Best Car Insurance (2023)

If you’re searching for car insurance, you may be curious about how you can find the best car insurance in your area. Luckily, there are things you can do to ensure your car insurance company offers the coverage you want at a price that works with your budget.

Most car insurance companies in your area will offer a standard range of coverage options, so if you have a clean driving history and good credit, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from when picking a car insurance policy.

While it may seem overwhelming, finding the best insurance isn’t all that difficult. It would be best if you compared quotes from multiple companies to determine which might work best for your unique needs. You must also determine which car insurance coverage you need. If you drive a newer vehicle, an expensive vehicle, or a vehicle with a loan or a lease, you’ll need a full coverage car insurance policy. 

Still, if you drive an older car that you’ve paid off with a relatively low actual cash value (ACV), purchasing a liability-only or minimum coverage policy may be a better choice. As you decide which coverage you need, look at the well-known companies in your area to see which offers the coverage you’re looking for at a reasonable price. 

How much does car insurance cost?

While cost is not the only factor you should consider when shopping for a car insurance policy, it is important. The table below shows the average cost of car insurance with top insurance companies in the U.S.

On average, Geico and State Farm car insurance offer more affordable rates than Allstate and Farmers. However, finding and comparing quotes from several companies in your area is important to determine which company offers the most affordable coverage.

You may find that the cheapest rates in your area come from a smaller insurance company. Comparing quotes is important so you don’t miss out on a good deal from a different insurance company in your state.

Does my driving history impact my car insurance rates?

Your driving history directly impacts how much you’ll pay for car insurance. If you have a good record with no blemishes or infractions, you’ll pay less for coverage than someone with an accident, traffic ticket, or DUI. Still, some companies typically offer higher rates for coverage in some states and areas. 

Surprisingly, having poor credit could negatively impact your car insurance rates more than having a DUI on your driving record. Because companies assess each of these factors differently, shopping online and comparing quotes is important. Otherwise, you could get stuck paying too much for coverage. Learn about how long a DUI stays on your record.

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Should I shop around for the best car insurance?

Comparing quotes online is the best way to find the insurance coverage you need. Even if you have a car insurance policy you’re comfortable with, it’s important to compare car insurance quotes with other companies at least once a year. Doing so will help you ensure you aren’t overpaying for your policy. 

In addition to the cost of coverage, policyholders often consider purchasing car insurance with a different provider if they have had a negative experience filing a claim with their current provider or want to change their car insurance coverage.

What factors impact the cost of car insurance?

Insurance companies determine your premiums using a variety of factors. The most common factors include:

• Age
• Gender
• ZIP code
• Credit score
• Driving history
• Coverage type
• Deductible
• Vehicle make and model

While these factors impact your rates with virtually any car insurance company, all companies give these factors a different importance. Because of this, comparing quotes may help you find a company that weighs a factor more or less heavily that could help you save money on coverage.

For example, if you have poor credit, you may find some companies that use that information to give you an extremely high price for coverage. However, another company in your area may not consider your credit score as important, which could help you save money on your monthly or annual car insurance premiums. 

How do I find the cheapest car insurance policy?

There are a few things you can do to ensure you find the cheapest car insurance possible in your area. Remember that rates vary from one individual to the next.

Shop Around

Shop online and compare quotes from several companies. Comparing quotes can help you save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on car insurance coverage.

Ask for Discounts

You may be eligible for car insurance discounts that could help you save up to 25% on your coverage. Some of the most common discount options for car insurance include:

• Bundling policies discount: Save money if you purchase more than one type of insurance through your company. 
• Multi-vehicle discount: Save money if you purchase coverage for more than one vehicle with the same insurance company. 
• Good driver discount: You may save money on your coverage if you have a clean driving record. 
• Good student discount: Save money if you have a student on your policy with a high GPA.
• Away-at-school discount: Save money if your college student is away at school. 
• Defensive driving discount: You may save on your policy if you take a defensive driving course approved by your insurance company. 
• Safety features discount: If your car has certain safety features, you may be able to save on your car insurance coverage.
• Paid-in-full discount: Receive cheaper coverage options if you pay for your annual policy all at once. 

As you compare quotes from companies, ask about your options for discounts and how much you could save on your insurance rates.

Increase Your Deductible

While raising your car insurance deductible means you’ll have to pay more out of pocket if you’re ever in an accident, it can help you save money on your monthly or annual car insurance premiums. Still, you need to ensure you can always pay your deductible if you’re ever in a car accident. 

Use Pay-Per-Mile Coverage

If you drive infrequently or only to places close to you, pay-per-mile car insurance could help you save a lot on car insurance. Statistically, you’re less likely to be involved in a car accident if you spend less time behind the wheel. Because of this, some insurance companies may reward you with lower coverage rates if you choose a pay-per-mile or mileage-based car insurance policy.

Consider Usage-Based Car Insurance

Usage-based car insurance, or telematics, allows car insurance companies to track your driving patterns to create a score. For example, companies often monitor your acceleration, overall speed, hard braking patterns, and cell phone use when determining the type of driver you are.

If your car insurance company sees you as a safe driver, you could save a lot on car insurance. Be wary, however, of insurance companies that don’t specify whether a negative score could increase your car insurance costs.

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What kind of car insurance do I need?

Virtually every driver needs car insurance to drive legally in their state. All states require property damage and bodily injury liability coverage. In addition, some states require one or more of the following coverages:

• Personal injury protection (PIP): PIP insurance covers medical bills, lost wages, and funeral costs associated with a covered accident. 
• Medical Payments (MedPay): MedPay offers coverage for medical costs related to a covered accident, like hospital stays and visits to the doctor.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: Your insurance company will pay for damage someone else caused to your vehicle if that individual did not have the proper car insurance coverage. 

You can check with your state’s department of motor vehicles to learn more about what’s required in your state. In addition to the coverages listed above, you may also need a full coverage car insurance policy that includes both collision and comprehensive insurance if you have a loan or lease on your vehicle.

Collision car insurance helps if you cause an accident and damage your car. Without collision coverage, you would have to pay for repairs to your vehicle out of pocket. If you’re curious about what’s included in comprehensive car insurance, it essentially covers inclement weather, wild animals, theft, or vandalism that damages your vehicle. 

Are there other types of car insurance I should buy?

In addition to the mandatory coverage you may need, many companies offer add-on coverage options to help drivers customize their policies and stay better protected on the road. Some of these add-on coverages include:

• Accident forgiveness: Your insurance company will not increase your rates after an at-fault accident.
• Gap insurance: Your insurance company will pay the difference between what you owe on your vehicle and your car’s actual cash value (ACV). 
• New car replacement: Your insurance company will replace your vehicle with the same make and model if your car is totaled in a covered accident.
• Roadside assistance coverage: Roadside assistance typically includes towing services, lockout services, fuel delivery, and more. 
• Rideshare insurance: If you drive for a rideshare company, this coverage could help ensure you’re covered every minute you’re on the clock. 
• Vanishing deductible: Your insurance deductible decreases every year you’re accident-free. 

If you drive for Uber or Lyft, you may need rideshare coverage as a part of your policy. Similarly, if you drive a new car, gap insurance or new car replacement coverage could help you save a lot of money if your car is ever totaled and you still have a loan or lease on the vehicle.

How can I know which car insurance company is best?

Sometimes, it’s not enough to compare quotes from car insurance companies. You may still want to assess a company’s claims process and financial stability.

One way to determine if a company is right for you is to read customer complaints. Then, as you research online, you can read what current and past customers have to say about specific companies you may be considering for your car insurance needs.

When you consider the company’s number of complaints relative to its size, Nationwide and Travelers come out on top with the fewest complaints. At the same time, Erie and Farmers garner many customer complaints.

How can I learn more about a company’s claims process?

If you feel inclined, you can speak with employees from different mechanic or auto body shops to see which insurance companies are the most reasonable and helpful when paying for repairs once a policyholder files a car insurance claim. 

Is Geico a good car insurance company?

Geico offers coverage for cars, motorcycles, ATVs, and much more. In addition, the company offers optional coverages like roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement. Geico also offers accident forgiveness, which could help you avoid increasing car insurance rates if you’re ever involved in an accident. 

Geico Discounts

Geico offers several discounts to policyholders, including:

• Vehicle equipment
• Good driving history
• Drivers education
• Good student
• Federal employee
• Membership and employee
• Military
• Multi-vehicle
• Multi-policy

Discounts with Geico may help you save up to 25% on your coverage.

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Is Nationwide a good car insurance company?

Nationwide offers a vast array of insurance products, making it easy to bundle policies and save money on coverage. In addition, the company offers a vanishing deductible and accident forgiveness.

Does Nationwide have usage-based insurance?

Nationwide has you covered if you think a telematics policy could help you save money on coverage with Nationwide SmartRide. The company also offers pay-per-mile car insurance for individuals who do not drive often or far. These insurance types could help you save a lot on your car insurance. 

Does Nationwide offer discounts?

Nationwide offers several discounts to its policyholders, including:

• Multi-policy
• Accident-free
• Defensive driving
• Good student
• Anti-theft
• Paid-in-full
• Paperless

You can speak with a Nationwide representative to learn how much you could save with the company’s discount opportunities.

Is Travelers a good car insurance company?

Travelers offers coverage for cars, boats, motorcycles, and more. In addition, the company offers roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement coverage, and gap insurance if you have a loan or lease on your vehicle.

Can I get discounts with Travelers?

Travelers offers discounts on car insurance coverage. Some of the company’s most popular discount options include:

• Multi-policy
• Multi-car
• Homeowner
• Safe driver
• Hybrid vehicle
• New car
• Paid-in-full
• Good student
• Student away from home
• Driver training

With Travelers discounts, you could save 15% or more on car insurance coverage. Check out our Travelers car insurance review for more information.

Is Auto-Owners a good car insurance company?

Auto-Owners insurance sells plenty of insurance policies and allows customers to bundle coverages to save on monthly or annual rates. In addition, with Auto-Owners, you can purchase add-ons like roadside assistance and gap insurance. Auto-Owners also offers generous incentives, like collision coverage advantage, which allows policyholders to avoid paying a deductible if they’re in an accident with another Auto-Owners customer.

Does Auto-Owners offer discounts?

Policyholders can get discounts with Auto-Owners, including: 

• Multi-policy
• Payment history
• Green
• Paid-in-full
• Multi-car
• Safety features
• Good student
• Student away at school
• Teen driver monitoring

Some discounts with Auto-Owners may help you save up to 20% on your monthly or annual rates.

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Does State Farm have good car insurance?

State Farm is the largest car and home insurance company in the nation. The company sells policies for cars, homes, RVs, motorcycles, and much more. 

Does State Farm offer discounts?

If you purchase car insurance with State Farm, you may be eligible for discounts like:

• Safe driver
• Accident-free
• Good student
• Student away at school
• Safe vehicle
• Anti-theft
• Multi-vehicle
• Multi-policy
• Loyal customer
• Defensive driving
• Driver training

Car insurance with State Farm could be a great option, and company discounts may allow you to save around 25% on your coverage. Check out our State Farm car insurance review for more information.

Is Allstate a good car insurance company?

Allstate is a well-known insurance company that sells car, home, motorcycle, and ATV insurance and many other policy options. For example, with car insurance, Allstate policyholders can purchase roadside assistance, rental reimbursement, gap insurance, and much more. 

Does Allstate offer car insurance discounts?

If you purchase a car insurance policy with Allstate, you may be eligible for discounts like:

• Early signing
• Responsible payer
• Multi-policy
• New car
• Anti-lock brake
• Anti-theft
• Paperless
• Paid-in-full
• Automatic payments
• Safe driving

With Allstate discounts, you could save up to 25% on your car insurance.

Is Erie a good car insurance company?

Erie offers car, motorcycle, ATV, and boat insurance. If you purchase coverage with Erie, you may also want add-ons like roadside assistance, rental car coverage, lease protection, and rideshare insurance. The company also offers new car protection and better car protection, allowing drivers to replace their new vehicles if they’re totaled in a covered accident.

Does Erie offer car insurance discounts?

Policyholders can take advantage of the following discounts with Erie:

• Safe driving
• Car safety
• Multi-car
• Multi-policy
• Reduced usage
• Young driver
• Annual payments
• College credit

Erie’s young driver discount may be helpful if you have a teen or young adult driver on your policy.

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What are the best car insurance companies in each state?

As you search for the best car insurance company, you may be surprised that rates and coverage options vary from state to state, so the best and cheapest car insurance company in Vermont may differ from the best and cheapest car insurance company in California.

The table above shows how much you can expect to pay depending on where you live. Some states have higher annual premiums because of coverage requirements, cost of living, and other factors. 

Finding the best car insurance in your state will depend on your unique situation. For example, someone with a clean driving history and good credit in their 30s or 40s may find that one company is perfect for them, while a teen driver with no credit or someone with several accidents on their driving record may need coverage with a different company.

Because different companies cater to different types of drivers, you have to take time to find and compare policies with multiple companies before you make a final decision on which company in your area offers the best car insurance coverage.

Understanding Car Insurance Coverage

Many policyholders don’t have a good understanding of the car insurance coverage they purchase. For example, some individuals don’t know what’s included in their state’s required car insurance, while others believe they have car insurance coverage that is not available to them.

Knowing what types of car insurance coverage you have and what insurance might be helpful based on your unique situation is important. Otherwise, if you’re in an accident, you could find yourself in hot water and expect your insurance company to help pay for repairs. 

If you have car insurance coverage, review your policy to see what is and isn’t included. If you’re searching for the perfect car insurance coverage, remember to carefully consider what you need and assess which add-ons you might find useful.

Where can I find the best car insurance?

A lot goes into choosing the right car insurance policy. You must assess what types of coverage you need based on the vehicle you drive, how often you drive, where you live, and more. Additionally, you must compare prices to ensure you don’t pay too much for the coverage you need.

Finding the best car insurance policy in your area requires research and time. Don’t accept the first policy you’re offered. Instead, read about companies you’re considering and learn what customers have to say. Compare quotes with several other companies to determine which offers the most competitive rates. And be honest about the coverage you need on your vehicle.

Ultimately, you can find the best car insurance company in your area when you compare quotes for the coverage you know you want to purchase. Even if you have an insurance company you like, don’t forget to compare quotes at least once a year to ensure you’re getting the best deal you can on coverage.

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