How much is car insurance per month?

The national average for full coverage car insurance is about $168/month ($2,014/year). Minimum coverage averages about $55/month ($660/year). Rates vary dramatically by state, age, driving record, and credit score.

Which state has the cheapest car insurance?

Maine, Idaho, Vermont, and Ohio have the cheapest average car insurance rates, all under $1,300/year for full coverage.

Which state has the most expensive car insurance?

Louisiana, Michigan, Florida, and New York have the most expensive average car insurance rates, ranging from $2,800 to $4,200+ per year for full coverage.

Average Car Insurance Cost by State (2026)

Car insurance is a required expense in every state (except New Hampshire for liability). Rates vary enormously based on where you live, how old you are, and your driving record. Here’s the complete breakdown.

Average Car Insurance Cost by State (All 50 States)

Rank	State	Avg. Annual (Full Coverage)	Avg. Monthly	Avg. Annual (Min. Coverage)
1	Louisiana	$4,210	$351	$1,460
2	Michigan	$3,840	$320	$1,280
3	Florida	$3,480	$290	$1,190
4	New York	$3,120	$260	$980
5	Nevada	$2,940	$245	$920
6	Georgia	$2,860	$238	$880
7	California	$2,780	$232	$840
8	Texas	$2,720	$227	$870
9	Connecticut	$2,680	$223	$810
10	New Jersey	$2,640	$220	$820
11	Colorado	$2,580	$215	$760
12	South Carolina	$2,520	$210	$780
13	Maryland	$2,460	$205	$740
14	Kentucky	$2,400	$200	$730
15	Arizona	$2,340	$195	$710
16	Rhode Island	$2,300	$192	$700
17	Mississippi	$2,260	$188	$680
18	Oklahoma	$2,220	$185	$670
19	Delaware	$2,180	$182	$660
20	Alabama	$2,140	$178	$640
21	Oregon	$2,100	$175	$630
22	Missouri	$2,060	$172	$620
23	Washington	$2,020	$168	$610
24	Tennessee	$1,980	$165	$600
25	Illinois	$1,940	$162	$590
26	West Virginia	$1,900	$158	$580
27	Pennsylvania	$1,860	$155	$560
28	Arkansas	$1,840	$153	$560
29	Montana	$1,800	$150	$540
30	Minnesota	$1,760	$147	$520
31	New Mexico	$1,720	$143	$510
32	Alaska	$1,680	$140	$500
33	North Carolina	$1,640	$137	$490
34	Nebraska	$1,620	$135	$480
35	Indiana	$1,600	$133	$470
36	Kansas	$1,580	$132	$460
37	Utah	$1,560	$130	$450
38	South Dakota	$1,540	$128	$440
39	Virginia	$1,500	$125	$430
40	Massachusetts	$1,480	$123	$420
41	Hawaii	$1,460	$122	$410
42	Wisconsin	$1,440	$120	$400
43	North Dakota	$1,400	$117	$390
44	Wyoming	$1,360	$113	$380
45	Iowa	$1,340	$112	$370
46	New Hampshire	$1,300	$108	$360
47	Ohio	$1,280	$107	$350
48	Vermont	$1,240	$103	$340
49	Idaho	$1,200	$100	$330
50	Maine	$1,040	$87	$290

Car Insurance by Age

Age	Avg. Annual (Full Coverage)	Monthly	Why
16	$6,380	$532	Inexperienced, highest risk
18	$5,120	$427	Still very high risk
20	$3,840	$320	Risk decreasing
25	$2,280	$190	Rate drops significantly
30	$1,940	$162	Continued decrease
35	$1,860	$155	Near lowest rates
40	$1,820	$152	Lowest rate period
50	$1,880	$157	Slight increase
60	$1,920	$160	Gradual increase
70	$2,180	$182	Higher risk, reaction time
80+	$2,640	$220	Highest adult rate

The cheapest auto insurance years are typically ages 35-50.

Car Insurance by Coverage Level

Coverage Level	What It Includes	Avg. Annual Cost
State minimum liability	Bodily injury + property damage only	$660
Basic full coverage	Min liability + collision + comprehensive, $1,000 deductible	$1,680
Standard full coverage	100/300/100 liability + collision + comp, $500 deductible	$2,014
Enhanced full coverage	250/500/250 + collision + comp + umbrella, $250 deductible	$2,640

What Each Coverage Means

Coverage	What It Pays For	Recommended Minimum
Bodily injury liability	Other people’s injuries if you cause an accident	$100K per person / $300K per accident
Property damage liability	Other people’s property damage you cause	$100K
Collision	Damage to your car (any accident)	Yes, if car value > $5K
Comprehensive	Theft, weather, animals, falling objects	Yes, if car value > $5K
Uninsured motorist	Covers you if hit by uninsured driver	Match your liability limits
Medical payments/PIP	Your medical bills (regardless of fault)	$10K-$25K
Gap insurance	Pays difference if car totaled and underwater	If you owe more than car is worth

How Credit Score Affects Car Insurance

In most states, insurers use credit-based insurance scores:

Credit Range	Avg. Annual Premium	vs. Excellent Credit
Excellent (800+)	$1,560	Baseline
Good (670-799)	$1,920	+23%
Fair (580-669)	$2,580	+65%
Poor (300-579)	$3,480	+123%

States that ban credit-based insurance pricing: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Michigan.

How to Save on Car Insurance

Strategy	Potential Savings
Shop and compare every year	15-40%
Bundle home + auto	5-25%
Increase deductible ($500 → $1,000)	10-20%
Good driver discount (no accidents 3-5 years)	10-25%
Good student discount (GPA 3.0+)	5-15%
Defensive driving course	5-10%
Low mileage discount	5-15%
Pay annually instead of monthly	5-10%
Improve credit score	10-40%
Remove unnecessary coverage on old cars	Varies
Ask about all available discounts	5-30%

When to Drop Collision/Comprehensive

Consider dropping collision and comprehensive coverage when:

Your car’s value is under $5,000
The annual premium for collision/comprehensive exceeds 10% of car’s value
You have enough savings to replace the car

Car Insurance for Young Drivers

Strategy	Savings
Stay on parents’ policy	30-50% cheaper than own policy
Good student discount	5-15%
Take a defensive driving course	5-10%
Drive a safe, boring car (Honda Civic, not BMW)	20-40%
Maintain a clean record	Biggest long-term savings
Use telematics/usage-based program	10-30%