The Most and Least Expensive Car Insurance Rates by State

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The average cost for car insurance increased by 20.3% from December 2022 to December 2023, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Wondering how your car insurance rate fares compared to the rest of the country? In this article, we’ll look at standout car insurance rates across the U.S., including:

This article was updated in February 2024 and I review it every 6 months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.

The Most Expensive States for Car Insurance

According to ValuePenguin, “The average cost of full coverage car insurance across the U.S. going into 2024 is $1,984 per year, or about $165 per month.” The company reviewed data from Quadrant Information Services — including “millions of quotes for drivers across the U.S.” — to put together their annual State of Auto Insurance report.

So, which states have the most expensive car insurance rates and just how much more are people paying than average? Here are the top ten most expensive states:

StateAverage Monthly Cost% Over Average
Michigan$386134%
Florida$24951%
Nevada$24750%
Louisiana$22738%
Arizona$22436%
Rhode Island$22033%
Colorado$21228%
Delaware$20725%
Connecticut$19619%
Kentucky$19116%

A few factors that can drive up your rate include living in a state with:

  • High minimum insurance requirements
  • High population density
  • High traffic congestion

Consider Michigan: This state has the highest minimum insurance requirements in the nation! When it comes to liability coverage, Michigan drivers are required to maintain at least:

  • $50,000 bodily injury per person
  • $100,000 bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 property damage per accident outside of Michigan
  • $1 million property protection within Michigan

While some states only have requirements for liability coverage, Michigan requires its drivers to also have at least $250,000 personal injury protection (PIP). But there are exceptions to the PIP coverage limit requirement for Medicare and Medicaid recipients.

Want to know the car insurance requirements for your state? We’ve got a guide to help you figure out how much car insurance you need.

The Least Expensive States for Car Insurance

Even though car insurance rates are rising, there’s a good chance your car insurance costs less than the national average. That’s because — while there’s a handful of states with exceptionally high rates — there are 27 states with average rates that are lower than the nation’s estimated $1,984 per year average.

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Let’s look at the ten states with the least expensive car insurance rates and how much lower car insurance is than average:

StateAverage Monthly Cost% Over Average
Maine$92-44%
New Hampshire$96-42%
Idaho$102-38%
Vermont$103-38%
North Carolina$109-34%
Ohio$111-33%
Wyoming$120-27%
Indiana$126-24%
Wisconsin$128-22%
Washington$128-22%

Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Regardless of whether your state made the top ten most or least expensive list, you might be wondering how it compares overall. Check out the average cost for full coverage car insurance across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. below.

StateAverage Monthly Cost% Over Average
Alabama$1650%
Alaska$136-18%
Arizona$22436%
Arkansas$157-5%
California$156-5%
Colorado$21228%
Connecticut$19619%
Delaware$20725%
Florida$24951%
Georgia$153-7%
Hawaii$137-17%
Idaho$102-38%
Illinois$1767%
Indiana$126-24%
Iowa$139-16%
Kansas$1661%
Kentucky$19116%
Louisiana$22738%
Maine$92-44%
Maryland$1714%
Massachusetts$1724%
Michigan$386134%
Minnesota$157-5%
Mississippi$150-9%
Missouri$159-4%
Montana$18110%
Nebraska$159-4%
Nevada$24750%
New Hampshire$96-42%
New Jersey$1682%
New Mexico$163-1%
New York$1692%
North Carolina$109-34%
North Dakota$155-6%
Ohio$111-33%
Oklahoma$1777%
Oregon$1767%
Pennsylvania$155-6%
Rhode Island$22033%
South Carolina$151-8%
South Dakota$1682%
Tennessee$129-22%
Texas$153-7%
Utah$18814%
Vermont$103-38%
Virginia$1767%
Washington$128-22%
Washington, D.C.$1745%
West Virginia$142-14%
Wisconsin$128-22%
Wyoming$120-27%

Ways To Lower Your Car Insurance

As you’ve seen above, where you live plays a major role in how much you pay for car insurance. And while moving to a new state likely isn’t the most efficient way for you to save on car insurance, there are many other ways to get a lower rate. Here are five money-saving tips to consider:

1. Shop Around for Car Insurance.

Money expert Clark Howard regularly talks about the benefits of re-shopping your car insurance. I followed Clark’s advice on shopping around last year and it saved me $480 on my car insurance! The key to shopping around is identifying companies that have fair rates and a strong customer satisfaction record for handling claims.

“Sometimes you’re better off paying a little more to be with a quality insurer who will be there when the chips are down.”

We’ve got a guide on how to shop for lower car insurance, which includes instructions and tips for each step of the process. And be sure to check out our list of the best auto insurance companies to consider when you’re ready to begin.

2. Raise Your Deductible.

Raising your deductible is another strategy to lower your car insurance rate. Clark advises opting for a deductible of at least $1,000. Increasing your deductible means you’ll pay a lower premium and won’t be tempted to file any unnecessary and/or smaller claims.

But be careful with this tip. You should never make your deductible more than you’ll be able to afford in the event of an accident.

3. Consider Dropping Comprehensive and Collision Coverage.

If you don’t own your car free and clear, skip this tip! But if you’ve paid off your car — and depending on its value — dropping comprehensive and collision coverage might be worth considering.

How can you know if dropping these coverages is worth it for you? First, use a site like KBB, Edmunds or NADA to calculate your car’s value. Then, you’ll need to do a bit of math. When the cost of comprehensive and collision is more than 10% of your car’s value, that’s the time to drop them. Plug your car’s value and the cost of your comprehensive and collision insurance into the formula below when you’re ready to check:

When To Drop Comprehensive & Collision Coverage
Coverage Cost ≥ 10% of Car’s Value = Drop Comprehensive and Collision

There’s one caveat for this tip though: If you won’t be able to afford the cost of repairing or replacing your car in the event of an accident, you should keep the extra coverage.

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4. Improve Your Credit Score.

Working on your credit score is another way to lower your car insurance. According to ValuePenguin, “Poor credit raises rates by 88% compared to having good credit.”

Many car insurance companies use your credit score as a factor to determine your riskiness. Unfortunately, these companies associate a lower credit score with a higher level of risk when it comes to filing claims. And the greater your perceived risk of filing a claim, the higher your car insurance rate.

Want to know how you can improve your credit score? Read our guide on how you can improve your credit score by 100 points in 30 days.

5. Consider Buying a Car That’s Cheaper To Insure.

Price is a major consideration for most people when shopping for a new car or shopping for a used car. But the cost of a car doesn’t stop at its price tag to get it off the lot. You’ll also have to pay for insurance, which will be more or less expensive depending on the type of car you choose.

When calculating how much to charge you on premiums, insurance companies look at claims they’ve paid on cars that are the same or similar models as yours. If your type of car has had historically high repair costs, your car will be more expensive to insure than models with lower repair costs.

Final Thoughts

The state you live in plays a big role in how much you pay for car insurance. That’s because where you live impacts many other factors — like population density and minimum insurance requirements — that determine your rate.

But regardless of where you live, there are things you can do to lower your car insurance rate. For more info and tips, check out our guide on ways to save money on car insurance.

Article Updates

February 2024:

  • Updated all car insurance data — including monthly costs and percentages over average for each state — to reflect changes from 2023 to 2024
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