Which states have the cheapest car insurance? Hawaii is the cheapest for drivers age 20, while Maine is the cheapest for motorists age 25, 35, 45, 65, 75 and 85, based on CarInsurance.com's rate analysis. We drilled down by age group to show how states fare in each age group. You can enter your state in the search field to see rates for your location for a full coverage policy. You can also click on the arrows next to the driver age on top of each column to sort rates from least to most expensive, or most to least expensive.

Cheapest states for car insurance by age

State Age 20 Age 25 Age 35 Age 45 Age 55 Age 65 Age 75 Age 85
Alaska$3,112$1,618$1,428$1,318$1,199$1,316$1,554$1,767
Alabama$3,782$1,723$1,539$1,479$1,372$1,409$1,660$2,053
Arkansas$3,589$1,936$1,689$1,550$1,440$1,452$1,776$2,203
Arizona$3,190$1,741$1,604$1,533$1,411$1,459$1,766$2,185
California$4,384$2,609$2,185$2,018$1,876$1,848$2,152$2,396
Colorado$3,584$1,901$1,763$1,733$1,584$1,613$1,909$2,332
Connecticut$4,335$2,392$2,155$1,914$1,837$1,846$2,254$2,854
DC$3,353$1,907$1,739$1,690$1,594$1,675$2,222$2,728
Delaware$3,810$2,022$1,775$1,736$1,614$1,668$2,047$2,479
Florida$4,749$2,964$2,715$2,502$2,313$2,313$2,688$3,487
Georgia$3,857$2,023$1,799$1,638$1,549$1,684$2,057$2,556
Hawaii$1,295$1,287$1,287$1,287$1,287$1,287$1,287$1,287
Iowa$2,295$1,323$1,146$1,054$955$978$1,140$1,380
Idaho$2,526$1,390$1,194$1,105$1,019$1,054$1,301$1,622
Illinois$2,810$1,488$1,292$1,208$1,098$1,160$1,493$1,869
Indiana$2,615$1,455$1,314$1,237$1,127$1,147$1,347$1,673
Kansas$2,935$1,680$1,484$1,408$1,279$1,291$1,477$1,794
Kentucky$3,891$2,027$1,845$1,682$1,543$1,561$1,894$2,387
Louisiana$5,227$2,851$2,644$2,547$2,324$2,565$2,540$2,531
Massachusetts$3,401$1,626$1,507$1,469$1,413$1,159$1,238$1,351
Maryland$3,575$1,865$1,648$1,615$1,479$1,721$1,753$1,753
Maine$2,039$1,096$958$879$862$854$853$849
Michigan$5,492$3,166$2,909$2,900$2,700$2,720$3,367$4,125
Minnesota$2,643$1,508$1,347$1,233$1,126$1,178$1,380$1,682
Missouri$2,878$1,583$1,403$1,350$1,220$1,211$1,438$1,794
Mississippi$2,945$1,840$1,569$1,400$1,308$1,305$1,632$2,076
Montana$3,172$1,727$1,562$1,530$1,407$1,463$1,804$2,180
NorthCarolina$1,322$1,243$1,181$1,150$1,108$1,126$1,217$1,276
North Dakota$2,532$1,366$1,243$1,155$1,056$1,039$1,202$1,431
Nebraska$2,555$1,436$1,301$1,230$1,135$1,125$1,323$1,652
New Hampshire$2,639$1,383$1,236$1,159$1,066$1,212$1,534$1,817
New Jersey$3,213$2,004$1,722$1,595$1,520$1,434$1,508$1,718
New Mexico$3,109$1,627$1,488$1,387$1,276$1,327$1,709$2,143
Nevada$4,018$2,402$2,077$1,905$1,770$1,773$2,079$2,643
New York$3,371$1,935$1,920$1,777$1,707$1,743$1,987$2,288
Ohio$2,298$1,188$1,051$997$910$941$1,162$1,454
Oklahoma$3,519$2,095$1,894$1,812$1,632$1,642$1,920$2,348
Oregon$3,206$1,712$1,595$1,504$1,402$1,391$1,685$2,186
Pennsylvania$2,986$1,732$1,600$1,503$1,391$1,434$1,714$2,082
Rhode Island$4,150$2,286$2,090$1,939$1,803$2,279$2,414$2,435
South Carolina$3,394$2,041$1,767$1,653$1,545$1,590$1,905$2,264
South Dakota$2,678$1,517$1,337$1,226$1,110$1,107$1,263$1,467
Tennessee$2,861$1,555$1,337$1,214$1,121$1,169$1,512$1,898
Texas$3,554$1,973$1,761$1,618$1,510$1,589$1,867$2,249
Utah$2,833$1,499$1,332$1,267$1,164$1,205$1,511$1,848
Virginia$2,366$1,186$1,026$929$868$919$1,140$1,468
Vermont$2,341$1,274$1,137$1,004$939$1,000$1,261$1,621
Washington$2,615$1,574$1,354$1,269$1,183$1,224$1,462$1,815
Wisconsin$2,493$1,378$1,227$1,148$1,043$1,058$1,248$1,465
West Virginia$3,317$1,588$1,452$1,351$1,267$1,309$1,561$1,924
Wyoming$2,709$1,577$1,439$1,384$1,257$1,314$1,562$1,815

 

Cheapest car insurance rates by state and age

While many factors affect how much you pay for car insurance, location and age are chief among them. Location plays a major role in the cost of insurance. Our analysis found that rural states are more likely to have lower car insurance rates than congested states with large cities and suburbs.

When creating rates, car insurance companies look at the cost and frequency of claims in areas. Places with more crime, such as car thefts and break-ins, usually have higher rates than low-crime areas.

Your age also plays a role in how much you  pay for car insurance. Typically, inexperienced drivers pay more, which means younger drivers usually have higher rates than older drivers.

How age affects car insurance rates

Young drivers pay the highest car insurance rates because of their inexperience and greater risk of getting into accidents.

Car insurance companies want to reduce the number of claims paid out, so those in age groups that are considered the riskiest have to pay the highest rates.

As you spend more time behind the wheel, your rates will likely go down unless you file multiple claims. Once drivers get into their 30s and 40s, they should see their car insurance premiums drop.

Plus, as you age, you are eligible for auto insurance discounts that bring down rates. Car insurance discounts include bundling your home and car insurance, good driver, and loyalty when you stay with the same insurer for a long time.

Now, here's the bad news -- your rates will likely begin to increase again once you hit your senior years. Elderly drivers are considered riskier than middle-aged drivers. Older people's reaction times may slow, which can lead to accidents. That means higher car insurance rates for the older age groups.

You can get more details by reading our guide to average car insurance rates by age. Elderly drivers can learn more by reading our guide to the best cheap car insurance for seniors. And, our guide to car insurance for young drivers is helpful for both parents and young adults looking for how to get sufficient coverage at the most affordable price.

Shopping for car insurance

No matter your location or age, it pays to shop around for car insurance. Insurers price the same policies differently based on their respective formulas. Each insurance company has a different algorithm that weighs risk factors. That's why costs vary and it's important to do a car insurance comparison before you buy.

For instance, one insurance company may charge a lot more if you get speeding tickets, while another may not raise rates that much. Another example is one insurer may charge higher rates for young drivers or motorists who live in cities, while another might give you a break.

It's a smart idea to get car insurance quotes from at least three car insurance companies every couple of years. Provide multiple insurers with the same request, including coverage levels, and let them compete against one another. Make sure you take everything into account, including loyalty discounts or new customer discounts, when making the decision as to the right car insurance company for you.

Methodology:

CarInsurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to provide a report of average auto insurance rates for a 2017 Honda Accord for 10  ZIP codes in every state for drivers of different ages. 

Averages rates are based on the following coverage levels: 100/300/100 ($100,000 for injury liability for one person, $300,000 for all injuries and $100,000 for property damage in an accident) with $500 deductible on comprehensive and collision and uninsured motorist coverage. These hypothetical drivers have clean records, good credit and commute 12 miles each day. Average rates are for comparative purposes. Your own rate will depend on your personal factors and vehicle.