According to an analysis and research by Forbes Advisor, USAA is now the most affordable provider of auto insurance. For safe drivers, those with DUIs, and those who have been in accidents, it provides the most affordable auto insurance on average.
However, only active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their families are eligible for USAA auto insurance.
With the second-cheapest car insurance for safe drivers, accident-prone drivers, and elderly drivers, Auto-Owners is in second place. No. 3 on the list, Westfield is renowned for providing consistently low rates for a range of driver types.
Cheapest Car Insurance Companies
| COMPANY | FORBES ADVISOR RATING FOR CHEAP CAR INSURANCE | AVERAGE ANNUAL COST FOR GOOD DRIVERS | AVERAGE MONTHLY COST FOR GOOD DRIVERS | LEARN MORE | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 USAA* | 5.0 | $1,412 | $118 | Get Quotes | |||||
 Auto-Owners | 4.5 | $1,628 | $136 | Get Quotes | |||||
 Westfield | 4.5 | $1,759 | $147 | Get Quotes | |||||
 Geico | 4.0 | $1,716 | $143 | Get Quotes | |||||
 Travelers | 4.0 | $1,852 | $154 | Get Quotes | |||||
| *USAA auto insurance is available only to the military, veterans and their families. | |||||||||
The Cheapest Car Insurance for Good Drivers
| Company | Average cost per year for good drivers | Average cost per month for good drivers | Total savings per year compared to average |
|---|---|---|---|
| USAA* | $1,412 | $118 | $655 cheaper |
| Auto-Owners | $1,628 | $136 | $439 cheaper |
| Geico | $1,716 | $143 | $351 cheaper |
| Westfield | $1,759 | $147 | $308 cheaper |
| Travelers | $1,852 | $154 | $215 cheaper |
| Average | $2,067 | $172 | |
| Average rates are based on good drivers with a clean driving record, meaning no at-fault accidents or traffic violations. *USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families. | |||
The rates mentioned here are for good drivers who have a clean driving record, without any traffic violations or at-fault accidents. USAA provides the most affordable average rates for such drivers, but it is only available to military personnel, veterans, and their families.
The Cheapest Car Insurance After a Speeding Ticket
A speeding ticket will mean an insurance increase of about 21%, based on nationwide averages. Our analysis found the cheapest car insurance from Westfield, Geico and Auto-Owners, with USAA a top choice for people who qualify for USAA auto insurance.
| Company | Average cost per year for drivers with a speeding ticket | Average cost per month for drivers with a speeding ticket | Total savings per year compared to average |
|---|---|---|---|
| USAA* | $1,709 | $142 | $793 cheaper |
| Westfield | $2,001 | $167 | $500 cheaper |
| Geico | $2,098 | $175 | $404 cheaper |
| Auto-Owners | $2,250 | $187 | $252 cheaper |
| State Farm | $2,311 | $193 | $190 cheaper |
| Average | $2,502 | $208 | |
| *USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families. | |||
The Cheapest Car Insurance After an Accident Causing Injury
For drivers who have caused an accident resulting in injury, USAA provides the cheapest car insurance rates, but it is only available to military members, veterans, and their families. However, Auto-Owners and Westfield offer affordable rates for non-military drivers in this category.
Westfield is a regional insurer that operates in 10 Midwestern states. It is important to note that car insurance rates typically increase by an average of 40% at renewal time following an accident causing injury, which could result in an additional cost of approximately $830 per year compared to a driver with a clean record.
| Company | Average cost per year after an accident with injuries | Average cost per month after an accident with injuries | Total savings per year compared to average |
|---|---|---|---|
| USAA* | $2,093 | $174 | $804 cheaper |
| Auto-Owners | $2,145 | $179 | $752 cheaper |
| Westfield | $2,458 | $205 | $439 cheaper |
| Geico | $2,487 | $207 | $410 cheaper |
| State Farm | $2,554 | $213 | $343 cheaper |
| Average | $2,897 | $241 | |
| *USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families. | |||
The Cheapest Car Insurance After a DUI
If you are convicted of a DUI, you can expect to face higher car insurance premiums. Insurance companies usually check motor vehicle records at policy renewal time to assess any tickets or convictions and may apply rate increases based on your driving history.
On average, a DUI conviction leads to a 72% increase in car insurance rates, which amounts to almost $1,400 per year.
However, according to our analysis, Progressive and American Family offer the cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI, while USAA is a good option for military members and veterans who qualify.
| Company | Average cost per year for a driver with one DUI | Average cost per month for a driver with one DUI | Total savings per year compared to average |
|---|---|---|---|
| USAA* | $2,751 | $229 | $703 cheaper |
| Progressive | $2,776 | $231 | $678 cheaper |
| American Family | $2,983 | $249 | $471 cheaper |
| State Farm | $3,235 | $270 | $219 cheaper |
| Auto-Owners | $3,363 | $280 | $92 cheaper |
| Average | $3,454 | $288 | |
| *USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families. | |||
The Cheapest Car Insurance for People With Bad Credit
Even with a clean driving record, obtaining low-cost car insurance quotes can be difficult if you have a poor credit history. Poor credit can lead to higher auto insurance rates compared to having a DUI or being at fault in an accident. On average, auto insurance rates increase by 79% for drivers with poor credit, which translates to over $1,500 more per year. When dealing with potentially high rates, it’s essential to explore your options. Among the companies analyzed, Geico and Nationwide had relatively inexpensive car insurance for drivers with poor credit. Military members and veterans should consider USAA.
| Company | Average cost per year for drivers with poor credit | Average cost per month for drivers with poor credit | Total savings per year compared to average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geico | $2,426 | $202 | $1,203 cheaper |
| USAA* | $2,594 | $216 | $1,035 cheaper |
| Nationwide | $2,771 | $231 | $858 cheaper |
| Westfield | $2,964 | $247 | $665 cheaper |
| Safe Auto | $3,345 | $279 | $284 cheaper |
| Average | $3,629 | $302 | |
| *USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families. | |||
The Cheapest Car Insurance for Seniors
Based on our analysis, USAA offers the most affordable car insurance for senior drivers aged 70 and 80. However, Auto-Owners is the least expensive option for senior drivers without a military affiliation, which is required by USAA. Nevertheless, the best car insurance for seniors varies based on individual factors such as driving history and location.
According to our analysis, seniors may experience a 10% increase in their car insurance premiums on average from age 60 to 70. By the time they reach age 80, their rates may have increased by 23% compared to what they were paying at age 70, and 34% higher than their car insurance cost at age 60.
| Company | Average cost per year for senior drivers | Average cost per month for senior drivers | Total savings per year compared to average |
|---|---|---|---|
| USAA* | $1,674 | $139 | $745 cheaper |
| Auto-Owners | $1,870 | $156 | $548 cheaper |
| Geico | $2,057 | $171 | $361 cheaper |
| Westfield | $2,076 | $173 | $342 cheaper |
| State Farm | $2,085 | $174 | $333 cheaper |
| Average | $2,418 | $202 | |
| *USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families. | |||
The Cheapest Car Insurance for Teens & Young Drivers
Finding affordable car insurance for teenagers can be challenging, as insurance companies consider young and new drivers to be a higher risk. Our analysis shows that adding a teenage driver to a parent’s policy can lead to an average increase of $1,951 per year. This increase generally doubles the parent’s auto insurance premium. However, it is still usually less expensive to add the young driver to their parent’s policy rather than having them get their own policy.
| Company | Average cost per year to add a teen driver to a parent’s policy | Average cost per month to add a teen driver to a parent’s policy | Total savings per year compared to average |
|---|---|---|---|
| USAA* | $1,293 | $108 | $658 cheaper |
| Erie | $1,357 | $113 | $594 cheaper |
| Geico | $1,495 | $125 | $456 cheaper |
| American Family | $1,556 | $130 | $395 cheaper |
| Nationwide | $1,607 | $134 | $344 cheaper |
| Average | $1,951 | $163 | |
| *USAA is only available to military members, veterans and their families. | |||
Cheap Car Insurance in Your State
| State | Cheapest company | Average cost per year for good drivers | Average cost per month for good drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Travelers | $1,176 | $98 |
| Alaska | State Farm | $1,699 | $142 |
| Arizona | Root | $876 | $73 |
| Arkansas | Nationwide | $1,357 | $113 |
| California | Wawanesa | $1,470 | $123 |
| Colorado | Colorado Farm Bureau | $1,531 | $128 |
| Connecticut | Travelers | $1,399 | $117 |
| Delaware | Travelers | $1,525 | $127 |
| Florida | Geico | $2,771 | $231 |
| Georgia | Auto-Owners | $1,439 | $120 |
| Hawaii | State Farm | $1,207 | $101 |
| Idaho | American National | $422 | $35 |
| Illinois | Mercury | $1,388 | $116 |
| Indiana | Pekin Ins. | $808 | $67 |
| Iowa | Hastings Mutual | $604 | $50 |
| Kansas | Geico | $1,022 | $85 |
| Kentucky | Auto-Owners | $1,406 | $117 |
| Louisiana | Geico | $2,484 | $207 |
| Maine | Concord Group | $852 | $71 |
| Maryland | Travelers | $1,930 | $161 |
| Massachusetts | State Farm | $1,283 | $107 |
| Michigan | Secura Ins. | $988 | $82 |
| Minnesota | American Family | $1,597 | $133 |
| Mississippi | Direct General | $1,002 | $84 |
| Missouri | State Farm | $1,699 | $142 |
| Montana | Progressive | $1,234 | $103 |
| Nebraska | Geico | $898 | $75 |
| Nevada | Geico | $1,776 | $148 |
| New Hampshire | MMG Ins. | $828 | $69 |
| New Jersey | NJM | $1,370 | $114 |
| New Mexico | Nationwide | $1,370 | $114 |
| New York | NYCM Insurance | $2,986 | $249 |
| North Carolina | North Carolina Farm Bureau | $930 | $78 |
| North Dakota | Nodak Mutual | $748 | $62 |
| Ohio | Hastings Mutual | $512 | $43 |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Farmers Union | $1,686 | $141 |
| Oregon | QBE | $922 | $77 |
| Pennsylvania | Travelers | $1,916 | $160 |
| Rhode Island | State Farm | $1,233 | $103 |
| South Carolina | Travelers | $1,472 | $123 |
| South Dakota | Allied | $1,148 | $96 |
| Tennessee | Penn National Ins. | $1,048 | $87 |
| Texas | Geico | $1,861 | $155 |
| Utah | Geico | $1,230 | $103 |
| Vermont | Geico | $660 | $55 |
| Virginia | Penn National | $944 | $79 |
| Washington | Pemco | $1,129 | $94 |
| West Virginia | Nationwide | $1,196 | $100 |
| Wisconsin | Secura Ins. | $1,006 | $84 |
| Wyoming | American National | $546 | $46 |
| In some cases USAA is the cheapest company but membership is limited to military personnel, veterans and their families. | |||
How to Find the Cheapest Car Insurance Coverage for You
Shopping around and comparing prices is the best way to find the cheapest car insurance coverage. When comparing policies, make sure the coverage limits, deductibles, and other details are the same so that you can accurately compare prices.
It’s not worth it to buy a cheap policy that only provides minimum coverage or has high deductibles. Cutting coverage may save you money on your premium, but it could end up costing you more in repair bills or legal fees if you get into an accident.
Rather than cutting coverage, consider these tips to get cheaper car insurance rates:
- Raise your deductible
- Take advantage of discounts
- Improve your credit score
- Drive less or carpool
- Choose a car with safety features and a high safety rating
- Consider pay-per-mile insurance policies.
Get Quotes From Multiple Car Insurance Companies
According to a survey conducted by Forbes Advisor, comparison shopping can save drivers hundreds of dollars each year on car insurance. The survey found that the majority of drivers who compared car insurance quotes obtained three or more quotes (72%), while 21% only obtained two quotes. The results suggest that comparing multiple quotes can lead to significant savings on car insurance.
When You Last Shopped Around for Car Insurance, How Many Quotes Did You Compare?
| Response | % of respondents |
|---|---|
| 2 | 21% |
| 3 | 47% |
| 4 | 15% |
| 5+ | 10% |
| Not sure | 8% |
Conclusion
To assess the best cheap car insurance, we used the following criteria.
Auto insurance rates accounted for 80% of the score, which we obtained from Quadrant Information Services. We evaluated rates for different driving records, including good drivers, those who caused an accident, those with a speeding ticket, DUI offenders, those with poor credit, and uninsured drivers.
We used a Toyota RAV4 and coverage of $100,000 for injuries to one person, $300,000 for injuries per accident, and $100,000 of property damage (100/300/100), uninsured motorist coverage of 100/300, and collision and comprehensive insurance with a $500 deductible. Nationwide averages were based on rates from large insurers.
Complaints accounted for 10% of the score, which we obtained from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. We used complaint data from each state’s department of insurance to monitor and log complaints against the insurers operating in that state. Most auto insurance complaints are about claims, including unsatisfactory settlements, delays, and denials.
We also evaluated collision repair, which accounted for 10% of the score. We included grades of insurance companies from collision repair professionals from the CRASH Network. Collision repair professionals deal with insurers and claims regularly, so they have insight into which companies try to cut corners on claims and which insurers have processes that slow down the repair process.
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