Most drivers who are 18 have had two years of driving under their belts, and that experience begins to pay off in lower car insurance rates. The average car insurance rate for an 18-year-old on their own policy is $5,565 yearly for full coverage.

That rate is $3,883 higher than the national average of $1,682 for 40-year-old drivers. However, the car insurance rate for 18-year-olds is cheaper than that for 16-year-olds ($7,625 per year and $635 a month) and 17-year-old drivers ($6,272 per year and $523 per month).

As drivers gain more experience and improve their behind-the-wheel performance, car insurance rates are likely to drop, says Carole Walker, the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association executive director.

“While teen drivers will pay more for car insurance even with a clean driving record, steering clear of at-fault crashes and citations will help them keep their insurance premiums lower,” she says.

Read more to learn more about car insurance for 18-year-olds.

Key Highlights
  • For full coverage car insurance, an 18-year-old teen driver pays an average of $5,565 per year or $464 monthly for car insurance.
  • Female drivers who are 18 pay $4,918 on average, or $647 less than males their age. By contrast, 18-year-old male drivers pay about $5,565 per year for their own car insurance policies.
  • Island, North Carolina Farm Bureau, New Jersey Manufacturers, USAA and Erie had the cheapest car insurance for 18-year-olds among carriers surveyed by CarInsurance.com.
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Written by:
Chris Kissell
Contributing Researcher
Chris Kissell is a Denver-based writer and editor with work featured on U.S. News & World Report, MSN Money, Fox Business, Forbes, Yahoo Finance, Money Talks News and more.
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Edited by:
Laura Longero
Executive Editor
Laura 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.
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Industry Expert
Dr. Auer, an expert on how climate change challenges the way insurers model risk, is arch professor of public and international affairs and full professor of public administration and policy at University of Georgia. His research focuses on the politics of decision-making in the arenas of environmental protection, energy policy, and forest policy. His recent research considers social media as a space for influencing users’ perspectives of environmental risks.

Car insurance for teens: How much is car insurance for 18-year-olds?

Tip iconAverage car insurance rates for teens: 18-year-olds

Annual cost for car insurance for an 18-year-old with their own policy:

  • State minimum coverage: $1,786
  • Liability limits of 50/100/50: $2,149
  • Liability limits of 100/300/100, with comprehensive and collision coverage and a $500 deductible: $5,565

How much you pay to insure your teen driver will vary depending on factors like:

  • Your insurance company
  • Whether the teen has their own policy or is added to yours
  • State of residence
  • Type of car driven
  • Coverage limits

To show you what to expect to pay for coverage, check out the average annual rates by state in the charts below.

How much is car insurance for 18-year-olds per month?

Car insurance costs an average of $454 per month for an 18-year-old male driver, based on a 2022 CarInsurance.com rate analysis. Female drivers aged 18 pay $410 per month for the same coverage.

Car insurance for an 18-year-old female, by state

The nationwide average cost for insurance for an 18-year-old female on her own policy is $4,918. Teen female drivers aged 18 pay $647 less than males for car insurance. Below, you’ll see average car insurance costs by state for an 18-year-old female compared to the price of a parent policy that adds an 18-year-old.

Car insurance cost for an 18-year-old female, by state
State 18-year-old Female Policy Parent Policy Parent’s Policy with a Teen
Alaska$3,567$1,236$2,254
Alabama$4,897$1,522$2,702
Arkansas$5,007$1,587$3,007
Arizona$5,293$1,649$3,333
California$5,438$2,043$4,337
Colorado$5,603$2,166$3,723
Connecticut$5,898$1,436$2,508
Washington, D.C.$5,003$1,877$3,060
Delaware$6,749$1,707$2,834
Florida$8,403$3,015$5,562
Georgia$5,003$1,638$3,019
Hawaii$1,414$1,282$1,338
Iowa$3,208$1,156$1,918
Idaho$3,724$1,012$1,924
Illinois$4,801$1,474$2,952
Indiana$3,445$1,283$2,244
Kansas$4,366$1,477$2,539
Kentucky$6,147$1,944$3,823
Louisiana$7,993$2,969$5,943
Massachusetts$5,854$1,741$3,343
Maryland$4,713$2,076$3,904
Maine$3,319$988$2,145
Michigan$6,481$3,945$6,890
Minnesota$3,452$1,667$2,904
Missouri$5,563$2,374$4,140
Mississippi$4,907$1,448$2,731
Montana$5,185$1,670$2,956
North Carolina$2,854$1,417$2,514
North Dakota$4,162$1,258$2,155
Nebraska$4,935$1,845$3,051
New Hampshire$4,127$982$1,946
New Jersey$6,285$2,199$4,057
New Mexico$4,155$1,649$3,068
Nevada$6,305$2,327$4,161
New York$5,038$1,832$3,408
Ohio$3,248$1,082$1,980
Oklahoma$5,426$1,954$3,480
Oregon$3,984$1,440$2,588
Pennsylvania$5,169$1,418$2,901
Rhode Island$6,351$1,786$3,734
South Carolina$5,063$1,671$3,243
South Dakota$4,062$1,523$2,280
Tennessee$4,612$1,250$2,409
Texas$5,732$1,880$3,732
Utah$4,940$1,824$3,466
Virginia$3,826$1,210$2,633
Vermont$3,120$1,074$2,084
Washington$4,239$1,462$3,028
Wisconsin$4,550$1,712$3,557
West Virginia$4,758$1,417$3,003
Wyoming$4,163$1,730$2,953

Car insurance for an 18-year-old male, by state

Males aged 18 pay, on average, $5,565 annually for their own full-coverage insurance policy, which is $647 more than females their age. Compare rates for a male 18-year-old with his own policy to that of being added to a parent’s policy in the table below.

Car insurance cost for an 18-year-old male, by state
State 18-year-old Male Policy Parent Policy Parent’s Policy with a Teen
Alaska$4,192$1,236$2,474
Alabama$5,594$1,522$2,939
Arkansas$5,890$1,587$3,335
Arizona$6,132$1,649$3,727
California$5,438$2,043$4,337
Colorado$6,383$2,166$3,984
Connecticut$6,860$1,436$2,746
Washington, D.C.$6,601$1,877$3,548
Delaware$8,572$1,707$3,108
Florida$9,433$3,015$5,979
Georgia$6,162$1,638$3,350
Hawaii$1,414$1,282$1,338
Iowa$3,612$1,156$2,055
Idaho$4,355$1,012$2,118
Illinois$5,748$1,474$3,393
Indiana$3,856$1,283$2,390
Kansas$5,044$1,477$2,748
Kentucky$7,094$1,944$4,130
Louisiana$9,149$2,969$6,794
Massachusetts$5,854$1,741$3,343
Maryland$5,848$2,076$4,526
Maine$3,913$988$2,455
Michigan$6,481$3,945$6,890
Minnesota$4,071$1,667$3,027
Missouri$6,497$2,374$4,725
Mississippi$5,725$1,448$2,989
Montana$5,185$1,670$2,956
North Carolina$2,854$1,417$2,514
North Dakota$4,929$1,258$2,383
Nebraska$5,770$1,845$3,301
New Hampshire$4,814$982$2,125
New Jersey$7,183$2,199$4,535
New Mexico$4,686$1,649$3,348
Nevada$7,119$2,327$4,547
New York$6,156$1,832$3,915
Ohio$3,670$1,082$2,152
Oklahoma$6,475$1,954$4,133
Oregon$4,323$1,440$2,756
Pennsylvania$5,169$1,418$2,901
Rhode Island$7,594$1,786$4,166
South Carolina$5,629$1,671$3,368
South Dakota$4,895$1,523$2,531
Tennessee$5,366$1,250$2,670
Texas$6,703$1,880$4,164
Utah$5,711$1,824$3,788
Virginia$4,530$1,210$2,978
Vermont$3,692$1,074$2,305
Washington$4,755$1,462$3,186
Wisconsin$5,283$1,712$4,002
West Virginia$5,630$1,417$3,446
Wyoming$5,498$1,730$3,489

Read the methodology

Car insurance for 18-year-olds is expensive on their own policies

Car insurance for young drivers is much cheaper when parents add the teen to their existing policy. As young drivers gain more experience, their rates should drop. You’ll see in the chart below how much it costs to add a teen driver to a parent policy and how much you save.

Costs to add a teen driver to a parent’s policy
Gender18-year-old PolicyParent’s Policy with a TeenSavings
Female$4,918$3,584$1,334
Male$5,565$3,865$1,700

Check out our parents’ guide on the best and cheapest way to insure teenage drivers.

Cheapest car insurance companies for 18-year-olds

Below, you’ll see how significant carriers compare rates when you add a teen driver age 18 to your coverage.

How much is car insurance for 18-year-old females on a parent’s policy?

In this scenario, Island, North Carolina Farm Bureau, New Jersey Manufacturers, USAA and Nationwide were the cheapest among insurance companies we surveyed for adding a female. See more rates in the table below. Remember to compare the price and key policy elements, like coverage limits and deductibles.

See more rates in the table below.

Insurance cost for a parent policy with an 18-year-old female, by company
Company Parent’s Policy with an 18-year-old Female
Allstate$3,776
American Family$2,720
Auto Club$3,956
Auto-Owners$3,209
Automobile Club MI$4,486
Geico$2,429
Chubb Ltd$3,261
CSAA Insurance$6,228
Erie Insurance$2,374
Farmers Insurance$5,477
The Hartford$3,260
Iowa Farm Bureau$3,534
Island Insurance$1,713
Kemper Insurance$5,348
Kentucky Farm Bureau$4,385
Mapfre Insurance$2,496
Mercury Insurance$4,597
National General Insurance$6,233
Nationwide$2,360
New Jersey Manufacturers$1,966
North Carolina Farm Bureau$1,939
Oklahoma Farm Bureau$5,684
Palisades$3,554
Progressive$3,592
Shelter Insurance$3,457
State Farm$2,775
Travelers$3,280
USAA$2,151

How much is car insurance for an 18-year-old male with parents?

Island, North Carolina Farm Bureau, New Jersey Manufacturers, USAA and Nationwide have the cheapest car insurance for 18-year-olds. See more rates in the table below.

Insurance cost for a parent policy with an 18-year-old male, by company
Company Parent’s Policy with an 18-year-old Male
Allstate$4,111
American Family$2,894
Auto Club$4,028
Auto-Owners$3,165
Automobile Club MI$4,826
Geico$2,566
Chubb Ltd$3,673
CSAA Insurance$6,321
Erie Insurance$2,756
Farmers Insurance$5,809
The Hartford$3,345
Iowa Farm Bureau$3,580
Island Insurance$1,713
Kemper Insurance$5,851
Kentucky Farm Bureau$4,252
Mapfre Insurance$2,744
Mercury Insurance$5,570
National General Insurance$6,543
Nationwide$2,506
New Jersey Manufacturers$2,142
North Carolina Farm Bureau$1,939
Oklahoma Farm Bureau$8,384
Palisades$3,763
Progressive$3,874
Shelter Insurance$4,454
State Farm$3,072
Travelers$3,603
USAA$2,270

How much is car insurance for 18-year-old females?

If your teen buys her own policy, Island, North Carolina Farm Bureau, Erie Insurance, USAA and New Jersey Manufacturers came in with the lowest female rates for full coverage; see the rates in the table below.

Insurance cost for a teen policy for an 18-year-old female, by company
Company 18-year-old Female Policy
Allstate$5,565
American Family$3,434
Auto Club$5,619
Auto-Owners$3,354
Automobile Club MI$5,326
Geico$3,190
Chubb Ltd$3,894
CSAA Insurance$6,934
Erie Insurance$2,788
Farmers Insurance$8,358
The Hartford$5,704
Iowa Farm Bureau$3,685
Island Insurance$1,668
Kemper Insurance$6,114
Kentucky Farm Bureau$4,978
Mapfre Insurance$3,407
Mercury Insurance$8,079
National General Insurance$5,208
Nationwide$3,792
New Jersey Manufacturers$3,140
North Carolina Farm Bureau$2,479
Oklahoma Farm Bureau$5,094
Palisades$7,007
Progressive$6,506
Shelter Insurance$4,177
State Farm$3,303
Travelers$3,549
USAA$3,124

How much is car insurance for 18-year-old males?

For male drivers aged 18 on their own insurance policies, Island, North Carolina Farm Bureau, USAA, New Jersey Manufacturers and Erie are among the national carriers with the cheapest car insurance rates.

Insurance cost for a teen policy for an 18-year-old male, by company
Company 18-year-old Male Policy
Allstate$6,371
American Family$3,681
Auto Club$6,811
Auto-Owners$3,935
Automobile Club MI$6,531
Geico$3,547
Chubb Ltd$7,433
CSAA Insurance$7,084
Erie Insurance$3,514
Farmers Insurance$9,083
The Hartford$5,858
Iowa Farm Bureau$3,835
Island Insurance$1,668
Kemper Insurance$6,997
Kentucky Farm Bureau$6,270
Mapfre Insurance$4,035
Mercury Insurance$9,768
National General Insurance$5,437
Nationwide$4,429
New Jersey Manufacturers$3,429
North Carolina Farm Bureau$2,479
Oklahoma Farm Bureau$7,493
Palisades$7,720
Progressive$7,215
Shelter Insurance$5,321
State Farm$3,954
Travelers$4,047
USAA$3,362

How do you get cheaper car insurance for 18-year-olds?

Rather than skimping on coverage, a better idea is to maximize discounts and shop around regularly for the best insurance coverage. Accident- and ticket-free driving, comparison shopping and maximizing discounts will help you find the cheapest car insurance rates for teens.

“Many big car insurance companies offer discounts to good students. Students are eligible for discounts if they have excellent academic performance, such as a high GPA or high test scores on SAT or ACT,” says Associate Professor Ting Liu of the College of Arts and Sciences at Stony Brook University.

“Some companies offer multiple policy discounts. For example, if a student needs renters insurance and car insurance, buying the two policies from the same company is a good idea and asking for a multiple policy discount.”

Car insurance discounts for 18-year-olds

Here are some typical car insurance discounts for teens:

  • Good student discount: A savings of up to 16% may be available for drivers who maintain a 3.0 or “B” average in the classroom, but the average is 7%.
  • Student-away discount: College students who live away from home could qualify for this discount.

Shop around for car insurance for 18-year-olds

Adding an 18-year-old to a parent’s insurance policy or getting their own car insurance policy is costly. The best way to minimize the pain is to shop around. Compare car insurance quotes from multiple insurance companies. Each insurer uses its own method for calculating what you pay, so prices for the same policy vary.

There is some good news. Car insurance gets cheaper as you age. Average car insurance rates by age show that premiums decrease significantly when drivers turn 26. CarInsurance.com has guides for car insurance for 16-year-olds, 17-year-olds and 19-year-olds that break down rates for car insurance for teens.

Resources & Methodology

Sources

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. “Teen Drivers: Get the Facts.” Accessed June 2022.

Governors Highway Safety Association. “Teen and Novice Drivers.” Accessed June 2022.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute. “Teenagers.” Accessed June 2022.

Methodology

CarInsurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services in 2022 to field rates for auto coverage data by ZIP code for 18-year-old and 40-year-old drivers.

– Michelle Megna contributed to this story.

Laura Longero

Ask the Insurance Expert

Laura Longero

Executive Editor

Laura 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.

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Contributing Researcher

Chris Kissell is a Denver-based writer and editor with work featured on U.S. News & World Report, MSN Money, Fox Business, Forbes, Yahoo Finance, Money Talks News and more.