Auto insurance rates by state change drastically based on your ZIP code and other factors. See how your state ranks for average insurance rates and which states have the cheapest and most expensive auto insurance.
Written by: Erik Martin Contributing ResearcherErik J. Martin is a Chicago area-based freelance writer whose articles have been published by AARP The Magazine, The Motley Fool, The Costco Connection, USAA, US Chamber of Commerce, Bankrate, The Chicago Tribune, and other publications. He often writes on topics related to insurance, real estate, personal finance, business, technology, health care, and entertainment. Erik also hosts a podcast and publishes several blogs, including Martinspiration.com and Cineversegroup.com.
Laura Longero Executive EditorLaura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.
Reviewed by: Dr. Siwei Gao Industry ExpertDr. Gao is the director of Principles of Risk & Insurance, which she teaches at Eastern Kentucky University.
When it comes to car insurance, the cost of a policy varies wildly depending on what state you live in. Drivers in Louisiana and Florida pay the most for car insurance nationwide, while drivers in Maine and New Hampshire have the cheapest car insurance.
Every state has its own car insurance laws and requirements, and that’s another reason why car insurance rates by state vary dramatically. Auto insurers assign risk levels to ZIP codes based on the frequency of thefts, collisions and vandalism to gauge the likelihood of such incidents in an area.
Other pricing factors, such as your driving record, the type of car you drive, desired coverage types and limits and your age are added into the equation. Keep reading to learn how much car insurance costs in each state.
Key HighlightsErik J. Martin is a Chicago area-based freelance writer whose articles have been published by AARP The Magazine, The Motley Fool, The Costco Connection, USAA, US Chamber of Commerce, Bankrate, The Chicago Tribune, and other publications. He often writes on topics related to insurance, real estate, personal finance, business, technology, health care, and entertainment. Erik also hosts a podcast and publishes several blogs, including Martinspiration.com and Cineversegroup.com.
Laura Longero Executive EditorLaura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.
Reviewed by: Dr. Siwei Gao Industry ExpertDr. Gao is the director of Principles of Risk & Insurance, which she teaches at Eastern Kentucky University.
Table of Contents Table of ContentsCarInsurance.com gathered car insurance premium data from every state for nearly every ZIP, so you can see how much you can expect to pay for car insurance. The editors included data on which states offer the cheapest car insurance by state, on average, and which states have the most expensive car insurance.
The national average annual cost for a full-coverage policy is $1,895, but laws in your state and your driving profile and vehicle profile can cause rates to vary.
The editors’ findings might surprise you. Some of the states with the lowest average annual car insurance premium rates are states where the cost of living, on average, is higher. Some of the smallest and least-populated states in the nation rank among the 10 states with the highest average annual car insurance premium rates.
See the table below for the car insurance rates by state at different coverage levels.
| State | Average annual premium | Highest rate | Lowest rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $1,676 | $2,241 | $1,154 |
| Alabama | $1,860 | $2,681 | $1,272 |
| Arkansas | $1,957 | $3,077 | $1,075 |
| Arizona | $1,812 | $2,529 | $1,248 |
| California | $2,416 | $3,133 | $1,790 |
| Colorado | $2,337 | $3,807 | $1,361 |
| Connecticut | $1,725 | $2,591 | $602 |
| Washington, D.C. | $2,157 | $3,817 | $1,221 |
| Delaware | $2,063 | $3,365 | $1,411 |
| Florida | $2,694 | $3,787 | $1,981 |
| Georgia | $1,970 | $2,865 | $1,449 |
| Hawaii | $1,517 | $1,966 | $1,062 |
| Iowa | $1,630 | $2,594 | $1,130 |
| Idaho | $1,428 | $2,453 | $733 |
| Illinois | $1,532 | $2,739 | $930 |
| Indiana | $1,515 | $2,346 | $778 |
| Kansas | $1,900 | $2,965 | $1,135 |
| Kentucky | $2,228 | $3,312 | $1,649 |
| Louisiana | $2,883 | $3,730 | $1,860 |
| Massachusetts | $1,726 | $2,740 | $689 |
| Maryland | $1,746 | $3,190 | $1,034 |
| Maine | $1,175 | $1,698 | $674 |
| Michigan | $2,352 | $3,777 | $1,448 |
| Minnesota | $1,911 | $2,878 | $1,307 |
| Missouri | $1,982 | $3,285 | $1,073 |
| Mississippi | $2,008 | $2,928 | $1,259 |
| Montana | $2,193 | $3,080 | $919 |
| North Carolina | $1,741 | $2,899 | $1,049 |
| North Dakota | $1,665 | $2,448 | $815 |
| Nebraska | $1,902 | $2,787 | $1,160 |
| New Hampshire | $1,265 | $2,138 | $777 |
| New Jersey | $1,902 | $2,438 | $1,310 |
| New Mexico | $2,049 | $3,404 | $1,042 |
| Nevada | $2,060 | $2,981 | $1,357 |
| New York | $1,870 | $3,136 | $1,009 |
| Ohio | $1,417 | $1,980 | $945 |
| Oklahoma | $2,138 | $3,300 | $1,186 |
| Oregon | $1,678 | $3,040 | $1,129 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,872 | $2,629 | $925 |
| Rhode Island | $2,061 | $3,508 | $1,142 |
| South Carolina | $2,009 | $3,165 | $1,424 |
| South Dakota | $2,280 | $3,346 | $1,499 |
| Tennessee | $1,677 | $3,083 | $1,176 |
| Texas | $2,043 | $3,485 | $1,203 |
| Utah | $1,825 | $2,754 | $1,131 |
| Virginia | $1,469 | $2,250 | $1,085 |
| Vermont | $1,319 | $2,398 | $791 |
| Washington | $1,608 | $2,654 | $848 |
| Wisconsin | $1,664 | $2,573 | $961 |
| West Virginia | $2,005 | $3,249 | $1,145 |
| Wyoming | $1,758 | $2,914 | $827 |
Louisiana, Florida, California, Michigan and Colorado are the most expensive states for car insurance in the U.S.
Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications for the Insurance Information Institute in St. Johns, Florida, says Florida rates are driven by severe weather and uninsured motorists.
“Florida drivers pay the highest average premiums in the United States due to a variety of factors,” he says. “These include the impact of severe weather on roadways, heavy traffic patterns on interstates generated by residents and millions of annual visitors, congested roadways in major metro areas, a state’s no-fault insurance law … and the fact that Florida has one of the highest uninsured motorist rates in the United States – 20.4%.”
Based on our research, here’s the ranking of states where average annual car insurance rates are the most expensive:
States with the most expensive annual full coverage car insurance| State | Average annual premium |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | $2,883 |
| Florida | $2,694 |
| California | $2,416 |
| Michigan | $2,352 |
| Colorado | $2,337 |
| South Dakota | $2,280 |
| Kentucky | $2,228 |
| Montana | $2,193 |
| Washington, D.C. | $2,157 |
| Oklahoma | $2,138 |
By contrast, the cheapest states for car insurance include Maine and New Hampshire.
“States that have the lowest overall car insurance premiums on average may have lower populations, which result in fewer car accidents and less money paid out by insurance companies, resulting in cheaper insurance premiums,” says Lauren McKenzie, an insurance broker at A Plus Insurance in Liberty, South Carolina.
Geoff Cudd, a Philadelphia-based consumer advocate and owner of FindTheBestCarPrice.com, says states with milder weather and rural areas pay cheaper car insurance rates.
“That generally means less chance of accidents and weather-related claims, which means car insurance companies will have to spend less money,” Cudd says.
See the states with the cheapest full coverage car insurance in the table below.
States with the cheapest annual full coverage car insurance| State | Average annual premium |
|---|---|
| Maine | $1,175 |
| New Hampshire | $1,265 |
| Vermont | $1,319 |
| Ohio | $1,417 |
| Idaho | $1,428 |
| Virginia | $1,469 |
| Indiana | $1,515 |
| Hawaii | $1,517 |
| Illinois | $1,532 |
| Washington | $1,608 |
Car insurance rates have risen significantly since 2018, according to S&P Global. In 2023, 43 states and the District of Columbia saw an effective rate change exceeding 10%, resulting in a nationwide effective increase of 14.0% for the year.
In comparison, only 26 states experienced a double-digit rate increase in 2022, leading to a national average increase of 11.4%.
Nevada recorded the highest effective rate increase in 2023 at 28.3%, followed by Minnesota at 19.8% and Washington at 19.7%.
The states with the lowest average effective increases were Hawaii (3.8%), North Carolina (4.3%), and Colorado (4.5%).
| State | Cumulative change 2022 – YTD 2023 | Cumulative change 2018 – YTD 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| National average | 26.9 | 30.9 |
| Alabama | 19.7 | 18.9 |
| Alaska | 16.4 | 19.7 |
| Arizona | 38.1 | 46.1 |
| Arkansas | 24 | 20.9 |
| California | 12.9 | 18.5 |
| Colorado | 18.2 | 33.2 |
| Connecticut | 27.1 | 30.1 |
| Delaware | 26.7 | 30.7 |
| District of Columbia | 29.6 | 30 |
| Florida | 25.9 | 38.6 |
| Georgia | 34.3 | 42.6 |
| Hawaii | 4.4 | -2 |
| Idaho | 15.1 | 20.9 |
| Illinois | 37.7 | 37.6 |
| Indiana | 29.2 | 24.3 |
| lowa | 20.1 | 23.1 |
| Kansas | 30.6 | 33.9 |
| Kentucky | 25.3 | 22.3 |
| Louisiana | 27.9 | 29.1 |
| Maine | 28.3 | 29.4 |
| Maryland | 33.6 | 33 |
| Massachusetts | 18.4 | 25 |
| Michigan | 19.7 | 22.9 |
| Minnesota | 36 | 39.8 |
| Mississippi | 23.6 | 23.3 |
| Missouri | 32 | 36.4 |
| Montana | 19.1 | 18.3 |
| Nebraska | 28.7 | 34 |
| Nevada | 34.6 | 39.8 |
| New Hampshire | 28.1 | 24.7 |
| New Jersey | 17.3 | 21.5 |
| New Mexico | 24.6 | 22.4 |
| New York | 24.2 | 36.4 |
| North Carolina | 8.2 | 6.3 |
| North Dakota | 25.4 | 24.9 |
| Ohio | 38.9 | 36.5 |
| Oklahoma | 31.9 | 25 |
| Oregon | 35.2 | 30.8 |
| Pennsylvania | 30.2 | 28 |
| Rhode Island | 19.5 | 24.7 |
| South Carolina | 29.1 | 34.4 |
| South Dakota | 24.5 | 26.1 |
| Tennessee | 37 | 35.7 |
| Texas | 45.5 | 46.5 |
| Utah | 33.7 | 44.4 |
| Vermont | 19.6 | 15.4 |
| Virginia | 32 | 36.2 |
| Washington | 23.11 | 24.9 |
| West Virginia | 22.4 | 16.9 |
| Wisconsin | 29.6 | 30 |
Each state has different insurance requirements that drivers must maintain to be considered legal on the road, which is why some states may cost more for insurance than others. Some states require personal injury protection or medical payment coverage, but others don’t.
“For example, South Carolina requires drivers to have uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury protection and property damage as a minimum requirement on their auto insurance policy, whereas many states offer that coverage but don’t require it,” McKenzie says. “That additional coverage has a price associated with it and will increase your total premium.”
| State Name | State Minimum | Liability Only | Full Coverage | Non-Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $398 | $508 | $1,676 | $260 |
| Alabama | $433 | $639 | $1,860 | $380 |
| Arkansas | $397 | $589 | $1,957 | $266 |
| Arizona | $516 | $764 | $1,812 | $396 |
| California | $551 | $864 | $2,416 | $299 |
| Colorado | $437 | $717 | $2,337 | $282 |
| Connecticut | $704 | $783 | $1,725 | $395 |
| Washington, D.C. | $558 | $785 | $2,157 | $310 |
| Delaware | $788 | $1,022 | $2,063 | $344 |
| Florida | $993 | $1,629 | $2,694 | $545 |
| Georgia | $577 | $789 | $1,970 | $312 |
| Hawaii | $396 | $572 | $1,517 | $395 |
| Iowa | $260 | $320 | $1,630 | $153 |
| Idaho | $357 | $440 | $1,428 | $187 |
| Illinois | $421 | $471 | $1,532 | $279 |
| Indiana | $417 | $498 | $1,515 | $259 |
| Kansas | $434 | $471 | $1,900 | $274 |
| Kentucky | $606 | $810 | $2,228 | $375 |
| Louisiana | $722 | $1,266 | $2,883 | $330 |
| Massachusetts | $511 | $655 | $1,726 | $445 |
| Maryland | $727 | $756 | $1,746 | $438 |
| Maine | $335 | $341 | $1,175 | $238 |
| Michigan | $654 | $694 | $2,352 | $513 |
| Minnesota | $475 | $512 | $1,911 | $302 |
| Missouri | $488 | $582 | $1,982 | $358 |
| Mississippi | $463 | $637 | $2,008 | $321 |
| Montana | $350 | $540 | $2,193 | $299 |
| North Carolina | $476 | $523 | $1,741 | $470 |
| North Dakota | $349 | $370 | $1,665 | $209 |
| Nebraska | $331 | $373 | $1,902 | $186 |
| New Hampshire | $397 | $416 | $1,265 | $318 |
| New Jersey | $853 | $915 | $1,902 | $459 |
| New Mexico | $421 | $658 | $2,049 | $293 |
| Nevada | $720 | $1,042 | $2,060 | $346 |
| New York | $731 | $827 | $1,870 | $421 |
| Ohio | $362 | $446 | $1,417 | $214 |
| Oklahoma | $408 | $657 | $2,138 | $242 |
| Oregon | $641 | $710 | $1,678 | $441 |
| Pennsylvania | $375 | $504 | $1,872 | $263 |
| Rhode Island | $646 | $808 | $2,061 | $518 |
| South Carolina | $720 | $925 | $2,009 | $368 |
| South Dakota | $307 | $338 | $2,280 | $170 |
| Tennessee | $442 | $547 | $1,677 | $363 |
| Texas | $572 | $774 | $2,043 | $447 |
| Utah | $582 | $756 | $1,825 | $444 |
| Virginia | $428 | $477 | $1,469 | $290 |
| Vermont | $306 | $324 | $1,319 | $296 |
| Washington | $438 | $731 | $1,608 | $349 |
| Wisconsin | $365 | $425 | $1,664 | $230 |
| West Virginia | $510 | $585 | $2,005 | $367 |
| Wyoming | $288 | $331 | $1,758 | $215 |
Note: State Minimum- BI/PD
Liability Only – 50/100/50 BI/PD
Full Coverage – 100/300/100 BI/PD – 500 Comp/Coll
Where you live is a crucial factor in calculating the cost of what you will fork over for car insurance, and the population in your state can affect your rates.
“On average, drivers in more sparsely-populated states such as Idaho and North Dakota are going to pay much less for coverage than drivers in more populous states such as California, Florida and New York,” Friedlander says. “But it goes beyond just the state you live in. Insurers determine rates by the city you live in and even your specific ZIP code. Traffic volume, accident frequency and severity, as well as theft and vandalism data, vary in every city throughout every state.”
In other words, you could live in a large metro like Los Angeles or Chicago and pay significantly different rates based on your ZIP code within that city. Urban drivers generally pay much more for auto insurance than motorists in rural areas in the same state.
“If you live in an area with a high crime rate, a large number of accidents and large payouts, insurance prices will be higher there,” McKenzie says. “If you live in a state with busy, expensive cities where gas prices and rent costs are high, car insurance prices will be high as well.”
State laws vary when it comes to who pays for damages.
In general, car insurance is more expensive in no-fault states because no-fault law states that you do not need to prove who was at fault to receive compensation from your insurance company. In a no-fault state, each driver’s insurance covers their medical expenses and lost wages after an accident, regardless of who is at fault. This system limits the ability to sue the other driver, except in cases of severe injury or significant damages.
On the other hand, if you cause an accident in a tort state, your insurance company will be on the hook for any damage/injuries you’ve caused. A tort state is one where the driver found to be at fault in an accident is responsible for covering the damages and injuries of the other party. This system allows the injured party to sue the at-fault driver for compensation beyond what insurance covers.
The best way to find cheap car insurance rates is to comparison shop for quotes around renewal time—at least annually, but every six months if you really want to save.
“To find the best car insurance rates in your state, start by comparing quotes from multiple insurers online, using comparison websites to review coverage options and discounts,” says James Brau, Joel C. Peterson Professor of Finance at Brigham Young University. Additionally, you may want to check with your state’s insurance department for information on average rates and any other resources they may have.”
Get three quotes from different companies comparing the same coverages, and look at the companies’ financial strength ratings, claims scores and more from annual rankings like the best car insurance companies of 2024.
Every state except for New Hampshire requires car insurance. Virginia didn’t require car insurance, but that changed as of July 1, 2024.
For policies effective through Dec. 31, 2024, Virginia’s minimum car insurance limits are:
For policies effective on or after Jan. 1, 2025, Virginia’s minimum car insurance limits are:
Car insurance costs have increased because of car repairs and inflation, pushing up prices for insurers and car insurance customers.
“With more drivers on the road, higher inflation and replacement part costs continuing to escalate, this loss trend in the insurance industry is expected to continue, leading to rate increases from national and regional insurers,” Friedlander says.
If you’re moving to a new state, you must inform your insurance company immediately. State minimum insurance requirements vary by state and your location does affect insurance rates.
Check out this calculator to see how much your car insurance costs will increase or decrease when you move. And remember, the weather, crime rate and other factors also come into play for rate calculations.
Every state except New Hampshire requires car insurance. Drivers must carry bodily injury and property damage liability in minimum amounts depending upon their state.