Here’s How to Find Cheap Full Coverage Car Insurance

Full coverage car insurance can protect you in a plethora of situations but often comes at a steeper price compared to just buying general liability or the minimum required by your state.

The average cost of full coverage car insurance typically costs $1,600+. However, a smart and diligent shopper can find cheaper rates. In general, Geico will be the cheapest but different insurance companies may or may not provide you with cheap full coverage car insurance depending on various factors.

For instance, USAA only insures those in the military and their family. And often, they will give the cheapest full coverage price.

Then factors like your age, driving history, and gender can also affect how much your wallet gets hit. We’ve done the research to help point you in the right direction.

Here Are The Companies With The Cheapest Full Coverage Car Insurance

First, we need to understand that “full coverage” doesn’t describe a single policy you can ask for. Rather, the insurance company combines liability, collision, and a comprehensive policy. And if your car is financed and not fully paid for, the lender will force you to get full coverage.

Since it mitigates so much risk, it can come with a hefty price tag. However, if you want to know what companies offer the best prices nationwide, here’s what NerdWallet found:

1. 1. 1. USAA: $1,169 annually
      2. Geico: $1,268 annually
      3. State Farm: $1,491 annually
      4. Progressive: $1,562 annually
      5. Farmers: $1,830 annually
      6. Allstate: $2,381 annually

As mentioned above, USAA isn’t available to everyone. But even with the next cheapest full coverage car insurance, Geico, that’s over a thousand dollars worth in savings. And though Liberty Mutual is another big player in the insurance world, they weren’t included due to not releasing pricing data.

However, these are all the big names. It’s possible to find better rates if you go with a smaller insurer. Next, we will look over a few of the little guys so you can get an idea of what they have to offer.

Here Are Small Insurers Who Provide Cheap Full Coverage Insurance

Looking at the list above, Geico is the winner for most people– if they can’t get USAA. But we’re about to see how a smaller, regional insurance company, might be able to save you a few more bucks. 

There are a ton of different companies out there, so NerdWallet used these companies as examples based on their wider availability. We will also include the states where they provide coverage but this is to give you an idea of what you’ll find.

1. 1. 1. Secura: $823 – AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, ND, WI
      2. MMG: $839 – ME, NH, PA, VA, VT.
      3. Hastings Mutual: $910 – IA, IL, IN, MI, OH, WI.
      4. Mutual of Enumclaw: $1,082 –AZ, ID, MT, OR, UT, WA, WY.
      5. Central Insurance: $1,090 – AZ, CO, CT, GA, ID, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, MI, NC, NH, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI.

As we can see, that’s an extra $300 in savings compared to the nationwide average. But note, that these prices are based on a 40-year-old driver with good credit and a pretty clean driving history. 

Cheapest Full Coverage Insurance By State

Like we mentioned earlier, insurance prices can vary from state to state.

Here’s what NerdWallet dug up for each state:

Here’s The Cheapest Full Coverage Insurance After An Accident or DUI

You might be wondering, “Does full coverage insurance cover DUI accidents?” The answer is– it depends. Namely, the wording of your policy determines whether you’ll be covered or not. 

Some policies may not cover you because you were breaking the law by driving under the influence. On the other hand, some policy agreements will cover all the damages.

Again, using NerdWallet as our reference, here’s what they found:

Let’s take Pennsylvania for example. According to NerdWallet, the cheapest car insurance in PA after a DUI can be affected by your age. Here’s what they found:

Cheapest DUI Insurance In PA for 20-Year-Olds: 

1. 1. 1. QBE: $901 annually
      2. Allstate: $947 annually
      3. Geico: $1,021 annually
      4. Esurance: $1,031 annually
      5. Progressive: $1,070 annually

Cheapest DUI Insurance In PA for 30-Year-Olds: 

1. 1. 1. Esurance: $1,119 annually
      2. Penn National: $1,564 annually
      3. Allstate: $1,664 annually
      4. Erie: $1,697 annually
      5. Progressive: $1,859 annually

Cheapest DUI Insurance In PA for 40-Year-Olds: 

1. 1. 1. Esurance: $1,085 annually
      2. Penn National: $1,422 annually
      3. Erie: $1,623 annually
      4. Allstate: $1,656 annually
      5. Progressive: $1,708 annually

Cheapest DUI Insurance In PA for 50-Year-Olds: 

1. 1. 1. Esurance: $1,098 annually
      2. Penn National: $1,231 annually
      3. Progressive: $1,584 annually
      4. Allstate: $1,593 annually
      5. Erie: $1,594 annually

Cheapest DUI Insurance In PA for 65-Year-Olds: 

1. 1. 1. Esurance: $1,185 annually
      2. Penn National: $1,243 annually
      3. Erie: $1,620 annually
      4. Allstate: $1,665 annually
      5. Progressive: $1,681 annually

How To Find Cheap Full Coverage With Poor/Bad Credit

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find “cheap” insurance with bad or poor credit depending on your state. Some states don’t let companies use credit scores for their calculations. Those being Massachusetts, Michigan, California, Washington, and Hawaii. While the other 47 and D.C. do allow it– and it causes those with dings in their reports to be viewed as “risky.”

Here’s a chart from NerdWallet that shows how credit blemishes can cost you more depending on your state:

The Importance Of Comparing Insurance Quotes

When shopping around for full coverage insurance, you need to remember to compare the quotes you receive to get the best bang for your buck. And make sure the policy has what you need so you aren’t left in the dust when it comes time to submit a claim.

And remember, every company uses different metrics for their rate calculation. Looking for cheap car insurance quotes for learner drivers will be different than looking for quotes if you’ve had a DUI before.

Here are a few tips to remember when looking for full coverage insurance to get the best deal:

• • • Use the exact same information every time: That way you’re getting the right quote for the right profile. If there are different tools you are going with to help you decide, make sure they all use the same driving history, credit score, and everything else.

• • • Keep the same limits for liability and deductibles: Doing this will ensure you get the most accurate information and pricing.

• • • Don’t forget to compare the add-ons: Some companies might bundle policies that lower the overall price for you. If you need pet injury insurance or gap insurance, check each individual insurers’ rates to make sure you get the best deal.

Featured Image: Twenty20

Author Kristen Moran

About the author: A resourceful, enthusiastic and organized lead financial news writer with over seven years of experience writing news (articles, stock updates and analysis, editorials, research reports), marketing content (landing pages, press releases, mailers, investor decks, creatives), website copy, interviewing, social media and SEO strategies, website design and copy editing.