2,131$3,435
Farmers$3,857$7,098
Geico$2,002$2,826
Nationwide$2,622$3,682
Progressive$2,264$3,748
State Farm$2,288$8,600
Travelers$1,754$3,007
USAA*$1,447$2,646

*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.

Below you can compare average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers with poor credit by state.

StateRate for drivers with good creditRate for drivers with poor credit
Alabama$2,046$3,474
Alaska$1,689$2,722
Arizona$2,791$4,257
Arkansas$2,397$4,272
California$1,904*$1,904*
Colorado$2,935$5,078
Connecticut$2,540$4,499
Delaware$2,581$4,838
Florida$3,976$6,513
Georgia$3,026$4,892
Hawaii$1,993*$1,993*
Idaho$1,692$2,600
Illinois$2,244$3,684
Indiana$2,010$3,511
Iowa$1,912$3,311
Kansas$2,526$4,330
Kentucky$3,198$6,013
Louisiana$4,038$6,268
Maine$1,457$2,229
Maryland$2,698$4,260
Massachusetts$1,749*$1,749*
Michigan$3,109$5,466
Minnesota$2,252$4,207
Mississippi$2,386$3,883
Missouri$2,660$4,070
Montana$2,437$4,252
Nebraska$1,949$3,241
Nevada$2,840$4,826
New Hampshire$1,447$2,558
New Jersey$3,045$6,003
New Mexico$2,366$4,009
New York$2,579$4,287
North Carolina$2,140$3,093
North Dakota$2,026$3,698
Ohio$1,611$2,919
Oklahoma$2,646$3,956
Oregon$1,976$3,093
Pennsylvania$2,278$3,987
Rhode Island$3,626$5,717
South Carolina$3,047$5,175
South Dakota$2,134$3,824
Tennessee$2,308$4,133
Texas$3,494$5,976
Utah$2,042$3,748
Vermont$1,409$2,552
Virginia$1,988$3,663
Washington$2,159$2,729
Washington, D.C.$3,046$4,237
West Virginia$2,435$3,779
Wisconsin$2,227$3,595
Wyoming$1,108$2,800

*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.

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.

Average annual rate for drivers with an accident, by company

Below you can compare average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers with a recent at-fault accident by company.

CompanyClean recordOne at-fault accident
Allstate$2,916$4,527
American Family$2,131$2,910
Farmers$3,857$5,982
Geico$2,002$3,417
Nationwide$2,622$4,249
Progressive$2,264$3,238
State Farm$2,288$2,936
Travelers$1,754$2,439
USAA*$1,447$2,076

*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.

Average annual rate for drivers with an accident, by state

Here are the average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers with a recent at-fault accident by state:

StateRate for drivers with a clean recordRate after one at-fault accident
Alabama$2,046$3,072
Alaska$1,689$2,375
Arizona$2,791$4,153
Arkansas$2,397$3,574
California$1,904$3,524
Colorado$2,935$4,312
Connecticut$2,540$3,802
Delaware$2,581$3,845
Florida$3,976$5,801
Georgia$3,026$4,800
Hawaii$1,993$2,532
Idaho$1,692$2,494
Illinois$2,244$3,258
Indiana$2,010$2,827
Iowa$1,912$2,822
Kansas$2,526$3,726
Kentucky$3,198$4,411
Louisiana$4,038$5,810
Maine$1,457$2,237
Maryland$2,698$4,262
Massachusetts$1,749$2,792
Michigan$3,109$4,216
Minnesota$2,252$3,210
Mississippi$2,386$3,318
Missouri$2,660$3,344
Montana$2,437$3,927
Nebraska$1,949$2,658
Nevada$2,840$4,760
New Hampshire$1,447$2,316
New Jersey$3,045$4,559
New Mexico$2,366$3,413
New York$2,579$3,706
North Carolina$2,140$3,245
North Dakota$2,026$3,168
Ohio$1,611$2,306
Oklahoma$2,646$3,406
Oregon$1,976$2,910
Pennsylvania$2,278$3,322
Rhode Island$3,626$3,936
South Carolina$3,047$4,127
South Dakota$2,134$2,830
Tennessee$2,308$3,272
Texas$3,494$5,070
Utah$2,042$3,345
Vermont$1,409$2,031
Virginia$1,988$3,137
Washington$2,159$2,979
Washington, D.C.$3,046$4,708
West Virginia$2,435$3,376
Wisconsin$2,227$3,143
Wyoming$1,108$2,032

Your rates will probably increase after an at-fault accident, so be sure to include the accident when you compare car insurance rates.

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.

What Reddit says 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.