Buying or owning a car comes with its own set of expenses: fuel costs, regular maintenance, and most importantly, car insurance premiums.
On average, every driver in the United States pays $1,070 annually towards car insurance. It’s not a small amount, and it varies by age, gender, and condition. Wondering how much you’ll have to pay depending on which US state you live in?
Find out below the average car insurance rates in each state and some essential information about your car insurance.
Average cost of auto insurance by state
Each state has its own rules and regulations regarding car insurance. Premiums vary from state to state, as the following items differ:
- road condition
- Number of active conductors
- The population of the state
- State Laws
- Weather that can influence driving conditions or cause accidents
- Percentage of uninsured drivers
States can determine what type of coverage a particular driver needs. Additionally, each state has its own set of licensed auto insurance companies that drivers can purchase insurance from.
By law, states like New Hampshire do not require insurance. At the same time, car insurance costs in Michigan can be incredibly high due to its no-fault policy. In Louisiana, insurance premiums are also very expensive as state attorneys sue for even minor accidents.
See the table below for a complete list of average car insurance costs in each state:
| State | Average full coverage costs/year (USD) | Average minimum hedging costs/year (USD) |
| Alabama | $1,760 | $443 |
| Alaska | $1,770 | $417 |
| Arizona | $1,743 | $579 |
| Arkansas | $1,806 | $437 |
| California | $2,190 | $619 |
| Colorado | $2,019 | $495 |
| Connecticut | $1,533 | $646 |
| Delaware | $1,963 | $747 |
| Florida | $2,762 | $997 |
| Georgia | $1,985 | $630 |
| Hawaii | $1,206 | $338 |
| Idaho | $1,065 | $271 |
| Illinois | $1,548 | $477 |
| Indiana | $1,242 | $329 |
| Iowa | $1,254 | $227 |
| Kansas | $1,802 | $419 |
| Kentucky | $1,954 | $658 |
| Louisiana | $2,864 | $807 |
| Maine | $876 | $227 |
| Maryland | $1,931 | $836 |
| Massachusetts | $1,296 | $446 |
| Michigan | $2,345 | $946 |
| Minnesota | $1,692 | $600 |
| Mississippi | $1,701 | $450 |
| Missouri | $1,861 | $504 |
| Montana | $1,795 | $310 |
| Nebraska | $1,538 | $367 |
| Nevada | $2,426 | $846 |
| New Hampshire | $1,182 | $324 |
| New Jersey | $1,891 | $855 |
| New Mexico | $1,489 | $347 |
| New York | $2,996 | $1,339 |
| North Carolina | $1,392 | $431 |
| North Dakota | $1,225 | $268 |
| Ohio | $1,200 | $336 |
| Oklahoma | $1,902 | $408 |
| Oregon | $1,371 | $625 |
| Pennsylvania | $2,002 | $441 |
| Rhode Island | $1,847 | $569 |
| Caroline from the south | $1,464 | $518 |
| South Dakota | $1,542 | $274 |
| Tennessee | $1,383 | $372 |
| Texas | $1,868 | $551 |
| Utah | $1,449 | $544 |
| Vermont | $1,000 | $242 |
| Virginia | $1,340 | $475 |
| Washington | $1,313 | $482 |
| washington d.c. | $1,948 | $613 |
| West Virginia | $1,527 | $427 |
| Wisconsin | $1,249 | $364 |
| Wyoming | $1,510 | $262 |
Although these are the average costs for each state, you can still look for affordable auto insurance. For example, if you want cheap car insurance in chicagoyou need to find the insurance company with the lowest premium and the best coverage.
Also be on the lookout for offers, student discounts, telematics discounts and opportunities to bundle your insurance. By doing this you can sometimes save hundreds of dollars.
Factors Affecting Your Car Insurance
Location or state isn’t the only factor that influences your auto insurance premiums. Sometimes you will pay more than other drivers in the same state.
Here are some factors auto insurance companies consider when deciding how much to pay your premium.
Genre: Male drivers generally pay more car insurance premiums than women. For transgender people, some providers decide coverage based on the gender listed on the driver’s license.
Age: Older drivers benefit from low cost auto insurance because they are considered experienced and less likely to be involved in accidents. Teenagers are generally the most expensive drivers when it comes to insurance premiums.
Driving history: Your driving history, accident history, and DUIs are all considered when setting premium rates. In fact, in severe cases of frequent damage and reckless driving, insurers may deny you coverage altogether.
Type of cover: Minimum coverage plans generally only include liability for bodily injury and property damage. This means that you will pay a lower premium, but you may not receive benefits such as towing reimbursement, carpooling coverage, rental reimbursement and, in some cases, even protection against the wounds. Comprehensive auto insurance will give you all of these benefits, but will cost more.
Although location plays a crucial role in determining your car insurance premiums, several other factors also come into play.
For example, the average cost of car insurance is neither too high nor too low. But if you’re in a big city like Chicago and you’ve had tough driving experiences in the past, you’re younger, or you’re male, you might want to research affordable auto insurance companies in Chicago; otherwise, you will end up with an exorbitant cost.
Either way, if you want to save money on insurance, look for the cheapest car insurance and use deals when you can.
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