Key insights from NerdWallet’s September 2024 car insurance cost analysis:
The national average annual car insurance cost is $1,766 for full coverage and $497 for minimum coverage.
Young drivers, drivers with a recent DUI and drivers with poor credit pay some of the highest car insurance rates on average.
Wyoming, Vermont and New Hampshire have some of the cheapest full coverage car insurance rates in the country, while Florida, Louisiana and Texas are the most expensive.
While average car insurance rates can be a good indicator of what you may pay for coverage, your own price will likely be different.
How much is car insurance? The answer to that question changes constantly as average car insurance costs continue to go up. But knowing the average cost of car insurance is just a small piece of intel in your mission to find the right policy. Factors like your personal characteristics, driving history and car model have a major impact on what you’ll pay, which will likely be different from the national average.
Additionally, car insurance rates can vary widely for drivers in different states. For example, Wyoming’s average full coverage annual rate of $970 seems pretty reasonable when compared to Florida’s $3,090, according to NerdWallet’s analysis.
Below are the average costs of car insurance across different companies, states and driver profiles to make your search easier and more accurate.
🤓Nerdy Tip
The average cost of car insurance is on the rise. Did your rates go up, too? Shopping around and comparing quotes is the best way to get a lower premium.
Keep reading to find the average car insurance costs for:
Your state.
Large insurance companies.
Your driving history.
Your age.
Your gender.
The car you drive.
Key terms in this article
Full coverage | A combination of coverage types that protects your car in various situations. It typically includes your state's minimum coverage requirements, plus comprehensive and collision insurance. |
Minimum coverage | The minimum amount of car insurance required to drive legally. Each state has its own requirements for residents. |
Comprehensive insurance | Pays for your car repairs or replacement costs from things beyond your control, like flooding, falling objects or theft. |
Collision insurance | Pays for your car repairs or replacement costs after a car accident. |
Liability car insurance | Required in nearly every state, liability auto insurance pays others if you injure them or damage their car or property in an accident you cause. |
Premium | The price you pay for car insurance, typically paid monthly, every six months or yearly. |
» MORE: Key terms for understanding car insurance quotes
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.
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How much is car insurance?
The average cost of full coverage car insurance is $1,766 per year, or about $147 per month, while minimum coverage costs an average of $497 per year, or around $41 per month, according to NerdWallet’s September 2024 rate analysis. Your own car insurance price will vary based on several factors, such as your age, driving history, location, coverage you select, and car make and model.
Why you can trust NerdWallet.
Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our writing and data analyses. You can trust the prices we show you because our data analysts take rigorous measures to eliminate outliers and inaccuracies in pricing data, which include rates from every locale in the country where coverage is offered and data is available. When comparing rates for different coverage amounts, ages and backgrounds, we change only one variable at a time, so you can easily see how each factor affects pricing. Read our methodology.
Average cost of car insurance for different driver profiles
Here’s a snapshot of national median car insurance rates based on credit history, driving history, and breadth of insurance coverage:
| Driver profile | Full coverage rate | Minimum coverage rate |
|---|---|---|
| Clean driving record, good credit | $1,766 | $497 |
| One speeding ticket, good credit | $2,244 | $628 |
| One at-fault crash, good credit | $2,614 | $744 |
| One DUI, good credit | $3,233 | $938 |
| Clean driving record, poor credit | $2,794 | $771 |
As you can see, average car insurance costs for full coverage insurance are generally much higher than minimum coverage. That’s because, while minimum coverage policies only offer liability insurance and other state-mandated coverage, full coverage also includes collision and comprehensive insurance, which cover damage to your own vehicle.
But averages can only say so much about your own car insurance costs. Several personal factors, within and outside your control, ultimately impact how much you pay.
NerdWallet can’t anticipate which factors apply to you, so we used a specific driver profile throughout this article (unless stated otherwise):
35 years old.
Good driver. Defined as a person with a clean driving record, meaning no accidents, DUIs or other traffic violations.
Good credit. Drivers with a good credit rating. Insurers use a credit-based insurance score, which is similar to your regular credit score, to calculate rates in most states.
Car insurance cost by state
Where you live can have an enormous impact on car insurance costs because each state has different regulations. Use our interactive state map to find average annual rates for your state below.
Full table: Average annual car insurance costs by state.
| State | Median full coverage rate | Median minimum coverage rate |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $1,830 | $443 |
| Alaska | $1,612 | $358 |
| Arizona | $2,269 | $700 |
| Arkansas | $1,866 | $452 |
| California | $1,656 | $452 |
| Colorado | $2,333 | $543 |
| Connecticut | $1,792 | $789 |
| Delaware | $1,973 | $888 |
| Florida | $3,090 | $797 |
| Georgia | $2,167 | $720 |
| Hawaii | $1,610 | $491 |
| Idaho | $1,162 | $314 |
| Illinois | $1,579 | $472 |
| Indiana | $1,492 | $414 |
| Iowa | $1,439 | $288 |
| Kansas | $1,795 | $476 |
| Kentucky | $2,404 | $669 |
| Louisiana | $3,067 | $885 |
| Maine | $1,261 | $393 |
| Maryland | $1,958 | $858 |
| Massachusetts | $1,329 | $400 |
| Michigan | $2,418 | $593 |
| Minnesota | $1,696 | $469 |
| Mississippi | $1,908 | $503 |
| Missouri | $1,952 | $506 |
| Montana | $1,797 | $425 |
| Nebraska | $1,529 | $355 |
| Nevada | $2,248 | $778 |
| New Hampshire | $1,136 | $372 |
| New Jersey | $2,274 | $861 |
| New Mexico | $1,926 | $440 |
| New York | $2,075 | $804 |
| North Carolina | $1,966 | $656 |
| North Dakota | $1,606 | $366 |
| Ohio | $1,220 | $333 |
| Oklahoma | $2,233 | $514 |
| Oregon | $1,366 | $619 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,652 | $373 |
| Rhode Island | $2,285 | $788 |
| South Carolina | $2,101 | $689 |
| South Dakota | $1,649 | $271 |
| Tennessee | $1,815 | $452 |
| Texas | $2,567 | $832 |
| Utah | $1,464 | $556 |
| Vermont | $1,072 | $298 |
| Virginia | $1,605 | $648 |
| Washington | $1,593 | $547 |
| Washington, D.C. | $1,742 | $848 |
| West Virginia | $1,693 | $495 |
| Wisconsin | $1,574 | $381 |
| Wyoming | $970 | $185 |
Here are the cheapest states for full coverage auto insurance:
Wyoming: $970 per year, or about $81 per month, on average.
Vermont: $1,072 per year, or about $89 per month, on average.
New Hampshire: $1,136 per year, or about $95 per month, on average.
Idaho: $1,162 per year, or about $97 per month, on average.
Ohio: $1,220 per year, or about $102 per month, on average.
These are the most expensive states for full coverage auto insurance:
Florida: $3,090 per year, or about $258 per month, on average.
Louisiana: $3,067 per year, or about $256 per month, on average.
Texas: $2,567 per year, or about $214 per month, on average.
Michigan: $2,418 per year, or about $202 per month, on average.
Kentucky: $2,404 per year, or about $200 per month, on average.
» MORE: Minimum required car insurance in every state
The cost of car insurance keeps going up
The below chart shows the change in car insurance prices over time, based on consumer price index data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics . While prices nosedived in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, they quickly rebounded and have been rising sharply since December 2021, with only one slight dip in May 2024.
While insurance companies base rates on a medley of personal and economic factors, this steep rise is largely a reflection of the increase in car insurance claims, bad accidents and vehicle costs insurers have had to contend with in recent years.
» MORE: Why is my car insurance so high?
Car insurance cost estimator
Knowing the average car insurance cost in your state is helpful to get an idea of how much you stand to pay, but looking at your specific zip code can offer an even better idea of what drivers around you are spending on auto insurance.
Estimate full coverage rates by ZIP code
Enter your ZIP code to find the average car insurance rate for your area. Rates are for policies that include full coverage for a 35-year-old driver with good credit and a clean driving record.
Average car insurance rate in your ZIP code:
$0
Car insurance cost by company
Every car insurance company sets rates based on dozens of factors, including your driving history, location, vehicle and demographics. They’re making an educated guess about how likely you are to file a claim and setting your price accordingly.
Each insurer treats each factor differently. If you have poor credit, one insurer might charge you 10% more for the policy, while another would charge 40% more. A discount for being claim-free in recent years might earn you a 20% discount with one company and 5% at another.
All this results in different prices from one person to the next. This is why the company that gives your friend a super-low premium might not be the cheapest for you.
Here are annual average rates for many of the nation’s largest auto insurers, for full and minimum coverage.
Average annual car insurance costs from large companies
| Company | Full coverage | Minimum coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $2,302 | $624 |
| American Family | $1,323 | $505 |
| Farmers | $2,711 | $909 |
| Geico | $1,303 | $351 |
| Nationwide | $1,905 | $743 |
| Progressive | $1,772 | $493 |
| State Farm | $2,119 | $469 |
| Travelers | $1,412 | $431 |
| USAA* | $1,175 | $309 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
Small insurers may have cheaper rates than nationwide carriers. However, many regional insurers are available in only a few states. We analyzed rates from large insurers to provide the most relevant information for all readers.
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.
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How your driving record impacts your car insurance cost
A recent ding on your driving record can make your auto insurance rates go up, as insurers see you as a risky driver compared to one with a clean record. Traffic violations and car accidents can stay on your record for three to five years.
Here are the average car insurance costs for drivers with an at-fault accident, a DUI or a speeding ticket on their records.
Average car insurance costs after an at-fault accident
After an accident, average car insurance costs for an at-fault driver are:
$2,614 per year for full coverage.
$744 per year for minimum coverage.
On average, car insurance costs for full coverage are about 48% higher for a driver who has caused a wreck than for one who hasn’t, according to NerdWallet’s analysis.
Average annual cost of car insurance before and after an at-fault accident
| Type of policy | Clean record | After one at-fault accident |
|---|---|---|
| Full coverage | $1,766 | $2,614 |
| Minimum coverage | $497 | $744 |
How much your rates will rise also depends on the severity of damage and whether you have accident forgiveness on your policy or any “good driver” discounts you stand to lose. The hypothetical accident in our analysis was relatively minor, resulting in $10,000 worth of property damage and no injuries. Accidents resulting in medical costs can be expensive and result in steeper rate increases.
It’s important to shop for the cheapest insurer after an accident because each company considers factors like a crash differently when setting prices.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Causing an accident can raise your auto insurance costs for three to five years afterward, depending on the carrier. This is why it’s wise to shop for car insurance quotes just after the third and fifth anniversary of your wreck to see if you can get a better deal.
» MORE: How much does insurance increase after an accident?
Average car insurance costs after a speeding ticket
Speeding not only contributes to more traffic deaths on roadways, but it may also mean higher insurance premiums for those who get ticketed. On average, a driver with a recent speeding ticket pays 27% more for full coverage than a driver with a clean record, according to NerdWallet's analysis.
And it may take some time before you can put the past behind you — speeding tickets can stay on your record for three to five years, depending on the state you live in.
How much a speeding ticket raises average annual car insurance costs
| Type of policy | Clean record | Recent speeding ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Full coverage | $1,766 | $2,244 |
| Minimum coverage | $497 | $628 |
Average car insurance costs after a DUI
Getting caught drinking and driving will mean significantly higher rates for car insurance. On average, auto insurance costs for full coverage go up about 83% for a driver with a recent DUI, NerdWallet’s analysis found. This translates to an average increase of about $1,467 a year for full coverage car insurance after a DUI nationally.
How much a DUI raises average annual car insurance costs
| Type of policy | Clean record | Recent DUI |
|---|---|---|
| Full coverage | $1,766 | $3,233 |
| Minimum coverage | $497 | $938 |
Shopping around for the cheapest car insurance or switching to your state’s minimum required auto insurance coverage can help keep costs down after a DUI.
» MORE: Cheapest DUI car insurance
🤓Nerdy Tip
Although minimum insurance is the cheapest option, it’s not always the best choice. If you’re looking for coverage for your vehicle after an at-fault accident, you’ll want collision insurance. And if you have a loan on your car or it’s leased, you may be required to keep collision and comprehensive coverage.
Car insurance rates by driving history |
|---|
NerdWallet has written several car insurance rate guides based on your driving history. For more information, check out our articles below:
|
Auto insurance costs for drivers with good and poor credit
Having poor credit has a large impact on auto insurance rates in most states. On average, car insurance costs for full coverage are about 58% higher for drivers with poor credit than for people with good credit.
Average car insurance costs for a driver with poor credit are:
$2,794 per year for full coverage.
$771 per year for minimum coverage.
Average annual car insurance costs for drivers with good vs. poor credit
| Type of policy | Good credit | Poor credit |
|---|---|---|
| Full coverage | $1,766 | $2,794 |
| Minimum coverage | $497 | $771 |
» MORE: Get free car insurance quotes
Insurers use a credit-based insurance score, similar to a regular credit score, to help set rates in most states. The insurance score uses all the same factors as a regular credit score — things like on-time payments and delinquencies — but weighs them differently.
California, Hawaii and Massachusetts don't allow insurers to use credit when determining car insurance rates.
Insurance companies point to data linking poor credit to more frequent insurance claims to justify higher prices. The score’s impact on your premium depends on where you live and which car insurance company you choose.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Some companies are more forgiving of poor credit than others, so it’s worthwhile to shop for quotes while you’re trying to build your credit.
How age impacts car insurance costs
Drivers of different ages have different average annual car insurance rates. Here’s how they compare:
How much is auto insurance for young drivers?
Insurers see less experienced drivers as a bigger risk and typically charge them heftier prices. Insurers may categorize young drivers as anyone 16 to 25 years old and sometimes anyone under 30 years old. For our analysis, we analyzed rates for 20-year-old drivers. As you age past your 20s, rates tend to go down until you reach your 70s.
Average annual car insurance costs for a 20-year-old driver
For a 20-year-old driver with good credit and a clean driving record, average car insurance costs are:
$3,653 for full coverage.
$1,046 for minimum required coverage.
But young drivers with poor credit or a less-than-perfect driving history are likely to shell out more for car insurance.
| Driver profile | Full coverage | Minimum coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Clean driving record, good credit | $3,653 | $1,046 |
| One speeding ticket, good credit | $4,446 | $1,283 |
| One at-fault crash, good credit | $4,876 | $1,441 |
| One DUI, good credit | $6,035 | $1,768 |
| Clean driving record, poor credit | $5,721 | $1,611 |
Nearly 40% of Americans between ages 20 and 24 have no credit history or too little to generate a score, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Like your regular credit score, a limited credit history can negatively affect your credit-based insurance score and result in higher car insurance rates.
» MORE: For young adults, building credit starts now
Average annual car insurance costs for young drivers by company
Knowing average costs gives you an idea of what to expect, but it’s only a starting point for a young driver looking for affordable car insurance. Rates can vary by hundreds of dollars a year, depending on where you live and which insurer you choose. Here are average rates for the largest auto insurance companies for 20-year-old drivers.
| Company | Full coverage | Minimum coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $5,469 | $1,144 |
| American Family | $2,788 | $1,026 |
| Farmers | $6,281 | $1,988 |
| Geico | $2,449 | $679 |
| Nationwide | $4,182 | $1,761 |
| Progressive | $3,418 | $963 |
| State Farm | $4,727 | $1,224 |
| Travelers | $3,300 | $845 |
| USAA* | $2,496 | $660 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
Check with several companies to find the best possible rate and be sure to ask about car insurance discounts for young drivers.
How gender impacts auto insurance costs
On average, car insurance costs differ little by gender compared with differences seen by company, state, credit score and driving history. That doesn’t mean that a cost difference based on your gender would be insignificant, however. Gender-based pricing of car insurance is banned by law in seven states: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
In general, young adults have a much wider price discrepancy based on gender than older drivers. Men pay more than women across all age groups we analyzed for full coverage insurance.
For example, in states where gender-based pricing is allowed, we averaged full coverage insurance rates for men and women separately and found that:
At age 20, men pay about $626 more than than women per year.
At age 30, men pay around $27 more than than women per year.
At age 35, men pay about $15 more than than women per year.
A note about the term "gender."
In this article, NerdWallet uses the term “gender.” We recognize that this is different from sex. Gender is how you identify within society, while sex refers to certain biological attributes.
Some insurers don’t recognize this distinction and use the terms interchangeably. This means that when you apply for car insurance, they may ask for your gender when they really mean sex.
They may also ask for identification that doesn’t reflect your gender accurately. For instance, a company may want the gender you list on your insurance application to match the sex listed on your driver’s license.
For more details, read about getting car insurance as a transgender or nonbinary driver.
How much is auto insurance based on vehicle type?
In our analyses, we used a 3-year-old Toyota Camry (the most popular sedan in America by sales in recent years) to show how rates vary by personal history and demographics. But the make and model of your vehicle will certainly affect rates.
Insurers charge more to cover certain cars, including:
Sports cars, which have higher top speeds. People tend to drive them faster, increasing the likelihood of a wreck or traffic violation. If you get a speeding ticket, insurers think you’ll be more likely to cause an accident, which increases rates further.
Luxury cars, which tend to have expensive parts and details that are costlier to replace if damaged in a crash.
EVs, which also have more expensive engine parts to replace. The batteries for electric vehicles alone can cost thousands each.
Cars that are stolen often, which tend to be the nation’s more popular makes and models. These vehicles generally have higher rates for comprehensive insurance, the part of an auto policy that pays out when your car is stolen or damaged by something not traffic-related, such as floods, fire and vandalism. It is typically optional unless you have a loan or lease.
To see how costs differ depending on your vehicle, we looked at average car insurance costs for the most popular vehicles based on sales in a separate analysis from 2022. As shown below, the Camry is far from the cheapest model. That honor goes to the Subaru Outback, with an average car insurance cost of $1,512 per year.
Rank | Median annual insurance premium | MSRP | Insurance as % of MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Subaru Outback | $1,512 | $28,395 | 5.3% |
2. Subaru Crosstrek | $1,516 | $23,645 | 6.4% |
3. Honda CR-V | $1,517 | $28,410 | 5.3% |
4. Mazda CX-5 | $1,547 | $26,700 | 5.8% |
5. Hyundai Tucson | $1,597 | $26,900 | 5.9% |
6. Ford Escape | $1,609 | $28,000 | 5.7% |
7. Jeep Wrangler | $1,617 | $31,195 | 5.2% |
8. Toyota Tacoma | $1,647 | $28,250 | 5.8% |
9. Ford F-150 | $1,651 | $33,695 | 4.9% |
10. Toyota RAV4 | $1,652 | $28,275 | 5.8% |
11. Chevrolet Equinox | $1,695 | $26,600 | 6.4% |
12. Toyota Highlander | $1,716 | $39,020 | 4.4% |
13. GMC Sierra 1500 | $1,751 | $37,200 | 4.7% |
14. Nissan Rogue | $1,751 | $27,760 | 6.3% |
15. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | $1,762 | $36,300 | 4.9% |
16. Ford Explorer | $1,780 | $38,570 | 4.6% |
17. Toyota Corolla | $1,800 | $21,700 | 8.3% |
18. Toyota Camry | $1,822 | $26,320 | 6.9% |
19. Honda Civic | $1,832 | $23,750 | 7.7% |
20. Honda Accord | $1,844 | $27,295 | 6.8% |
21. Jeep Grand Cherokee | $1,883 | $40,030 | 4.7% |
22. Ram 1500 | $1,897 | $37,410 | 5.1% |
23. Nissan Altima | $1,641 | $25,490 | 7.9% |
24. Tesla Model 3 | $2,296 | $40,240 | 5.7% |
25. Tesla Model Y | $2,530 | $52,630 | 4.8% |
Other factors that can impact your auto insurance cost
There are additional factors that can affect car insurance costs you may need to consider, such as:
More specific location data such as your ZIP code or city.
Your occupation, in many states.
Your previous insurance company. If it was a nonstandard insurer specializing in high-risk drivers, you might see higher insurance rates with some companies.
Continuous insurance coverage. Companies charge more for drivers with lapses in coverage.
Annual mileage driven per car.
Your marital status. Some insurers believe married people drive more responsibly, which means single people — even widows, widowers and divorced folks — tend to have higher insurance rates.
Whether you own your home (and whether you bundle home insurance with auto).
How much education you’ve completed.
Additional coverage options you choose, such as new-car replacement coverage and gap coverage.
Discounts you’re eligible for, which vary widely by company.
Whom you live with. Some companies won’t allow you to exclude people such as roommates or nondriving adults from your policy.
Factors that affect your car insurance |
|---|
NerdWallet has written car insurance guides about several factors that affect your car insurance price. For more information, check out our articles below:
|
How to get cheap car insurance
No matter how many averages you look at, your premium will likely be different.
But you can still find cheap car insurance by shopping around for rates every year and every time something major happens in your life, including marriage, a new job, moving or buying a new car. Additionally, if you’ve had a recent at-fault accident, DUI or other traffic violation, be sure to shop in the month after the third and fifth anniversaries of the incident.
If you’re ready to shop, you can check out the cheapest companies in your state for several driver profiles.
Click your state to find the cheapest car insurance there | ||
|---|---|---|
Alabama | Alaska | Arizona |
Arkansas | California | Colorado |
Connecticut | Delaware | Florida |
Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho |
Illinois | Indiana | Iowa |
Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana |
Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts |
Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi |
Missouri | Montana | Nebraska |
Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey |
New Mexico | New York | North Carolina |
North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma |
Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island |
South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee |
Texas | Utah | Vermont |
Virginia | Washington | Washington, D.C. |
West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming |
Frequently asked questions
How much is car insurance per month?
Your car insurance rate will vary depending on factors such as where you live, the vehicle you drive and your driving history. Compare car insurance rates to find the cheapest car insurance for you.
How much is minimum car insurance compared to full coverage car insurance?
On average, full coverage insurance costs more than three times as much as minimum coverage, NerdWallet's analysis found. However, unlike minimum coverage, full coverage insurance pays out if your car is stolen or you need repairs after an accident. Minimum coverage pays for damage to another vehicle only in an at-fault accident. It will not cover your repairs.
Who pays the most for car insurance?
It’s hard to say who pays the most for car insurance because there are so many factors that affect your auto insurance rates. In general, young drivers, drivers with a recent DUI and drivers with poor credit pay some of the highest car insurance rates.
