By the time drivers reach 65, most will be heading into retirement as 65 is when American adults become eligible for Medicare.
Not everyone does, of course. Some will continue working for the financial or emotional rewards that it brings.
Regardless, you will likely be driving less at this age than your younger adult years and the times you do drive will likely be when other people are at work and school with less traffic and fewer cars. If you drive less, you may be eligible for cheaper car insurance – inform your auto insurer about significant life and work changes.
“At this age, you may no longer be commuting, you may have even parked a vehicle for a period of time,” says Kevin Lynch, an assistant professor of insurance at The American College of Financial Services in Bryn Mawr, Penn.
“Despite this, very few people re-evaluate their insurance needs. Take a moment to discuss any changes with a carrier and see if anything positive might have affected your rates.”
At age 65, drivers may notice their insurance rates have increased slightly. Lynch says it’s generally not a big increase, but insurers begin to factor in age as part of the risk.
The average national car insurance rate for a 65-year-old driver is about $1,487 per year, or $124 per month, for a full coverage policy. That’s about $51 more annually you pay at age 60. It might come as a surprise because up until this point in your life, you’ve been used to seeing your rates decrease with each passing birthday.
Read on to learn more about car insurance for 65-year-olds and ways to save on car insurance.
- For a full coverage policy, a 65-year-old driver pays an average of $1,487 per year or $124 monthly for car insurance.
- Male and female drivers pay close to the same rates.
- Males pay an average of $1,502 for a full coverage policy, while females pay $1,472 annually.
What’s the average cost for a 65-year-old?
Average car insurance rates for 65-year-oldsThe average car insurance rate for a 65-year-old at three coverage levels is as follows per year:
- State minimum liability coverage: $474
- Liability coverage with limits of 50/100/50: $598
- 100/300/100 liability with a $500 comprehensive and collision deductible: $1,487
What you pay will vary depending on many factors, ranging from the insurance company you choose, to where you live, coverage levels and the deductible you select.
See the table below to see how much car insurance costs for males vs. females at various coverage levels in each state.
| State | State Minimum Female | State Minimum Male | Liability Only Female | Liability Only Male | Full Coverage Female | Full Coverage Male |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $341 | $344 | $423 | $421 | $1,265 | $1,294 |
| Alabama | $362 | $375 | $528 | $536 | $1,314 | $1,365 |
| Arkansas | $342 | $352 | $429 | $437 | $1,269 | $1,311 |
| Arizona | $447 | $464 | $648 | $655 | $1,376 | $1,424 |
| California | $571 | $571 | $830 | $830 | $2,014 | $2,014 |
| Colorado | $433 | $445 | $719 | $730 | $1,651 | $1,699 |
| Connecticut | $726 | $733 | $807 | $815 | $1,612 | $1,637 |
| Washington D.C. | $575 | $577 | $661 | $664 | $1,750 | $1,788 |
| Delaware | $797 | $802 | $984 | $981 | $1,915 | $1,946 |
| Florida | $890 | $864 | $1,570 | $1,517 | $2,466 | $2,464 |
| Georgia | $499 | $508 | $628 | $635 | $1,455 | $1,485 |
| Hawaii | $389 | $389 | $519 | $519 | $1,306 | $1,306 |
| Iowa | $255 | $260 | $316 | $320 | $1,130 | $1,166 |
| Idaho | $286 | $290 | $356 | $358 | $971 | $990 |
| Illinois | $426 | $428 | $477 | $477 | $1,274 | $1,303 |
| Indiana | $342 | $351 | $403 | $410 | $1,094 | $1,122 |
| Kansas | $391 | $388 | $417 | $414 | $1,355 | $1,381 |
| Kentucky | $584 | $580 | $775 | $773 | $1,737 | $1,764 |
| Louisiana | $662 | $685 | $1,239 | $1,251 | $2,544 | $2,598 |
| Massachusetts | $432 | $432 | $529 | $529 | $1,236 | $1,236 |
| Maryland | $652 | $660 | $695 | $703 | $1,555 | $1,600 |
| Maine | $319 | $322 | $322 | $326 | $1,024 | $1,065 |
| Michigan | $723 | $723 | $771 | $771 | $1,955 | $1,955 |
| Minnesota | $471 | $458 | $507 | $494 | $1,330 | $1,332 |
| Missouri | $458 | $480 | $527 | $553 | $1,665 | $1,765 |
| Mississippi | $388 | $396 | $535 | $543 | $1,337 | $1,381 |
| Montana | $334 | $334 | $473 | $473 | $1,603 | $1,603 |
| North Carolina | $387 | $387 | $426 | $426 | $1,273 | $1,273 |
| North Dakota | $331 | $326 | $345 | $341 | $1,125 | $1,156 |
| Nebraska | $318 | $325 | $352 | $360 | $1,744 | $1,788 |
| New Hampshire | $392 | $393 | $432 | $433 | $1,210 | $1,218 |
| New Jersey | $1,033 | $1,018 | $1,181 | $1,170 | $1,887 | $1,904 |
| New Mexico | $374 | $381 | $563 | $567 | $1,413 | $1,447 |
| Nevada | $648 | $674 | $1,001 | $1,014 | $1,843 | $1,914 |
| New York | $910 | $898 | $998 | $988 | $1,980 | $2,016 |
| Ohio | $282 | $286 | $345 | $348 | $915 | $932 |
| Oklahoma | $321 | $328 | $518 | $519 | $1,498 | $1,555 |
| Oregon | $562 | $542 | $611 | $589 | $1,176 | $1,171 |
| Pennsylvania | $309 | $309 | $405 | $405 | $1,154 | $1,154 |
| Rhode Island | $673 | $672 | $834 | $831 | $1,858 | $1,879 |
| South Carolina | $647 | $638 | $834 | $814 | $1,825 | $1,824 |
| South Dakota | $261 | $266 | $284 | $290 | $1,323 | $1,381 |
| Tennessee | $328 | $337 | $412 | $421 | $1,193 | $1,236 |
| Texas | $527 | $535 | $673 | $669 | $1,707 | $1,748 |
| Utah | $494 | $511 | $623 | $643 | $1,328 | $1,378 |
| Virginia | $451 | $469 | $459 | $482 | $1,133 | $1,192 |
| Vermont | $276 | $281 | $307 | $313 | $1,037 | $1,061 |
| Washington | $445 | $452 | $594 | $599 | $1,142 | $1,166 |
| Wisconsin | $311 | $327 | $349 | $369 | $1,129 | $1,192 |
| West Virginia | $431 | $431 | $489 | $487 | $1,434 | $1,442 |
| Wyoming | $279 | $286 | $318 | $326 | $1,531 | $1,579 |
Note:
- State Minimum: State Minimum Liability Only
- Liability Only: 50/100/50 Liability Only
- Full Coverage: 100/300/100 is liability with comp/collision and $500 deductible.
Check out our detailed guide on the average car insurance rates by age
How much is car insurance for a 65-year-old each month?
The table below shows how much car insurance costs for a 65-year-old per month, on average.
| Coverage level | National average cost per month |
|---|---|
| Liability-only coverage | $40 |
| 50/100/50 coverage | $50 |
| Full 100/300/100 coverage | $124 |
How much is car insurance for a 65-year-old male?
At age 65, men pay an average of $1,502 for a full coverage policy, while women pay $1,472 annually. At this age, the rates for women and men are comparable.
While men do pay a little more than women at this age, it’s a far cry from their teens and early 20s when males are assessed at substantially higher rates than females, only amounting to a few dollars each year.
For example, a 20-year-old male driver pays almost $470 more annually than a female driver for a full coverage policy.
| 65-year-old policy male | Yearly national average |
|---|---|
| Liability-only coverage | $476 |
| 50/100/50 coverage | $599 |
| Full 100/300/100 coverage | $1,502 |
How much is car insurance for a 65-year-old female?
A 65-year-old female driver with a good driving record will still enjoy some of the cheapest rates of their life, but rates do start to creep up at this age.
The average national full coverage insurance policy cost for a 65-year-old female with a $500 comprehensive/collision deductible is $1,472. That’s an increase of about $45 from what they would pay if aged 60.
| 65-year-old policy female | Yearly national average |
|---|---|
| Liability-only coverage | $472 |
| 50/100/50 coverage | $597 |
| Full 100/300/100 coverage | $1,472 |
What’s the best car insurance for 65-year-old drivers?
The bare minimum is liability car insurance, which pays for others’ injuries and damage you cause to their property in an accident. But typically, the state-minimum coverage isn’t enough – particularly as you accumulate assets, such as a house and various investments. Medical costs can quickly escalate if significant injuries follow an accident and property damages, potentially risking your assets.
If you’re financing a vehicle, lienholders usually require comprehensive and collision coverage. If you paid off your car, you could continue with these coverages, which cover your car following a crash and for damage due to fire, hail, vandalism and animal strikes.
As adults retire, they might decide they’ve earned the right to buy themselves a fancier ride. In that case, they’ll likely want comprehensive insurance and collision coverage. If you have a higher deductible, you can lower your rate but will have to pay for minor repairs following an accident.
Lynch says while people may begin to drive less at this age, their driving type also changes. They may avoid driving during rush hours, head to their golf courses on weekdays, take road trips and travel.
You may drive the same amount as your working years but drive during less high-traffic periods. It’s also at this time when the effects of aging begin to become a factor.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety notes in a report on older drivers that those in the 65-69 have the lowest rates of property damage claims and collision claims per insured vehicle year. At age 70, those rates begin to rise.
Car insurance discounts for 65-year-olds
The three most significant factors for getting the lowest insurance rates are to stay accident-free, have a clean, infraction-free driving record and maintain a good credit score.
After that, it pays to look for various discounts and affiliations that could bring further savings.
If you’re still working, check to see if your trade association has a discount arranged with an insurance carrier or your company has a partnership. Even if you’re retired, many carriers will still offer discounted rates to former employees of a company or retiree associations.
Paying your premium upfront, bundling policies and multi-vehicle discounts are also available.
You may also want to consider joining seniors-oriented organizations like AARP, that have formed partnerships with insurers. AARP, for example, has partnered with The Hartford for discounted rates for seniors.
Final thoughts on car insurance for 65-year-olds
It never hurts to shop around to see if you can get a better rate with another carrier and when you start to see your rates increase, you may want to.
Jana Foster, the owner of Nevada Insurance Agency Co., a full-service brokerage with offices in Carson City and Reno, says that your current insurer may already be giving you a break on rates, especially if you’ve been a longtime customer.
“If you change carriers at age 70, 75, they may factor in an age surcharge,” she says. “Whereas, if you stay with the same carrier they may not, particularly if you’ve had a good history with them.”
It’s important to compare rates from different insurers when shopping for insurance. You can easily do that with an online calculator.
You might also be interested in Car Insurance for Teens:
- How much is car insurance for a 16-year-old?
- How much is car insurance for a 17-year-old?
- How much is car insurance for a 18-year-old?
- How much is car insurance for a 19-year-old?
Car Insurance for Young Adults:
- How much is car insurance for a 20-year-old?
- How much is car insurance for a 21-year-old?
- How much is car insurance for a 22-year-old?
- How much is car insurance for a 23-year-old?
- How much is car insurance for a 24-year-old?
- How much is car insurance for a 25-year-old?
Car Insurance for Adults:
- How much is car insurance for a 30-year-old?
- How much is car insurance for a 40-year-old?
- How much is car insurance for a 50-year-old?
Car Insurance for Seniors:
Resources & Methodology
Sources
Insurance Information Institute. “ Report on Older Drivers.” Accessed May 2023.
AARP. “Auto and Property Insurance.” Accessed May 2023.
Methodology
CarInsurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services in 2023 to field rates for auto insurance for 65-year-olds at various coverage levels and for males and females by gender.
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