As adults advance in their careers, earning more money and building assets, their insurance needs change. While young drivers can get away with liability limits of, say, 50/100/50 when they don’t much in the way of assets, when you own a home (or two) and luxury or late-model vehicles, consider purchasing full coverage insurance with higher liability limits like 300/500/300 – 100/300/100 liability limits at the minimum.
Adult drivers who own expensive cars should consider higher liability limits, which can provide more protection against lawsuits in the event of an accident, and full coverage car insurance. This coverage can protect against non-accident-related damages, such as theft or vandalism. This is particularly important for high-value vehicles that may be targets for thieves.
Moreover, having multiple vehicles and drivers within your household further complicates insurance needs. In these cases, a customized car insurance policy can be tailored to fit an individual’s and their family’s specific needs, ensuring that all vehicles and drivers are adequately covered.
Aside from the unique coverage needs, you may benefit from concierge services offered by some car insurance companies, such as personalized assistance with claims, vehicle maintenance and repairs and access to luxury rental cars in the event of an accident.
How to shop for car insurance for adult drivers
There are two primary ways to shop for car insurance: Online or with an agent.
Pros of buying car insurance for adult drivers online
- It’s convenient – you can compare quotes from multiple insurance companies simultaneously.
- You fill out a short form with an online quote and get quotes quickly.
- It’s flexible: you can shop online for car insurance anytime.
- You can avoid sales pressure.
“The real advantage of shopping for insurance coverage online is that you’ll be able to compare quotes from far more companies easily and find the best possible deal – especially if you know exactly what levels of coverage you are looking for,” says Ben Michael, an attorney who specializes in auto insurance cases.
Pros of buying car insurance for adults with an agent
- You can speak with a live human being over the phone or in person – an expert who can answer any questions you have, helping you feel less overwhelmed.
- An agent can suggest a customized policy with coverages and coverage levels that best meet your needs.
- You can establish a rapport and comfort level with one person assigned to your policy going forward.
“Shopping for coverage with an agent is a good choice if you are unfamiliar with your options and want a clear understanding of what each type of coverage includes and how much coverage to get,” Michael says.
Compare quotes for car insurance for adult drivers
Get several insurance policy quotes for your vehicle to get the best deal.
Friedlander says the Insurance Information Institute recommends obtaining at least three quotes from national and regional insurers when shopping for auto insurance. This allows for a complete comparison of costs and coverage.
“But it’s not only important to get different price quotes from multiple companies – it’s also crucial to compare the policy fine print carefully and look closely at the discounts offered,” Lokenauth says. “You also want to thoroughly investigate the financial stability of the carrier. Check their online reviews and financial rating with AM Best, and research their reputation for customer service.”
Compare car insurance quotes from more than 25 companies using our rate calculator
Gather required information
Be prepared to provide personal information online or to an agent, such as your full name, age, address, phone number and vehicle identification number (VIN). These details can help the insurance company recommend the right coverages and provide a price quote.
Choose your coverage
When shopping online or with an agent, you’ll eventually be presented with coverage options: Liability, collision, comprehensive, UM and UIM, PIP, medical payments and more. Look closely at each and determine the right coverage amounts for your needs.
Save on car insurance for adult drivers through discounts and bundling
You can save a lot on auto insurance if you qualify for discounts. Among the most common discounts available to adult drivers are:
- Bundling auto insurance with other policies (like auto and home)
- Maintaining a clean driving record with no tickets or accidents in the past three years
- Opting for a higher deductible for collision and comprehensive coverage
- Choosing a usage-based/telematics insurance program
- Choosing paperless billing
- Completing a certified driver’s education course (especially for newly licensed drivers)
- Completing a defensive driving course (discount not available in all states)
- Demonstrating a good credit history
- Demonstrating loyalty as a long-time customer
- Driving a car equipped with preferred safety features
- Having low annual mileage
- Installing anti-theft devices
- Insuring more than one vehicle under the same policy
- Opting for automatic payments
- Owning a home
- Paying the premium in full rather than in installments
How much car insurance should I buy?
The recommended amount of auto insurance you need will depend greatly on several factors, including the age, mileage, make/model of the vehicle, your driving habits, your age and how much insurance you can afford.
CarInsurance.com recommends that most drivers carry full coverage insurance with minimum liability limits of 100/300/100 and uninsured motorist coverage.
“I recommend that most adults should at least carry levels of 100/300/100 in liability and uninsured motorist coverage, as well as collision and comprehensive coverage based on your car’s value,” personal finance expert Andrew Lokenauth says.
Friedlander points out that many states require you to have a minimum of $25,000 and $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person and per accident, respectively, while most states mandate that you have at least $25,000 in property damage liability coverage.
However, carrying more than the minimum coverage is highly advised to fully protect your assets.
“When it comes to medical payments, it’s best to have at least $5,000 to $10,000 in coverage,” Lokenauth says.
Insurance experts advise securing comprehensive coverage to safeguard against substantial losses resulting from an at-fault accident.
“Opting for only minimum state requirements could potentially expose you and your family to financial vulnerability in the event of a loss,” Friedlander says.
Check out our experts’ recommendations for how much car insurance you need
How much does car insurance cost for adult drivers?
The average cost of car insurance nationwide is $1,908 per year for 100/300/100 full-coverage insurance for adult male drivers with clean driving records and good credit scores, based on a CarInsurance.com rate analysis. Increasing your limits to 300/500/300 will increase your rates slightly but not dramatically.
See how much full coverage car insurance for 25- to 60-year-old males costs annually in the table below.
| Company | State Minimum BI/PD | 50/100/50 BI/PD | 100/300/100 BI/PD – 500 Comp/Coll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geico | $409 | $557 | $1,792 |
| State Farm | $528 | $679 | $2,042 |
| Allstate | $722 | $917 | $2,683 |
| USAA | $341 | $442 | $1,420 |
| Progressive | $543 | $689 | $2,033 |
| Farmers | $774 | $1,092 | $2,790 |
| Nationwide | $532 | $654 | $1,563 |
| Travelers | $554 | $679 | $1,686 |
| Auto-Owners | $345 | $422 | $1,571 |
Check out our detailed guide on how much does insurance cost for adult drivers
What types of car insurance should adult drivers buy?
Every car insurance policy includes different levels of coverage, some of which are mandatory based on your state and others are optional. Here’s a breakdown of the different types of coverage.
Liability coverage
This coverage, which is required in nearly every state, is designed to pay for property damage and injuries for which you are at fault. As your net worth increases, so should your liability limits – this protects your finances in case of a costly at-fault accident.
“Bodily injury liability covers expenses associated with injuries or death that you or another driver are responsible for while driving. Property damage liability, on the other hand, reimburses others for damage you or another driver operating your car causes to another vehicle or other property – including buildings, fences or utility poles,” says Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications for the Insurance Information Institute.
Collision coverage
Collision coverage is optional if your vehicle is paid off. It helps pay for expenses related to repairs to your automobile if you crash into another object or vehicle or experience a rollover, and it can help defray the costs of replacing your vehicle if it is totaled after an accident.
Comprehensive coverage
Optional comprehensive coverage safeguards you in the event of damage or theft caused by an incident unrelated to a collision – theft, vandalism, weather events and animal strikes.
“This can include vandalism, flood, theft, fire, falling rocks or trees, hail and other non-collision hazards,” Friedlander says.
Comprehensive and collision comprise full coverage – a great investment if you have a high-value vehicle.
Uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage
If an uninsured motorist is responsible for an accident you are involved in, or if you are a victim of a hit-and-run accident, uninsured motorist coverage kicks in, which covers bodily injury expenses and, in some cases, property damage.
Underinsured motorist coverage applies when the other driver has insufficient coverage to pay the expenses related to a significant accident. UM and/or UIM coverage is required in some states.
Personal injury protection coverage
Also known as PIP, some states require personal injury protection coverage.
“It is intended to cover any personal medical expenses due to an accident. The amount of coverage will differ depending on the insurance provider and your state,” says Lauren Mckenzie, an insurance agent with A Plus Insurance.
She adds that PIP may, depending on state laws, also help pay for lost wages, the expenses of replacing services typically performed by someone injured in an auto accident, child care costs, and funeral costs.
Medical payments coverage
This optional coverage – required in Pennsylvania, Maine and New Hampshire – is intended to help with medical expenses sustained in an accident for the driver, any passengers in the vehicle and any third parties involved, regardless of who is at fault.
Gap insurance coverage
If your car is totaled or stolen, there could be a gap between your insurance coverage and what you owe on the car (if it’s being financed). Optional gap coverage can safeguard you here, paying out the difference between the vehicle’s actual cash value (ACV) and your remaining debt on the car.
Gap coverage is essential if you have a high-value vehicle – it provides peace of mind when financing a vehicle for longer loan terms, such as six or seven years.
Roadside assistance coverage
This protection covers your car if it runs out of gas, breaks down, the battery dies or you have a flat tire.
“It commonly covers costs related to vehicle lockout service, flat tire change, towing and fuel delivery,” McKenzie says.
Ben Michael
AttorneyWhat is the advantage of shopping online for insurance?
“The real advantage of shopping for insurance coverage online is that you’ll be able to compare quotes from far more companies easily and find the best possible deal – especially if you know exactly what levels of coverage you are looking for.”
Resources & Methodology
Methodology
CarInsurance.com editors in 2023 collected rates from Quadrant Information Services for 25- to 60-year-old male drivers with 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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