Adult drivers tend to pay some of the lowest car insurance rates compared to other age groups. On average, a full coverage premium for drivers in this age group costs $1,908 a year or $159 a month which is dramatically lower than teens or young adults.
While carrying state-required liability-only coverage will lower your insurance bill, if you are in a serious accident you will most likely exceed your coverage, leaving you to cover any additional costs out of pocket.
- The national average for adult drivers is $1,908 a year or $159 a month.
- Louisiana is the most expensive state for adult drivers with an average premium of $2,866 or $239 monthly for full coverage.
- USAA has the cheapest rates for adult drivers while Farmers were the most expensive.
Average car insurance rates for adults
Adults aged 25-60 enjoy some of the lowest car insurance rates compared to other age groups. They have moved past the riskier teen years and their reflexes have not started to slow which can impact senior drivers. In addition, adult drivers tend to drive more safely out on the road because kids are often in the car.
Statistics show adult drivers are a lower risk out on the road, the national average full coverage premium for drivers in this age group is $1,908 a year or $159 a month. The only age group with a lower average (although not much lower) is seniors (65-75) who pay an average of $1,886 per year, or $157 a month.
Teens (16-19) and young adults are on the other side of the pricing spectrum. The national annual average for teens is a whopping $5,914 – $493 a month for a full coverage policy. While prices drop slightly for young adults (20-24), they still pay $3,092 a year or $258 a month. This is 62% more than adults pay.
Check out our detailed guide on how to shop for car insurance for adult drivers
Monthly car insurance cost for adults
Insurance companies rate risk differently which can result in dramatically different premiums.
When it comes to pricing for adult drivers, shopping around can certainly save some money.
We ran the numbers and found that USAA offered the cheapest monthly premium for full coverage at $118 a month. USAA is only available to military community members and their families.
Nationwide has the second-lowest premium at $130 per month and Auto-Owners was only $1 per month more at $131.
On the other end of the spectrum, Farmers’ full coverage monthly premium came in at $233, which is 97% more than the USAA premium. Allstate at $224 was the second-most expensive and State Farm rounded out the top three at $170.
If you want to save money on your car insurance policy, here are a few tips:
- Shop your coverage: As the numbers above clearly show, premiums can vary dramatically between insurance companies. Shopping your coverage regularly is one of the best ways to save. Gather quotes from at least three insurers, and make sure you compare apples to apples regarding coverage levels and deductibles.
- Raise your deductible: Doubling your deductible can help lower your premium as insurers like it when you have more skin in the game. Always choose a deductible you can easily afford if you have to make a claim.
- Consider driver monitoring: Many insurers offer telematic devices or apps that monitor your driving for a few months and if they like what they see, they will offer a discount. Allstate Drivewise is a good example.
How much does car insurance for adults cost in each state?
Where you live can have a major impact on your car insurance premium. If you live in an area with frequent severe weather, you will pay more for coverage than drivers in other states. Even state laws can impact the cost of car insurance.
We had our data analysts run the numbers to find the average premium for adults in each state. When it comes to expensive car insurance, Louisiana was the most expensive state with an average annual premium of $2,866 or $239 a month.
Florida was the second-most expensive state at $2,712. If you have retired early or have a second home in Florida you will have to pay some of the highest insurance rates in the country on your vehicles there. Rounding out the top three is California at $2,460 a year or $205 a month.
If you want to keep your insurance premium low, make the move to Maine where the average premium is $1,224 a year or $102 a month. New Hampshire was the second cheapest at $1,306 annually or $109 a month, followed by Vermont at $1,349 and $112.
| State | Annual Full Coverage Rate | Monthly Full Coverage Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $1,685 | $140 |
| Alabama | $1,857 | $155 |
| Arkansas | $1,922 | $160 |
| Arizona | $1,812 | $151 |
| California | $2,460 | $205 |
| Colorado | $2,382 | $199 |
| Connecticut | $1,752 | $146 |
| Washington, D.C. | $2,194 | $183 |
| Delaware | $2,074 | $173 |
| Florida | $2,712 | $226 |
| Georgia | $2,014 | $168 |
| Hawaii | $1,517 | $126 |
| Iowa | $1,634 | $136 |
| Idaho | $1,451 | $121 |
| Illinois | $1,558 | $130 |
| Indiana | $1,517 | $126 |
| Kansas | $1,889 | $157 |
| Kentucky | $2,261 | $188 |
| Louisiana | $2,866 | $239 |
| Massachusetts | $1,734 | $145 |
| Maryland | $1,771 | $148 |
| Maine | $1,224 | $102 |
| Michigan | $2,239 | $187 |
| Minnesota | $1,910 | $159 |
| Missouri | $2,025 | $169 |
| Mississippi | $2,031 | $169 |
| Montana | $2,170 | $181 |
| North Carolina | $1,736 | $145 |
| North Dakota | $1,699 | $142 |
| Nebraska | $1,910 | $159 |
| New Hampshire | $1,306 | $109 |
| New Jersey | $1,913 | $159 |
| New Mexico | $2,030 | $169 |
| Nevada | $2,049 | $171 |
| New York | $1,883 | $157 |
| Ohio | $1,430 | $119 |
| Oklahoma | $2,139 | $178 |
| Oregon | $1,649 | $137 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,895 | $158 |
| Rhode Island | $2,084 | $174 |
| South Carolina | $2,029 | $169 |
| South Dakota | $2,275 | $190 |
| Tennessee | $1,694 | $141 |
| Texas | $2,074 | $173 |
| Utah | $1,788 | $149 |
| Virginia | $1,466 | $122 |
| Vermont | $1,349 | $112 |
| Washington | $1,606 | $134 |
| Wisconsin | $1,668 | $139 |
| West Virginia | $2,013 | $168 |
| Wyoming | $1,776 | $148 |
Why do car insurance rates vary by state?
The state that you live in will have an impact on your car insurance rates. Severe weather, crime rates and state insurance regulations can increase your premium. Insurers must pay to repair or replace your vehicle if it is damaged by weather so they will charge more in high-risk areas.
Louisiana was the most expensive state for adults when it comes to car insurance. Louisiana makes it easy for drivers to sue after an accident, leading to thousands of lawsuits a year which help push up insurance rates. Louisiana also has a pretty high crime rate which will also impact rates.
Florida was the second most-expensive state for adult drivers. Florida has recently experienced a few major storms, leading to rising insurance rates. In addition, Florida has a huge number of uninsured drivers out on the road, roughly 20.4% of drivers in the Sunshine State are not carrying insurance according to the Insurance Information Institute.
When it comes to cheap car insurance, Maine is the place to be, the average premium is $1,224 a year or $102 a month. New Hampshire was the second-most affordable at $1,306 annually or $109 a month, followed by Vermont at $1,349 and $112 monthly. These states are more rural, so fewer drivers are out on the road, leading to fewer accidents and claims.
Cheapest car insurance companies for adults
When it comes to full coverage levels, USAA was the cheapest option at $1,420 a year. Nationwide was the second most affordable with a yearly premium of $1,563 and Auto Owners came in at $1,571.
If you have a newer vehicle and significant assets, you will want to ensure you are fully protected in an at-fault accident with full coverage. Carrying higher liability levels will ensure you are covered against lawsuits if you injure someone or their property with your vehicle.
When it comes to car insurance, the coverages and the coverage levels you are carrying will impact your premium. While carrying liability-only can be a money saver, in the end, it can leave you on the hook for some massive bills if you are at fault for an accident.
Car insurance is broken down into liability, comprehensive, and collision. Here is a quick overview of each coverage:
- Liability: Liability insurance will pay to repair damage to other people or their property. The bodily injury section of the policy will pay for medical and legal bills if you injure someone with your vehicle. The property damage portion of the policy will cover damage to someone’s property.
Liability coverage has three levels: per person, accident, and property damage. This means that 50/100/50 liability coverage means you have coverage levels of $50,000 per person in an accident, $100,000 total per accident, and $50,000 in property damage protection.
- Collision: This is not state-required coverage, but if you have a newer car or have a loan or lease on the vehicle you will want to carry collision. Collision pays to repair or replace your vehicle after an accident. If you are not carrying collision coverage and are at fault for an accident you will have to cover the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle on your own.
- Comprehensive: This insurance will pay to repair your vehicle that is caused by flood, fire, theft, vandalism, animal strikes, and other covered perils. It does not cover damage caused by a car accident.
| Company | State Minimum Rate | Liability (50/100/50) | Full Coverage Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $722 | $917 | $2,683 |
| Auto-Owners | $345 | $422 | $1,571 |
| Farmers | $774 | $1,092 | $2,790 |
| Geico | $409 | $557 | $1,792 |
| Nationwide | $532 | $654 | $1,563 |
| Progressive | $543 | $689 | $2,033 |
| State Farm | $528 | $679 | $2,042 |
| Travelers | $554 | $679 | $1,686 |
| USAA | $341 | $442 | $1,420 |
Cheapest monthly car insurance rates for adults
There is a good chance your insurers will offer a discount if you pay your premium annually or every six months but many drivers pay monthly. Our analysts looked at the data to find the insurers with the best monthly premiums for adults and which states are the cheapest monthly.
According to the data, USAA was the cheapest monthly option for full coverage at $118 a month. Nationwide came in at $130 a month and Auto-Owners was slightly higher at $131.
Farmers’ full coverage premium was quite a bit more expensive, at $233 per month. This is 97% more than the USAA premium, showing that shopping your coverage is a great way to save money. Allstate at $224 was the second most expensive and State Farm was $170.
See more rates by company in the table below.
| Company | Monthly Full Coverage Rate |
|---|---|
| USAA | $118 |
| Nationwide | $130 |
| Auto-Owners | $131 |
| Travelers | $140 |
| Geico | $149 |
| Progressive | $169 |
| State Farm | $170 |
| Allstate | $224 |
| Farmers | $233 |
Resources & Methodology
Sources
Insurance Information Institute. “Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists.” Accessed February 2024.
Methodology
CarInsurance.com editors in 2023 collected rates from Quadrant Information Services for a 40-year-old male driving a Honda Accord LX with a good insurance score and no violation on record for a full coverage insurance policy with limits 100/300/100 and $500 comprehensive and collision deductible. We analyzed 53,409,632 records, 34,588 ZIP codes and 170 insurance companies nationwide.
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Laura Longero
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Laura Longero is an insurance expert and Executive Editor at CarInsurance.com, where she specializes in helping consumers navigate the complexities of the financial and insurance industries. She has 15 years of experience educating people about finance and car insurance. Prior to joining CarInsurance.com, she worked as a reporter and editor at the USA Today Network. Her expertise provides readers with practical guidance, helping them make informed choices about their financial and insurance needs.
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Leslie Kasperowicz
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Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.
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Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.