Auto insurance has become a lot more expensive in the last few years, rising more than 50% since 2020 alone. That’s a noticeable pivot from the earlier years, when pricing trends were far calmer nationwide. And that’s why it’s more important than ever to shop smart and compare average car insurance costs before ever buying a policy.
Across the board, Jerry drivers are paying an average of $2,218 a year for auto insurance, but many different factors go into average car insurance costs. You may fall above or below that average depending on your driving history, location, coverage limits and even the type of vehicle you drive.
More: Jerry analysis: Car insurance affordability nears a breaking point
The average cost of car insurance in the US
State-mandated minimum coverage is the least amount of car insurance coverage you can legally buy, and usually includes some combination of personal property and bodily injury liability. While this can be most affordable option if your goal is just finding the cheapest auto insurance, it also leaves you unprotected against many different risks, and won’t cover your own vehicle after an incident.
Instead, full coverage insurance is the pick for the majority of all drivers, both nationwide (according to the Insurance Information Institute) and among those who buy through Jerry. This coverage can protect you and your vehicle against loss, whether you’re at-fault for an accident or you’re hit by an uninsured driver.
Through Jerry, the average cost of car insurance for all US drivers is
-
$79 a month and $956 a year for state minimum coverage.
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$162 a month and $1,884 a year for basic full coverage.
Adding other types of car insurance to your policy or bumping your coverage limits will usually increase these prices.
So, how much is car insurance going to cost you today? Here are some recent quotes we’ve found for full coverage insurance and how much Jerry drivers typically save.
Recent quotes nationwide
Savings depend on coverage and other factors. Potential savings will vary.
Learn more: How to find cheap car insurance
Why the average cost of auto insurance doesn’t always match your rate
Car insurance is one of the most personalized financial products around, personally tailored to you and your needs. They take into account your car, driving history, location, coverage limits, other drivers in your household and sometimes even your credit score.
- Age and driving experience. Whether you’re young or just new to driving, experience matters. Drivers aged 18 to 20 pay an average $459 per month for full coverage, well above the national average. As they gain experience behind the wheel and avoid violations, prices tend to decrease.
- Driving history: Accidents, tickets and DUI convictions generally impact car insurance prices for at least three years, potentially longer for serious violations. Not all companies penalize these infractions the same, so it’s wise to compare rates from both large and small insurers once a violation is on record.
- Location: Densely populated cities tend to have more accidents, thefts and vandalism than rural or suburban areas, which often means higher car insurance rates. In states like Michigan and Florida, local insurance laws can also play a disproportionate role in high prices, as can weather and fire hazards.
- Vehicle type: The make, model, age and safety features of your car don’t just help determine its sticker price, but also your insurance rate. Sports cars and luxury vehicles usually cost more to insure than sedans or SUVs due to higher repair or replacement costs.
- Credit score: Insurers can use a version of credit scoring called an insurance score to set auto insurance rates in any state except California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan. This version of the score places less emphasis on credit history and emphasizes on-time payments and debt.
Read more about the best car insurance companies
The average cost of car insurance for different driver groups
While all those personal characteristics can raise or lower car insurance premiums, they don’t affect costs evenly. Insurance companies also value each of these traits and factors differently, depending on their customer base and number of risky drivers they can afford to take on.
Average car insurance rates by age
Age is generally a larger factor for younger drivers than those in the middle stages of life, but rates tick up again for older drivers as they age. Both young and older drivers have higher crash rates and more fatalities per crash than other ages. This translates to higher average car insurance costs across these age groups.
|
Driver age
|
Average monthly cost
|
|---|
|
Driver age
|
Average monthly cost
|
|---|---|
| 18-20 | $612 |
| 21-24 | $452 |
| 25-34 | $358 |
| 35-44 | $302 |
| 45-54 | $273 |
| 55-64 | $249 |
| 65+ | $249 |
Average auto insurance costs by car type
More affordable cars tend to have lower insurance costs because parts are usually less expensive, repairs are simpler and replacement values are lower. That can reduce claim costs after a crash and translate to lower average car insurance premiums.
These are the least expensive vehicle makes among Jerry drivers, listed by average car insurance quote.
Makes with the lowest average car insurance cost
|
Make
|
Average monthly cost
|
Average annual cost
|
|---|
|
Make
|
Average monthly cost
|
Average annual cost
|
|---|---|---|
| $114 | $1,372 | |
| $126 | $1,517 | |
| $143 | $1,721 | |
| $158 | $1,902 | |
| $166 | $1,995 | |
| $186 | $2,234 | |
| $192 | $2,299 | |
| $192 | $2,300 | |
| $197 | $2,366 | |
| $202 | $2,423 |
On the other hand, high-tech cars and sports or luxury vehicles tend to have costly parts that are expensive to replace and may require specialized labor. This can drive up claim costs after a crash and translate to higher average car insurance premiums for these cars. Below are the most expensive vehicle makes for Jerry drivers in terms of average car insurance costs.
Makes with the highest average car insurance cost
|
Make
|
Average monthly cost
|
Average annual cost
|
|---|
|
Make
|
Average monthly cost
|
Average annual cost
|
|---|---|---|
| $1,061 | $12,729 | |
| $909 | $10,910 | |
| $906 | $10,870 | |
| $872 | $10,464 | |
| $802 | $9,628 | |
| $683 | $8,191 | |
| $646 | $7,756 | |
| $610 | $7,321 | |
| $593 | $7,112 | |
| $587 | $7,048 |
Average car insurance rates by driving history
Driving violations can be costly, whether it’s for speeding, DUI or reckless driving. And as the number of driving violations on your record goes up, so does your average car insurance cost.
The impact of a less-than-perfect driving record on your cost of car insurance varies based on the type of ticket, how long it’s been and how many violations you have. Here’s how much Jerry drivers pay for coverage, on average, after certain driving violations.
|
Violation
|
Average monthly cost
|
Average annual cost
|
|---|
|
Violation
|
Average monthly cost
|
Average annual cost
|
|---|---|---|
| Failure to Obey Traffic Sign | $319 | $3,833 |
| Open Container | $318 | $3,822 |
| Wrong Way/Wrong Lane | $318 | $3,816 |
| Driving on Sus. License | $312 | $3,746 |
| Improper Passing | $308 | $3,697 |
| DUI | $302 | $3,620 |
| Speeding over 15 | $295 | $3,545 |
| Illegal Turn | $293 | $3,518 |
| Speeding under 15 | $286 | $3,431 |
| Careless Driving | $268 | $3,216 |
| Passing School Bus | $266 | $3,189 |
| Reckless Driving | $264 | $3,166 |
| Eluding Police | $233 | $2,795 |
| Defective Equipment | $220 | $2,645 |
| Seat Belt | $212 | $2,549 |
| Leaving scene of an Accident/Hit and Run | $116 | $1,386 |
Insurers treat accidents differently from other violations, and you can expect your premiums to be affected depending on whether you were at fault or caused any injuries.
A serious accident isn’t a life sentence to higher rates, but they do tend to increase rates more and for a longer time if there was an injury involved.
|
Type of accident
|
Average monthly cost
|
Average annual cost
|
|---|
|
Type of accident
|
Average monthly cost
|
Average annual cost
|
|---|---|---|
| $203 | $2,432 | |
| Not At Fault | $331 | $3,972 |
| At Fault With Injury | $345 | $4,144 |
| At Fault With No Injury | $357 | $4,281 |
| $308 | $3,697 | |
| $302 | $3,620 | |
| $295 | $3,545 | |
| $293 | $3,518 | |
| $286 | $3,431 | |
| $268 | $3,216 | |
| $266 | $3,189 | |
| $264 | $3,166 | |
| $233 | $2,795 | |
| $220 | $2,645 | |
| $212 | $2,549 | |
| $116 | $1,386 |
Average car insurance rates by state
Your location plays a big role in your cost for auto insurance. Some states are more populated with busy highways, and therefore pose more risk to drivers. Others might be prone to natural disasters, higher rates of theft or have above-average numbers of uninsured drivers.
Here’s a look at how your state can affect what you pay for auto insurance.
|
State
|
Average monthly cost
|
Average annual cost
|
|---|
|
State
|
Average monthly cost
|
Average annual cost
|
|---|---|---|
| $91 | $1,087 | |
| $92 | $1,102 | |
| $126 | $1,518 | |
| $139 | $1,665 | |
| $140 | $1,675 | |
| $142 | $1,701 | |
| $149 | $1,786 | |
| $165 | $1,982 | |
| $169 | $2,031 | |
| $170 | $2,040 | |
| $174 | $2,089 | |
| $178 | $2,135 | |
| $180 | $2,162 | |
| $184 | $2,214 | |
| $185 | $2,219 | |
| $190 | $2,281 | |
| $192 | $2,300 | |
| $192 | $2,308 | |
| $195 | $2,342 | |
| $197 | $2,368 | |
| $200 | $2,405 | |
| $206 | $2,468 | |
| $208 | $2,491 | |
| $217 | $2,603 | |
| $218 | $2,620 | |
| $224 | $2,686 | |
| $226 | $2,709 | |
| $233 | $2,794 | |
| $237 | $2,841 | |
| $244 | $2,928 | |
| $248 | $2,979 | |
| $250 | $2,995 | |
| $255 | $3,061 | |
| $265 | $3,184 | |
| $266 | $3,191 | |
| $278 | $3,334 | |
| $278 | $3,341 | |
| $289 | $3,466 | |
| $294 | $3,531 | |
| $295 | $3,544 | |
| $298 | $3,570 | |
| $312 | $3,747 | |
| $317 | $3,804 | |
| $330 | $3,962 | |
| $346 | $4,155 | |
| $374 | $4,490 | |
| $382 | $4,585 | |
| $409 | $4,910 | |
| $589 | $7,072 |
Average auto insurance prices by credit score
Many states allow insurers to use drivers’ credit histories to help set car insurance rates. Some research has shown a correlation between lower credit scores and higher rates of car insurance claims claims. A driver’s credit score can also give carriers a snapshot into their history of on-time payments, which is critical for insurance; if a policy lapses, coverage becomes void.
Here’s a breakdown of Jerry drivers and their average auto insurance rates by credit score.
|
Credit score
|
Average monthly cost
|
Average annual cost
|
|---|
|
Credit score
|
Average monthly cost
|
Average annual cost
|
|---|---|---|
| 750+ | $264 | $3,173 |
| 660-750 | $293 | $3,519 |
| 550-659 | $297 | $3,562 |
| <550 | $299 | $3,583 |
| $140 | $1,675 | |
| $142 | $1,701 | |
| $149 | $1,786 | |
| $165 | $1,982 | |
| $169 | $2,031 | |
| $170 | $2,040 | |
| $174 | $2,089 | |
| $178 | $2,135 | |
| $180 | $2,162 | |
| $184 | $2,214 | |
| $185 | $2,219 | |
| $190 | $2,281 | |
| $192 | $2,300 | |
| $192 | $2,308 | |
| $195 | $2,342 | |
| $197 | $2,368 | |
| $200 | $2,405 | |
| $206 | $2,468 | |
| $208 | $2,491 | |
| $217 | $2,603 | |
| $218 | $2,620 | |
| $224 | $2,686 | |
| $226 | $2,709 | |
| $233 | $2,794 | |
| $237 | $2,841 | |
| $244 | $2,928 | |
| $248 | $2,979 | |
| $250 | $2,995 | |
| $255 | $3,061 | |
| $265 | $3,184 | |
| $266 | $3,191 | |
| $278 | $3,334 | |
| $278 | $3,341 | |
| $289 | $3,466 | |
| $294 | $3,531 | |
| $295 | $3,544 | |
| $298 | $3,570 | |
| $312 | $3,747 | |
| $317 | $3,804 | |
| $330 | $3,962 | |
| $346 | $4,155 | |
| $374 | $4,490 | |
| $382 | $4,585 | |
| $409 | $4,910 | |
| $589 | $7,072 |
Learn more about credit-based insurance scores
How get car insurance premiums below the average
Of course, driving safely to avoid tickets and accidents is a no-brainer way to avoid high car insurance rates. But there are also some less obvious ways to make sure you’re getting the best price you can.
- Shop around: Comparing auto insurance quotes from multiple insurance carriers gives you the best idea of the companies most likely to provide you a low price. Jerry can help you do this online in just minutes.
- Bundle policies: Most carriers offer discounts for buying two or more policies from the same company. You can also get a bundled rate if you shop for both at once through Jerry, even if your policies ultimately come from two different insurers.
- Improve your credit: Pay bills on time and reduce debt as much as you reasonably can to build a strong credit history. Unlike the other tips in this list, a better credit score can lower some of your other bills in the future, too.
- Be discount savvy: Step one is making sure your current auto insurance policy has all applicable discounts for you and your family included, which you can do by checking with an agent or customer service rep. To level up your prowess, check if there’s a temporary price reduction — such as a new customer discount — that will soon fall off and cause your rate to increase at renewal.
The outlook: Car insurance in 2026 and beyond
With average car insurance prices riding a yearslong surge, it can feel like no relief is in sight. As for the future of auto insurance pricing, a lot of it will involve insurers using data and technical innovations behind the scenes to improve risk assessments, but many of these changes will affect consumers directly.
- Usage-based insurance: Many insurers use a technology called telematics to collect driving behavior and are offering discounts for safer drivers. Others offer pay-as-you-drive policies that only charge drivers per mile, plus a preset base rate.
- Inflation: Repair and part replacement costs during and after the pandemic were one reason prices rose so strikingly right afterward, due to inflation on parts caused by supply issues. Inflation is still high, which may keep premiums elevated unless claims requiring auto repair decrease significantly.
- Electric vehicles: As EV market share grows, insurers must adjust their risk models accordingly because certain parts, such as car batteries for electric vehicles, are much more expensive than their gas-fueled counterparts.
- Artificial intelligence: The insurance industry, over 300 years old now, is known for being slow to adapt to new advancements and technology — and AI is no exception. Yet in a complex industry where prices are algorithmically determined, it’s only a matter of time until carriers that avoid AI will be left in the dust.
- Climate threats: From fires in the west to hurricanes in the southeast, extreme weather in the U.S. is at an all-time high in recent years. These catastrophic losses lead to price increases not just for consumers in the affected region, but for customers across the affected state and companies as well.
Methodology
Data included in this analysis comes from policies that Jerry has quoted within the last 6 months for drivers with a clean record and that have full coverage, unless stated otherwise. Data related to violations, accidents or credit scores pull from quote data from the last 18 months. Jerry services 48 states and offers a range of insurance companies to choose from.
Lacie Glover is a Lead Writer and Editor with sixteen years’ experience in the insurance category. Prior to Jerry, she spent more than a decade on NerdWallet’s content team writing, editing and then overseeing the auto insurance category, as well as dabbling in other insurance and automotive topics. Prior to her career in the online personal finance content space, Lacie spent time in the hard sciences, in clinical research and chemistry labs. She has a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University.
Annie is a writer and editor at Jerry with more than a decade of experience writing and editing digital content. Before joining Jerry, she was an assistant assigning editor at NerdWallet. Her past work has appeared in the Associated Press, USA Today and The Washington Post. Her work has been cited by Northwestern University and Harvard Kennedy School. Annie served as a spokesperson for NerdWallet during her time at NerdWallet and has been featured in New York Magazine, MarketWatch and on local television and radio stations.
Previously, she worked at USAA and newspapers in Minnesota, North Dakota, California and Texas. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota.
