Check How Much Insurance Will Be on a Car

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By using our car insurance calculator, you can estimate your car insurance rate, which helps you map out your finances and provides you with a baseline cost, based on your driver profile. The cost of car insurance is a major component of any household budget, so it's wise to know what you can expect to pay. This is helpful when shopping for a policy, so you don't overpay. It's also critical when shopping for a car, as you'll need to include insurance costs in your car-buying budget.

Key Highlights

• Use our Car Insurance Estimator to get a great idea of what to expect for your car insurance costs.
• After getting an initial estimate, make sure you compare car insurance quotes before making any big changes. This way, you will know how much your premium might change and you can budget for it accordingly.
• The average rate for state minimum coverage is $574, based on Carinsurance.com's analysis of rates from up to six major insurance companies for nearly all ZIP codes.
• Insurance providers use factors like geographical location, age, credit history, marital status etc., to determine your car insurance rates.

Get quick insurance estimates for your car in five easy steps by using this car insurance calculator that provides rates for three coverage levels based on your personal profile.

Here's how it works:

• Enter your ZIP code
• Indicate if you are currently insured by selecting "yes" or "no"
• Answer whether you own, lease or finance your car
• Select your age
• Indicate if you own a home by selecting "yes" or "no"

Your estimate will show the average monthly rate for three coverage levels, and which one is recommended, based on your selections.

YOUR ESTIMATED CAR INSURANCE PLANS

Sorry we don't have the insurance rate for the zip code. Here is the insurance rate for your nearby zip .

BEST PRICE

State Minimum

--- * /MO.

Bodily Injury

$25k/$50K

Property Damage

$15k

Collision

Comprehensive

BEST PRICE

Standard Liability

--- * /MO.

Bodily Injury

$50k/$100K

Property Damage

$50k

Collision

Comprehensive

RECOMMENDED

BEST PROTECTION

Full Coverage

--- * /MO.

Bodily Injury

$100k/$300K

Property Damage

$100k

Collision

Comprehensive

* In the table above for State Minimum Protection, we are showing only BI and PD for minimum requirements but that the rate shown in State Minimum Protection includes all coverage your state requires. You can find more details about your state here at Minimum Requirements by States. "State minimum" and "Standard Liability" policies are typically minimum or low-limit policies, providing bare-bones coverage. While these policies have lower rates, we recommend higher limits to ensure sufficient coverage should an accident or vehicle damage occur. "Full Coverage" policies will provide better coverage for you and your vehicle, as they have higher liability limits, plus include coverage for your vehicle through collision and comprehensive insurance. These policies offer the most financial protection should you have to file a claim.

Our team of expert data and consumer analysts will explain what you need to know to get an idea of what your rates will be for car insurance coverage. We'll also provide the tools and information you need to get customized estimates for the coverage you need. Additionally, you'll learn about the key factors that affect how much you pay for car insurance.

Average cost based on driving records

Driver demographic	Monthly car insurance estimate
Safe driver, good credit	$120
Driver with bad credit	$201
Driver with recent accident	$150
Driver with DUI	$214
Driver with recent moving violation	$144
Driver adding teen to policy	$290

Average car insurance premiums based on vehicle type

Based on a car insurance rate analysis of over 4,000 makes and models, here are monthly coverage costs by vehicle type:

• Car -- $184 per month
• Truck -- $145 per month
• SUV -- $150 per month
• Van -- $126 per month
• Convertibles -- $206 per month
• Tesla Model 3 -- $186

Average car insurance premiums by age

If you keep a clean record after age 25, rates typically stay relatively stable until you become a senior driver, when crash rates go up and premiums begin to rise again. Below you'll find estimates for average increases  by age.

Age	State minimum	50/100/50	100/300/100
20	$1,102	$1,261	$3,214
21	$875	$1,001	$2,516
22	$794	$906	$2,288
23	$732	$834	$2,116
24	$684	$779	$1,982
25	$608	$691	$1,745
35	$552	$627	$1,564
45	$525	$596	$1,469
55	$494	$560	$1,363
65	$515	$585	$1,402
75	$630	$718	$1,651
85	$778	$887	$1,987

How to estimate car insurance costs

For initial budgeting purposes and to get an idea of what to expect for costs, you can begin by using our car insurance calculator. Next, we advise that you do an auto insurance quote comparison between several auto insurance companies before making life changes, so you'll be aware of how your insurance policy premium may change and can budget for it appropriately, or switch to a provider that offers a better price given your new situation. Here's how:

Decide how much car insurance coverage you need

The three main types of car insurance you should understand are:

Liability car insurance

Covers others' property damage and medical expenses. If you have few assets, you don't need high limits. If you own a home or have savings, you do --  100/300/300 is recommended. That means $100,000 per person, up to $300,000 an accident for medical bills for those injured in an accident you cause, and $100,000 for property damage that you cause.

If you want the cheapest car insurance possible when comparison shopping, look for liability coverage only, and in the amount your state requires for you to legally drive. Be warned, however, that many state minimum liability requirements are typically so low that an accident might leave any assets you have, such as a home or savings, vulnerable to lawsuits. Also, liability insurance doesn't cover damage to your car.

Collision coverage

Covers damage to your car, regardless of fault. This pays out up to the actual cash value of your car if it is found to be a total loss after an auto accident.

Comprehensive insurance

Covers theft and damage to your car from hail, floods, fire, vandalism and animal strikes. Like collision coverage, this will pay you up to the amount your car is valued at the moment before the incident that caused it to be totaled.

You may not need comprehensive and collision coverage if your car is more than ten-years-old and not worth much. But, comprehensive and collision coverage are typically very affordable, so it may be wise to carry these optional coverages.

A comprehensive car insurance analysis by CarInsurance.com shows the national average cost per year for comprehensive coverage is $192. For collision, it's $526.

Also, decide now what deductible makes sense for your situation. One of the best ways to save on auto insurance costs is to raise your deductible for collision and comprehensive insurance, but remember that if you have a claim, that deductible will be your out-of-pocket expense to repair or replace your car. If you have more than one claim, you'll have to pay the deductible each time. We recommend you choose an amount that you can pay from savings. Your car won't be repaired until you pay your share.

How to get accurate estimates: Compare car insurance quotes on the same auto insurance coverage from at least three companies

Request rates from at least three different insurers. Be sure to compare the same car insurance coverage by using the same liability limits, identical deductibles and optional coverages.

How much auto insurance coverage do I need?

Each state requires that you have liability car insurance to drive legally. However, the amount state-mandated liability insurance pays out for accidents may not be enough to cover the expenses, leaving you to pay the difference.

Those state-mandated minimums also don't cover your own car. For those reasons, Senior Consumer Analyst Penny Gusner recommends increasing your protection to higher bodily injury liability limits and higher property damage liability limits: $100,000 per person, up to $300,000 an accident for medical bills for those injured in an accident you cause, and $100,000 for property damage that you cause. She also advises you to carry the optional coverage types of collision and comprehensive to pay for damage to your own car.

For cost-conscious consumers with older vehicles, it may not be worth the money to insure against damage to your car. Friedlander suggests that you "consider dropping collision and/or comprehensive coverages on older vehicles. If your car is worth less than 10 times the premium that you are paying for these additional coverages, purchasing these coverages may not be cost effective. However, if you take this route, be prepared to pay for all related losses out of pocket."

How do I lower car insurance rates?

Gusner and Friedlander offer the following expert tips to lower the cost of car insurance without sacrificing coverage.

1. Be sure to get all discounts for which you qualify applied to your coverage. Friedlander points out that there are several things that may qualify you for a discount, including anti-theft devices, driving courses, loyalty (discounts for long-time customers), multiple vehicles on the same policy or freedom from accidents and moving violations for three years.
2. Hike your deductible. Friedlander notes that "collision and comprehensive coverages each include a separate deductible. Raising your deductible from $500 to $1,000 can reduce your insurance policy premium by up to 40% on these additional coverages.
3. Comparison shop with various auto insurance companies, at least upon renewal, or after a life event, such as getting married, moving, buying a new car, having a car accident, but ideally every six months. Friedlander recommends that you "get at least three price quotes. You can call companies directly, access information online or work with an insurance agent who can obtain the quotes for you and help you compare."
4. Maintain a clean driving record and check your driving record for accuracy, fix any errors.
5. Check safety ratings and buy a vehicle that's considered safe by insurance companies.
6. Buy just liability car insurance if you have an old car and few assets.
7. Maintain good credit record, work diligently to fix bad credit.
8. Buy your car insurance and home insurance from the same company. "You could reap savings of 20% or more on each policy depending on the insurer," says Friedlander.
9. Ask about insurance through a group plan from alumni, professional and business organizations.
10. Install safety and anti-theft features on your car.
11. Maintain a good insurance record by avoiding unnecessary auto insurance claims.

Read our expert's recommendation on 'How to lower car insurance rates'

Getting a car insurance estimate without personal information

Here, we've provided lots of car insurance cost estimates, as well as a tool that gives more customized estimates, based on a thorough analysis of different driver profiles, vehicle models and rates for nearly all ZIP codes. That means you have an idea of what you'll pay without having to provide any personal information. However, when getting actual quotes from insurance companies, you'll typically have to provide at least the following:

• Your license number
• Vehicle identification number
• Your address, or where the car is kept when not on the road

Other frequently asked questions - Answered by our experts

You've got more questions? Great news! Our experts have the answers. Below, you'll find some other commonly asked questions people ask as they seek to understand their car insurance costs.

What are the factors that affect car insurance rates?

A variety of rating factors determine how much you will pay for car insurance. Which factors are used depends on state laws and internal guidelines of the car insurance companies you receive quotes from.

In general, the main rating factors affecting car insurance premiums are:

• Type of car
• Age & years of driving experience
• Geographic location
• Marital status
• Driving record
• Annual mileage
• Credit history
• Chosen coverage, limits and deductibles

Why some cars are cheaper to insure than others?

Auto insurers track which cars have the most wrecks and the worst injury records. Those factors impact the cost you pay for liability insurance -- which covers the damage you cause to others.

Insurers also know which cars are expensive to buy, expensive to repair or more easily stolen. Those factors drive up the cost of collision and comprehensive coverage, which repairs or replaces your own car.

The calculations about the risk of a certain car are made independently. For example, if you are an inexperienced driver in a car with a poor claims record, you are penalized twice. A more mature driver in the same car would pay a surcharge for the car, but not one for inexperience.

Insurers can also choose not to cover certain types or brands of cars. For example, some won't insure a lifted pickup truck, a kit car or certain exotic cars. Here are average rates for 2021 vehicles by type:

• Vans: $1,443
• Trucks: $1,684
• SUVs: $1,729
• Tesla Model 3: $2,917
• Cars: $2,164
• Electric vehicles: $2,407
• Convertibles: $2,427

How much does my age affect my car insurance rates?

Auto insurers penalize inexperience rather than age. The less experienced the driver, the higher the rates. That's because statistically, inexperienced drivers crash – a lot – and so they are the riskiest category of drivers to insure. Car insurance rates reflect this high risk.

Of course, the vast majority of inexperienced drivers are teenagers and those under age 25. So, young drivers pay significantly more, in general, than older drivers. Rates are cheapest for drivers in their 40s, 50s and 60s, and then increase again a bit at age 70.

Rates for 16-year-olds can double or even triple their parents' car insurance annual premiums.  CarInsurance.com rate data show  the following:

• Adding a 16-year-old girl to  parents' policy hikes rates by 125%, or $1,872, on average, a year
• Adding a 16-year-old boy to parents' policy increases rates by 160%, or $2,292 on average, a year

Does my address affect what I pay for insurance?

If you live in a highly populated urban area, congestion, accidents and insurance claims are more prevalent. Living and driving in a metro area will make your rates higher than if you live in a rural area, where having an auto accident is less likely.

Car insurance companies look at factors such as the rate of stolen cars in your area, and the number of cases of vandalism, claims and fraudulent claims. All of this helps insurers discern the risk associated with insuring your car in that ZIP code, whether you ever have made a claim or not.

All other factors equal, your ZIP code can change your rate by hundreds of dollars.

How does my marital status affect my car insurance rate?

Car insurance companies say that married couples have been found to have fewer accidents and claims than single drivers do, which is why married drivers pay less than single drivers.

Rates can be from 8% to 15% lower for married couples just because of their marital status. But there are also other car insurance discounts married couples can look forward to when they combine their policies, such as a multi-car discount, or a multi-policy discount if they have a renters or homeowners policy with the same insurer.

An insurer considers you single if you have never been married, or are widowed or divorced.

How much does my driving record impact my car insurance rate?

Your driving record is paramount to your car insurance company. Safe drivers get a discount from standard rates for keeping a clean driving record. On the flip side, individuals who have a moving violation (speeding or a DUI, for example) or an accident on their motor vehicle record are more of a risk and can face a surcharge on top of standard rates.

If you have enough violations or accidents, you can become uninsurable according to some car insurance companies underwriting rules. For example, some insurers reject anyone with four or more chargeable accidents in three years, or more than three DUIs in seven years, or more than 15 points on the driver's motor vehicle record.

In general, a minor violation such as a speeding ticket can boost your rates, on average, by 20% to 43%. If you have a major violation like a DUI, your rates can go up 80% or more. The more risk you appear to be to your auto insurer, the more you will pay. That's why it's important to how to check your driving record and fix any errors.

How much does my commute matter?

Your car's annual mileage is a rating factor for many car insurance companies. The less you drive, the less risk you have of being in an accident. Also, how far you drive for your commute lets the insurer know what kind of risk you are at during the congested, high-risk hours.

Your insurer can also use the length of your commute to determine if you head into a metro area from your rural or suburban home. If you live outside of Los Angeles, but your commute is 30 miles, your insurer can predict that although your local area is low-risk, your commute into the heart of a very populated metropolitan area pushes your risk factor much higher.

Those who commute less than 15 miles each way daily pay 8% less, on average, compared to drivers with longer commutes, a CarInsurance.com analysis found.

How does mileage affect car insurance rates?

If you qualify as a low-mileage driver, you generally pay lower rates. So, what's considered low mileage? If you drive 12,000 miles a year, or less, your insurance company will typically consider that to be lower than average, and you'll likely pay a lower rate than those who drive more than that. Some insurers, however, make the low-mileage cut-off at 10,000 miles yearly and wait to hand out bigger discounts if you're under that number of annual miles. To get the best low-mileage discounts, which are about 8% on average, you typically must drive under 7,000 or 5,000 miles annually.

Based on a Los Angeles driver with a full coverage policy, the cost of a policy when the driver logged 20,000 or more miles was 36% more expensive than if just 5,000 miles were driven a year. In our example, the driver with less than 5,000 miles would save around $750 compare to the driver that was on the road for 20,000 miles or more.

Why should my credit history count?

Insurance companies routinely check your credit rating as part of your application process, except in California, Massachusetts and Hawaii, where state law prohibits credit from being a pricing factor.

Credit scores help the insurance companies assess the risk level of a potential customer. Research has shown that those with lower credit scores (typically under 600) are more likely to file claims..

Those with low scores may face a surcharge.

Drivers with poor credit pay a rate that is 71%higher on average than a driver with good credit. That's about $1,000 more a year, a new CarInsurance.com rate analysis shows. It's more than twice as much as the average premium hike (32%, or $455 annually) for an accident, according to CarInsurance.com's data.

Your credit score can also affect how an insurance company allows you to pay for your policy, since statistics show that people with lower credit scores are more likely to miss a payment. Customers with very poor credit scores may be required to pay the entire premium for a six-month policy up front. Customers with low credit scores sometimes won't qualify for monthly billing, or they may need to pay a large percentage of the policy up front and the remainder monthly.

Are some types of coverage more expensive?

There are several types of car insurance. The more coverage you get, the more you will pay. If you get a bare-bones liability policy that covers only what the state requires, your car insurance costs are going to be less than if you bought coverage that would repair your own car, too.

Liability coverage tends to cost more because the amount the insurance company risks is higher. Coverage for collision and comprehensive insurance is limited by the replacement cost of the car itself. But medical bills and multiple-car accidents could push a liability claim into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

If you don't have enough liability coverage, you could be sued for the difference by anyone you injure.

Comprehensive and collision damage is affected by the deductible you choose. The higher the deductible, the less the insurance company will have to pay -- and the lower your rates.

Medical coverage, such as uninsured motorist bodily injury, medical payments or personal injury protection (PIP), will cause your rates to go up. Without some kind of medical coverage, if you don't have health insurance elsewhere, you might not be able to pay for treatment if you are injured in an accident you caused.

How much is car insurance per year?

Here's how much the average driver, with good credit and a clean driving record, would pay for the following coverage amounts, based on Car Insurance.com's analysis of rates from up to six major insurers for nearly all ZIP codes:

• The average rate for state minimum coverage is $574.
• The average rate for 50/100/50 is $644.
• The average rate for 100/300/100, with comprehensive and collision and a $500 deductible is $1,758.
• Bumping state minimum up to 50/100/50 costs just $70, so it's just about $6 a month -- which is super cheap.
• Going to 100/300/100 from 50/100/50 costs $1,114, so about $93 a month, to double your liability protection.

Are free car insurance estimates reliable?

Yes, if they are based on a rate analysis. But remember that an estimate is just that: it is a ballpark figure of what you can expect to pay. This makes you an educated consumer who can make better decisions while buying coverage. However, your actual rate will be based on the factors we've described here as well as each insurance company's unique formula for assessing risk and pricing policies.

For ballpark estimates on your car insurance costs, read our explanations here. For more details, we have several helpful articles listed below.

More auto insurance calculators

We have several other car insurance calculators that may help you if you're looking for more information. If you're more interested in finding out average rates in your neighborhood, our car insurance coverage calculator provides rates by ZIP code for three coverage levels for ages 16 to 75. If you are in the market for a used car, you can use our car insurance calculator that shows rates for over 3,500 used car models from 2006 to 2019, and try our car loan calculator to see how financing will work for you. Moving? Find out how your rate will be impacted by checking out our "Will my insurance go up if I move?" calculator.

Related articles & guides

• Most and least expensive ZIP codes for car insurance: Why location matters
• How your car insurance is affected by tickets and points
• Average car insurance rates by age
• Average car insurance savings in every state
• How much is car insurance?

Methodology for Our Car Insurance Estimator tool:

CarInsurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to provide a report of average auto insurance rates for a 2017 Honda Accord for nearly every ZIP code in the United States. We calculated rates using data for up to six large carriers. Averages for customized rates are based on drivers' ages and gender for the following coverage levels: state minimum liability, liability of 50/100/50 and 100/300/100 with $500 deductible on comprehensive and collision. These hypothetical drivers have clean records and good credit. Average rates are for comparative purposes. Your own rate will depend on your personal factors and vehicle.

Check How Much Insurance Will Be on a Car

Source: https://www.carinsurance.com/car-insurance-estimator.aspx

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