Car Insurance Rates by State: Full 2026 Comparison
Car insurance costs vary dramatically by state. Vermont averages $128/month while Nevada averages $335/month for identical coverage. Here is what you will pay in every state and who is cheapest.
5 Most Expensive States for Car Insurance
High accident rates, fraud issues, litigation environment
Highest uninsured driver rate, frequent weather claims, litigation
No-fault fraud, high uninsured driver rate, hurricanes
High cost of living, dense traffic, expensive repairs
No-fault laws, high population density, expensive medical costs
5 Cheapest States for Car Insurance
Low population density, few accidents, low fraud, mild weather
Similar to Vermont: low density, low claims, few uninsured drivers
Very low population, few vehicles on road, low claims frequency
Low traffic congestion, low accident rates, low cost repairs
Low population density, few major weather events, conservative driving culture
Average Car Insurance Rates: All 50 States (2026)
Source: Bankrate, The Zebra, and ValuePenguin 2026 state-level rate studies. Rates shown are averages for a 35-year-old driver with a clean record, full coverage with $500 deductible.
| State | Full Coverage/month | Liability Only/month | Cheapest Insurer | No-Fault State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $158 | $52 | GEICO | No |
| Alaska | $165 | $54 | State Farm | No |
| Arizona | $215 | $70 | Travelers | No |
| Arkansas | $175 | $58 | State Farm | No |
| California | $218 | $72 | GEICO | No |
| Colorado | $245 | $78 | Travelers | No |
| Connecticut | $295 | $88 | GEICO | No |
| Delaware | $285 | $84 | State Farm | Yes |
| Florida | $315 | $98 | Travelers | Yes |
| Georgia | $225 | $74 | State Farm | No |
| Hawaii | $138 | $44 | GEICO | Yes |
| Idaho | $135 | $42 | State Farm | No |
| Illinois | $162 | $52 | American Family | No |
| Indiana | $148 | $48 | Erie | No |
| Iowa | $138 | $44 | State Farm | No |
| Kansas | $175 | $58 | State Farm | Yes |
| Kentucky | $198 | $65 | State Farm | Yes |
| Louisiana | $320 | $98 | Progressive | No |
| Maine | $132 | $42 | Travelers | No |
| Maryland | $195 | $64 | Erie | Yes |
| Massachusetts | $172 | $56 | Travelers | Yes |
| Michigan | $278 | $89 | Travelers | Yes |
| Minnesota | $185 | $60 | American Family | Yes |
| Mississippi | $178 | $58 | GEICO | No |
| Missouri | $182 | $59 | State Farm | No |
| Montana | $158 | $52 | State Farm | No |
| Nebraska | $162 | $52 | American Family | No |
| Nevada | $335 | $105 | GEICO | No |
| New Hampshire | $148 | $46 | Travelers | No |
| New Jersey | $248 | $78 | GEICO | Yes |
| New Mexico | $168 | $55 | State Farm | No |
| New York | $268 | $84 | GEICO | Yes |
| North Carolina | $148 | $47 | Travelers | No |
| North Dakota | $152 | $49 | State Farm | Yes |
| Ohio | $142 | $46 | Erie | No |
| Oklahoma | $195 | $64 | State Farm | No |
| Oregon | $165 | $54 | Travelers | No |
| Pennsylvania | $158 | $51 | Erie | Yes |
| Rhode Island | $248 | $79 | GEICO | No |
| South Carolina | $188 | $61 | Travelers | No |
| South Dakota | $168 | $54 | State Farm | No |
| Tennessee | $162 | $52 | State Farm | No |
| Texas | $228 | $74 | State Farm | No |
| Utah | $198 | $64 | American Family | Yes |
| Vermont | $128 | $41 | Travelers | No |
| Virginia | $152 | $49 | Erie | No |
| Washington | $172 | $56 | Travelers | No |
| West Virginia | $165 | $54 | Erie | No |
| Wisconsin | $148 | $48 | Erie | No |
| Wyoming | $132 | $43 | State Farm | No |
What Drives State-Level Rate Differences
12 states plus DC use no-fault insurance, requiring personal injury protection (PIP) that covers your own medical bills regardless of who caused the accident. This extra mandatory coverage increases premiums, and no-fault states often experience more fraud.
States with higher minimum liability requirements have higher average premiums. Florida requires PIP plus $10,000 property damage. California requires 15/30/5. The minimums directly affect what every driver must buy.
States in hurricane zones (Florida, Louisiana, Texas), hail corridors (Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma), and flood-prone areas see higher comprehensive claims which drive up rates for all policyholders.
Mississippi has the highest rate of uninsured drivers at approximately 29%. When you are hit by an uninsured driver, costs fall on your own insurer, which drives up rates for everyone in the state.
Nevada and Louisiana have particularly active plaintiff bars with high jury awards for accident claims. Insurers price future claim costs into today's premiums, so high-litigation states have higher rates.
New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami have significantly higher accident frequencies than rural areas. Urban drivers pay more, and states with large urban populations have higher statewide averages.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average car insurance cost per month?
The national average for full coverage car insurance is approximately $208 per month ($2,497 per year) in 2026. Liability-only coverage averages about $68 per month ($820 per year). However, these national averages mask enormous state-to-state variation. Vermont drivers pay about $128 per month while Nevada drivers pay approximately $335 per month for the same coverage.
Which state has the cheapest car insurance?
Vermont consistently has the cheapest car insurance, averaging around $128 per month for full coverage. Maine, Wyoming, Idaho, and Iowa round out the cheapest states. These states share common characteristics: low population density, low traffic congestion, fewer accidents, low uninsured driver rates, and moderate weather without the hurricane, flood, and hail risks that inflate premiums in other states.
Which state has the most expensive car insurance?
Nevada is consistently the most expensive state for car insurance, averaging around $335 per month for full coverage. Louisiana, Florida, Connecticut, and Delaware round out the most expensive states. High rates in these states are driven by factors including high litigation rates, frequency of weather-related claims, dense traffic with more accidents, high uninsured driver rates, and in Florida's case, no-fault insurance laws that create additional fraud.
Why is car insurance so expensive in Florida?
Florida's car insurance rates are among the highest in the nation due to several compounding factors: no-fault insurance laws requiring personal injury protection (PIP) coverage that is frequently abused, one of the highest rates of uninsured drivers in the country (approximately 20%), frequent hurricane and flooding damage, extremely high rates of insurance fraud particularly in South Florida, and an active litigation environment with high jury awards. Reform efforts have reduced some fraud but rates remain elevated.