Progressive, Geico and USAA are the cheapest full coverage auto insurance companies, among major insurers surveyed in a 2020 CarInsurance.com rate analysis. Concord General Insurance is the cheapest for full coverage, overall, but is a regional carrier that serves just the greater New England area.

By doing a car insurance comparison for full coverage policies, you can find the best cheap car insurance that provides the most protection. Full coverage – comprehensive and collision - pays for damage to your own car in accidents you cause, which is why it costs more than state minimum liability coverage, as that only covers damage you cause to others. Though you'll pay more for full coverage car insurance, you can still save by comparing rates, as prices vary dramatically among insurers.

Here are nationwide average car insurance rates by company, for full coverage, based on CarInsurance.com data:

Cheapest full coverage auto insurance companies

Company Full coverage average annual rate Monthly
Concord$872$73
Progressive$895$75
Geico$1,089$91
USAA$1,111$93
North Carolina Farm Bureau$1,141$95
Safety Insurance$1,217$101
Depositors Insurance$1,262$105
Erie$1,268$106
MMG$1,319$110
Travelers$1,322$110
Farmers$1,343$112
Owners Insurance$1,435$120
Nationwide$1,447$121
Texas Farm Bureau$1,465$122
State Farm$1,505$125
Umialik$1,614$135
Arbella$1,622$135
New Jersey Manufacturers (NJM)$1,660$138
Colonial$1,663$139
Mississippi Farm Bureau$1,701$142
AAA Texas$1,784$149
United Financial$1,795$150
Amco$1,798$150
Mid Century$1,820$152
Safeco$1,944$162
Liberty Mutual$2,082$174
New York Central$2,123$177
Allstate$2,164$180
Metropolitan (MetLife)$2,168$181
Kentucky Farm Bureau$2,193$183
Louisiana Farm Bureau$2,329$194
Allied$2,347$196
Oklahoma Farm Bureau$2,369$197
Amica$2,585$215
Safeway$3,074$256
Foremost$3,569$297
Victoria$3,610$301

How much is full coverage car insurance?

Full coverage car insurance costs, on average, $1,758. That's more than twice as much as the cost for coverage that meets the minimum required to drive legally, $572 a year on average. But buying bare-bones coverage leaves you financially at risk.

The components of a full coverage policy and what they do:

  • Liability insurance, required to drive, covers damage and injuries you cause to others up to the amount you choose
  • Comprehensive and collision coverage, which are optional, pay out up to the cash value of your vehicle, minus your deductible
  • Comprehensive coverage pays to replace your car if it’s stolen and pays for damages from fallen objects, like a tree, and from fire, floods, animal strikes and vandalism
  • Collision coverage pays to repair your car if you're in an accident that's your fault
  • The average cost for collision is $526, comprehensive is $192, annually, according to CarInsurance.com rate data

Liability limits are usually written like this: 100/300/100. In this example, the numbers show coverage that would pay:

  • medical expenses of up to $100,000 per person for those you injure in an accident
  • medical expenses up to $300,000 per accident for others' injuries
  • up to $100,000 for property damage to another driver's vehicle or property

Below you’ll see full coverage car insurance costs by state

State Average rate Monthly average rate
Michigan$3,141$262
Louisiana$2,601$217
Nevada$2,402$200
Kentucky$2,368$197
DC$2,188$182
Florida$2,162$180
California$2,125$177
New York$2,062$172
Rhode Island$2,040$170
Connecticut$2,036$170
New Jersey$1,993$166
Montana$1,963$164
Colorado$1,948$162
Delaware$1,921$160
Georgia$1,865$155
Texas$1,823$152
Maryland$1,816$151
Oklahoma$1,815$151
Missouri$1,798$150
Arizona$1,783$149
Wyoming$1,782$149
Arkansas$1,763$147
Alabama$1,713$143
Pennsylvania$1,700$142
Kansas$1,689$141
Mississippi$1,684$140
West Virginia$1,654$138
South Carolina$1,653$138
South Dakota$1,643$137
Washington$1,620$135
Minnesota$1,619$135
New Mexico$1,604$134
Hawaii$1,589$132
North Dakota$1,577$131
Alaska$1,560$130
Illinois$1,538$128
Nebraska$1,500$125
Oregon$1,496$125
Tennessee$1,493$124
Utah$1,492$124
Massachusetts$1,466$122
North Carolina$1,425$119
Vermont$1,410$118
Iowa$1,352$113
Wisconsin$1,335$111
Idaho$1,285$107
Indiana$1,266$106
Virginia$1,196$100
Ohio$1,191$99
New Hampshire$1,086$91
Maine$1,080$90
National average$1,758$147

Ways to find cheap full coverage car insurance

Comparison shopping is the best way to save on car insurance, whether you’re looking for full coverage auto insurance quotes or any other level of protection. No two insurers will have identical prices for the same policy – costs vary significantly from one company to another. That’s why comparing rates is one of the best ways to save on coverage.

When shopping for a policy, remember to:

  • Compare the same deductible amounts. Comprehensive and collision are usually sold together, though not always.
  • Be sure liability limits are also identical when comparing rates.
  • See what add-on coverages are available, and if there are restrictions or costs associated with these. Examples include roadside assistance and accident forgiveness.
  • Always use the same core info, such the same list of drivers.
  • Make sure you reap all the auto insurance discounts that you’re eligible to receive.
  • Compare full coverage car insurance quotes from at least three insurance companies to see which is the cheapest.
  • Maintain good credit (bad credit can increase rates more than an accident)

Below you'll see how much the average driver can save by comparing full coverage car insurance quotes. The table shows state car insurance rates for a typical driver with full coverage, and the difference between the highest and lowest average quotes for the same policy. The amount you can save varies by state, but overall, here are key findings:

  • the average savings nationwide after comparing car insurance quotes for full coverage $1,647 a year
  • the average percentage savings is 178% a year
State Average rate Average highest rate Average lowest rate Average $ Savings Average % Savings
Michigan$3,141$5,899$1,062$4,837455%
Kentucky$2,368$3,749$944$2,805297%
DC$2,188$3,773$1,042$2,731262%
Delaware$1,921$3,738$1,020$2,718266%
New Jersey$1,993$3,569$990$2,579261%
Nevada$2,402$3,626$1,154$2,472214%
Connecticut$2,036$3,029$689$2,340340%
Florida$2,162$3,079$850$2,229262%
Rhode Island$2,040$2,992$763$2,229292%
Texas$1,823$3,065$997$2,068207%
Arizona$1,783$2,742$702$2,040291%
New York$2,062$2,799$824$1,975240%
Louisiana$2,601$3,345$1,429$1,916134%
Illinois$1,538$2,632$763$1,869245%
Georgia$1,865$2,724$1,010$1,714170%
Pennsylvania$1,700$2,496$785$1,711218%
Wyoming$1,782$2,547$944$1,603170%
Colorado$1,948$2,631$1,036$1,595154%
Massachusetts$1,466$2,134$546$1,588291%
California$2,125$2,593$1,052$1,541146%
Oregon$1,496$2,362$837$1,525182%
Maryland$1,816$2,558$1,044$1,514145%
West Virginia$1,654$2,576$1,064$1,512142%
Montana$1,963$2,605$1,111$1,494134%
Hawaii$1,589$2,321$890$1,431161%
Arkansas$1,763$2,447$1,036$1,411136%
Idaho$1,285$2,078$673$1,405209%
Vermont$1,410$2,212$812$1,400172%
New Mexico$1,604$2,334$951$1,383145%
North Dakota$1,577$2,324$949$1,375145%
New Hampshire$1,086$1,999$664$1,335201%
Mississippi$1,684$2,353$1,022$1,331130%
North Carolina$1,425$2,064$767$1,297169%
Washington$1,620$2,248$962$1,286134%
Wisconsin$1,335$1,890$605$1,285212%
Alabama$1,713$2,299$1,036$1,263122%
Kansas$1,689$2,347$1,085$1,262116%
Minnesota$1,619$2,262$1,013$1,249123%
Oklahoma$1,815$2,376$1,127$1,249111%
Ohio$1,191$1,781$537$1,244232%
Indiana$1,266$1,894$672$1,222182%
Virginia$1,196$1,927$712$1,215171%
Maine$1,080$1,711$536$1,175219%
South Dakota$1,643$2,213$1,062$1,151108%
South Carolina$1,653$2,118$986$1,132115%
Tennessee$1,493$2,028$906$1,122124%
Iowa$1,352$1,955$841$1,114132%
Utah$1,492$1,877$800$1,077135%
Missouri$1,798$2,152$1,126$1,02691%
Nebraska$1,500$1,946$972$974100%
Alaska$1,560$1,994$1,022$97295%
National average$1,758$2,557$910$1,647178%

How much more does full coverage cost compared to liability only?

It costs about $100 more a month to boost your protection from state-required minimums to full coverage. Typically, buying higher liability limits doesn’t cost that much more. Consider the following, based on CarInsurance.com’s analysis of rates from up to six major insurers for nearly all ZIP codes:

  • The nationwide average cost for state minimum liability coverage is $573
  • If you increase that to $100,000/$300,000/$100,000 with comprehensive and collision and a $500 deductible, that average goes up to $1,758
  • So, it only costs $1,185 more per year, which is about $100 per month.

Is full coverage auto insurance best for you?

When you shop for a policy, you'll have to decide how much coverage you need. The decision may not be up to you if you lease or owe on a loan for your car. Most lenders require that you buy full coverage --  a liability policy with comprehensive and collision insurance. Still, opting for full coverage makes sense financially, unless you drive an old car that's not worth much or have no assets to protect.

Gusner recommends the following liability limits if your net worth is:

  • less than $50,000 choose at least 50/100/50
  • between $50,000 and $100,000, choose at least 100/300/100
  • more than $100,000, choose at least 250/500/100

Comprehensive and collision only pay out up to the actual cash value of your car, minus a deductible you pay first. That’s why these coverages may be unnecessary if the vehicle is old and has little value.

Coverage recommendations for collision and comprehensive:

  • If your car is less than 10 years old, you should consider buying collision and comprehensive.
  • If your car is more than 10 years old, buy collision and comprehensive if your car is worth $4,000 or more.
  • Buy collision and comprehensive if you can’t afford to replace it if you crash it.
  • Buy comprehensive if you live in an area prone to hail, flooding, vandalism, animal strikes or theft.

Looking for cheap full coverage auto insurance with no down payment? Not so fast

There really isn’t an official “down payment” when it comes to car insurance. Rather, the term is used by drivers seeking car insurance coverage that won’t require a pricey first payment. The first payment you make to put your policy into effect is sometimes – but not always --  more than the rest of your monthly payments, so people confuse it as a “down payment.”

Here’s how it works: you must always make a payment to the car insurance company to put your coverage into effect. Car insurance companies typically require you to pay for the first 30 to 45 days up-front. But some require you to pay for as much as 60 days. So, if you pay for the first 45 or 60 days, the amount will be more than what you will pay for subsequent monthly, or 30-day periods.

After that, your monthly payments will be the same amount, and be lower than the first payment for 45 or 60 days. The amount of the first payment you make, if you choose to spread out your payments monthly, will vary depending on your age, location, driving history and other factors.  

Full coverage car insurance calculator

We’ve highlighted average costs for full coverage based on a driver profile, but if you want to get a customized cost for a policy, use our car insurance estimator tool to see what you can expect to pay. In five easy steps, you can get quick insurance estimates for your car by using this calculator that provides rates for three coverage levels based on your personal profile.