Average Auto Insurance Cost in 2026 (+How to Save BIG!)
The average auto insurance cost differs across states, with a national average of $86 per month. Rates vary widely by insurance company and factors such as driving history, location, and vehicle type. This guide provides an in-depth look at how these factors affect auto insurance costs.
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Updated January 2025
Before purchasing a car, it’s crucial to understand the average auto insurance cost, which typically runs around $86 per month. This cost varies depending on factors like the state you live in, the type of vehicle, as well as your age and gender. Knowing these details can help you make an informed decision and avoid any surprises when it comes time to insure your new car. We’re here to guide you through what to expect.
This guide will explain the factors that impact your annual auto insurance cost and reveal the national average for car insurance. You’ll also find typical monthly car insurance rates from top providers, as well as the average cost of essential coverage options.
If you want to see auto insurance quotes specifically for you, enter your ZIP code in the FREE comparison tool above.
- The average auto insurance cost varies significantly by state
- Factors like provider, coverage level, and personal details impact costs
- The national average monthly rate for full coverage is $86
Average Auto Insurance Costs
Although we don’t have a car insurance cost calculator, we have some reliable research you can use when you’re shopping for insurance. Each year, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) compiles data of the latest insurance rates from participating insurance companies. Within that data, we calculated the national average for auto insurance. Here’s a review of the average auto insurance cost in the United States.
Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates and Estimated Monthly Coverage Rates
| Coverage Types | Average Annual Coverage Rates | Average Monthly Coverage Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Liability | $555 | $46 |
| Collision | $326 | $27 |
| Comprehensive | $148 | $12 |
| Full Coverage | $1,030 | $86 |
Liability, on average, is more expensive than collision and comprehensive coverage. When liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage combined, they’re known as full coverage. Some auto insurance companies may not call it full coverage.
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Factors That Determine Auto Insurance Rates
Auto insurance rates are influenced by several key factors, including your driving record, location, vehicle type, age, and credit score. Understanding these factors can help you anticipate your insurance costs and find ways to save on premiums.
Average Auto Insurance Cost by State
So, how do we find the national average from NAIC’s data? Here are the average annual rates of essential coverages of each state.
Average Annual Auto Insurance Coverage Rates by State
| States | Average Annual Liability Rates | Average Annual Collision Rates | Average Annual Comprehensive Rates | Average Annual Full Coverage Rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $417 | $323 | $158 | $898 |
| Alaska | $567 | $361 | $140 | $1,069 |
| Arizona | $543 | $281 | $189 | $1,013 |
| Arkansas | $412 | $328 | $197 | $937 |
| California | $504 | $402 | $99 | $1,004 |
| Colorado | $542 | $289 | $185 | $1,017 |
| Connecticut | $685 | $374 | $132 | $1,191 |
| Delaware | $808 | $319 | $122 | $1,248 |
| District of Columbia | $663 | $471 | $231 | $1,364 |
| Florida | $885 | $288 | $119 | $1,293 |
| Georgia | $597 | $341 | $160 | $1,097 |
| Hawaii | $462 | $315 | $102 | $878 |
| Idaho | $368 | $222 | $118 | $708 |
| Illinois | $460 | $308 | $127 | $895 |
| Indiana | $393 | $252 | $122 | $767 |
| Iowa | $310 | $223 | $188 | $721 |
| Kansas | $365 | $263 | $244 | $873 |
| Kentucky | $541 | $273 | $141 | $956 |
| Louisiana | $814 | $421 | $217 | $1,451 |
| Maine | $353 | $267 | $101 | $721 |
| Maryland | $633 | $357 | $154 | $1,145 |
| Massachusetts | $612 | $392 | $136 | $1,141 |
| Michigan | $816 | $420 | $152 | $1,388 |
| Minnesota | $461 | $234 | $185 | $881 |
| Mississippi | $471 | $328 | $210 | $1,010 |
| Missouri | $436 | $278 | $183 | $897 |
| Montana | $400 | $266 | $225 | $891 |
| Nebraska | $377 | $240 | $229 | $846 |
| Nevada | $716 | $308 | $115 | $1,139 |
| New Hampshire | $406 | $300 | $109 | $816 |
| New Jersey | $896 | $383 | $127 | $1,405 |
| New Mexico | $510 | $279 | $175 | $964 |
| New York | $823 | $393 | $169 | $1,384 |
| North Carolina | $359 | $295 | $127 | $781 |
| North Dakota | $296 | $249 | $237 | $782 |
| Ohio | $406 | $273 | $121 | $800 |
| Oklahoma | $470 | $318 | $227 | $1,014 |
| Oregon | $609 | $230 | $93 | $932 |
| Pennsylvania | $509 | $331 | $146 | $986 |
| Rhode Island | $790 | $415 | $131 | $1,337 |
| South Carolina | $554 | $269 | $182 | $1,005 |
| South Dakota | $306 | $215 | $264 | $785 |
| Tennessee | $427 | $314 | $148 | $889 |
| Texas | $550 | $380 | $207 | $1,137 |
| U.S. Average | $555 | $326 | $148 | $1,030 |
| Utah | $510 | $269 | $112 | $891 |
| Vermont | $357 | $303 | $131 | $791 |
| Virginia | $437 | $284 | $139 | $859 |
| Washington | $610 | $268 | $108 | $985 |
| West Virginia | $508 | $332 | $204 | $1,045 |
| Wisconsin | $381 | $227 | $138 | $747 |
| Wyoming | $341 | $277 | $253 | $871 |
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Idaho has the cheapest auto insurance in the United States, while Louisana has the most expensive auto insurance rate. The average car insurance cost in California is less expensive than the average auto insurance cost in Michigan.
Read more: Auto Insurance Rates by State
Average Auto Insurance Cost by Company
The company you’re with can determine the average cost of car insurance. Some companies have auto insurance rates that are thousands of dollars more expensive than NAIC’s national average and even higher than the state national average. For more details, check out our article on “The Most Expensive Cars to Insure“.
Auto insurance discounts can save you hundreds and bring your car insurance rates down to the average you see from NAIC.
Let’s look at the cost of car insurance by the top companies in the United States.
Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates by Company
| Companies | Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates |
|---|---|
| Allstate | $4,898 |
| American Family | $3,443 |
| Farmers | $4,189 |
| Geico | $3,216 |
| Liberty Mutual | $6,096 |
| Nationwide | $3,447 |
| Progressive | $4,044 |
| State Farm | $3,268 |
| Travelers | $4,445 |
| USAA | $2,542 |
USAA, Geico, and State Farm are the cheapest auto insurance companies you can choose. However, these car insurance companies have car insurance rates that vary by state.
Read more: American Family vs. State Farm: Best Auto Insurance
Average Auto Insurance Cost by Age and Gender
Before we move on with this section, watch this video on tips on how you can get cheaper car insurance for teens.
As of 2020, only 43 states in the USA allow auto insurance to be based on gender. The states that have banned gender-based car insurance rates are:
- California
- Hawaii
- Massachusetts
- Michigan (added in 2020)
- Montana
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
It’s still good to know how much you’ll pay for auto insurance based on age and gender, which we’ve pulled together. Here are the average auto insurance rates.
Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates Based on Age, Gender, and Marital Status
| Age, Gender, and Marital Status | Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates |
|---|---|
| Married 60-year-old female | $2,243 |
| Married 60-year-old male | $2,308 |
| Married 35-year-old male | $2,446 |
| Married 35-year-old female | $2,449 |
| Single 25-year-old female | $2,703 |
| Single 25-year-old male | $2,889 |
| Single 17-year-old female | $7,559 |
| Single 17-year-old male | $9,028 |
Teen drivers have the most expensive rates, while seniors pay the least for auto insurance rates. Married drivers have affordable rates and can save even more with discounts from a company.
Average Auto Insurance Cost Based on Driving Record
Your driving record can save you hundreds, or it could cost you hundreds. Driving records is one of the main factors that determine the level of risk to insure a driver. Let’s examine the average auto insurance cost based on the driving record.
Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates Based on Driving Record
| Driving Record | Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates |
|---|---|
| Clean Driving Record | $3,124 |
| With One Speeding Ticket | $3,669 |
| With One Accident | $4,100 |
| With One DUI | $4,920 |
A clean driving record is the fastest way to affordable car insurance. Speeding tickets don’t carry a massive increase, but accidents and DUI convictions do.
Standard Auto Insurance Rates by Coverage Level
According to the Federal Trade Commission, businesses often give cheaper rates to consumers with a good credit history. Auto insurance companies issue more affordable rates to customers with a good credit history because there’s a correlation between a credit score and chances of filing a claim.
Let’s look at the auto insurance rates based on credit history.
Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates Based on Credit History
| Credit History | Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates |
|---|---|
| Good Credit | $3,166 |
| Fair Credit | $3,687 |
| Poor Credit | $5,151 |
Customers with a poor credit history pay a lot more for car insurance than those with good credit and fair credit. When you combine this factor with discounts, you can save even more.
Average Auto Insurance Cost Based on Coverage Level
Coverage levels are based on the coverage limits you have for auto insurance. For instance, the minimum coverage limit for car insurance in South Carolina is 25/50/25.
Typically, higher coverage levels lead to increased premiums, with full coverage averaging around $86 per month.
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According to the Insurance Information Institute, coverage rules vary by state. The minimum coverage limit is the lowest coverage level. An example of medium coverage limits is 50/100/50, while high coverage limits can be 100/300/100 or more.
Here’s the average auto insurance cost based on coverage level.
Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates Based on Coverage Level
| Auto Insurance Coverage Level | Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates |
|---|---|
| Low Coverage | $3,754 |
| Medium Coverage | $3,962 |
| High Coverage | $4,143 |
The higher your coverage level, the more you’ll pay for auto insurance. The average cost of car insurance is always changing, so keep an eye on your auto insurance policy each month.
Typical Auto Insurance Costs Based on Yearly Commute Mileage
When you get an auto insurance quote, you’ll notice an option that asks if your car is used for work commute or pleasure commutes. Work commutes is another way of saying general driving use, while pleasure commutes is a fancy way of saying that you don’t drive your vehicle much.
These selections estimate the number of miles you’ll travel during the policy. Do you pay more when you drive more? Let’s review the cost of auto insurance based on annual commute mileage.
Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates Based on Annual Commute Mileage
| Commute Distance | Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates |
|---|---|
| 10 Miles Commute 6,000 Annual Mileage | $3,911 |
| 25 Miles Commute 12,000 Annual Mileage | $3,996 |
As expected, you will pay more for driving more. Some auto insurance companies won’t issue higher rates. For those that do, you can negate higher prices with discounts.
Average Auto Insurance Cost by Vehicle Make and Model
The value of a vehicle is a significant factor in auto insurance. You can determine the value of a vehicle by looking at the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) or the Fair Market Price. Let’s examine the average auto insurance cost of popular vehicles.
Monthly Auto Insurance Rates Based on Vehicle Make and Model
| Rank | Vehicle Make and Model | Monthly Rates | MSRP | Insurance as a % of MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Subaru Outback | $116 | $26,645 | 5% |
| 2 | Jeep Wrangler | $118 | $28,295 | 5% |
| 3 | Honda CR-V | $120 | $25,050 | 6% |
| 4 | Subaru Forester | $122 | $24,495 | 6% |
| 5 | Ford Escape | $123 | $24,885 | 6% |
| 6 | Ford F-150 | $125 | $28,745 | 5% |
| 7 | Chevrolet Equinox | $126 | $23,800 | 6% |
| 8 | Jeep Cherokee | $127 | $26,085 | 6% |
| 9 | Toyota Tacoma | $127 | $25,050 | 6% |
| 10 | Toyota RAV4 | $130 | $25,950 | 6% |
The cheapest vehicles to insure are the Subaru Outback, Jeep Wrangler, and the Honda CR-V.
We included insurance as a percentage of MSRP to compare the cost of insurance to the value of each vehicle. Each average annual rate is affordable and is subject to change depending on the state, age of the driver, and other factors that determine car insurance cost. For further insight, check out our article: Why is my car insurance so expensive?.
Average Auto Insurance Cost: The Bottom Line
The average auto insurance cost gives you an idea of how much you can spend on insurance. The best way to learn how much you can pay for car insurance is to get a direct quote. In other words, you’ll need to get a quote based on your personal information and specific vehicle information, such as a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Start comparing cheap auto insurance quotes in your area by entering your ZIP code in the FREE comparison tool below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is auto insurance for a 16-year-old driver?
The average cost for a 16-year-old driver is $554 per month.
How much does auto insurance cost for an 18-year-old driver?
Eighteen-year-old drivers generally face lower rates than 16-year-olds, with the average auto insurance cost for an 18-year-old starting around $400 per month.
How much is auto insurance for a 21-year-old driver?
A 21-year-old driver could pay $371 per month for car insurance.
What is the average cost of monthly auto insurance?
According to the NAIC, the monthly car insurance $86 per month for full coverage and $46 per month for liability-only coverage.
How much does the cheapest auto insurance cost?
The cheapest auto insurance is liability-only car insurance, which is about $46 per month. The price varies with different companies, different states, and other factors that determine auto insurance.
Who has the cheapest car insurance for seniors?
Many people consider Allstate the top choice for seniors. However, our data indicates that Geico and State Farm offer more competitive options for older drivers. This insight is based on the US average car insurance rates and how average auto insurance rates vary by age.
How much does insurance cost for a 2001 Honda CR-V?
Insurance for a 2001 Honda CR-V typically ranges from $800 to $1,500 annually. The cost varies depending on coverage level, driver age, location, and driving record.
What are the average car insurance rates for a 25-year-old female?
A 25-year-old female can expect to pay between $1,200 and $2,000 per year for car insurance. Rates can vary based on location, driving history, and the type of car insured.
How much does the average 25-year-old spend on car insurance annually?
A 25-year-old typically has an annual vehicle insurance expense ranging from $1,000 to $2,000, influenced by their driving record, coverage options, and vehicle type. This falls within the average annual car insurance rates.
What is the average cost of car insurance for a 21-year-old female?
A 21-year-old female usually spends between $1,500 and $3,000 annually on car insurance. The annual car insurance cost can vary significantly depending on driving experience, location, and the average full coverage auto insurance cost.
Is it cheaper to insure a car for pleasure or commute?
How much does insurance cost for a 16-year-old driving a Jeep Wrangler?
What is the average monthly cost of car insurance in Texas?
How do average auto insurance rates vary by ZIP code?
Why is my car insurance $400 a month?
What is the average insurance cost for a Subaru Outback?
What is the average car insurance cost in the USA?
How does Progressive insurance differ for commute vs. pleasure use?
What is the insurance cost for a Toyota 86 if you’re under 25?
Is USAA auto insurance considered expensive?
How much does insurance cost for a Chevrolet Equinox?
What is the average insurance cost for a Jeep Wrangler?
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