Cheapest Car Insurance Companies for 2026

Regional insurers are the cheapest option in 24 of 51 states for minimum coverage, more than any single national brand. Farm Bureau, Westfield and Farmers Mutual of Nebraska each lead multiple states and regularly price lower than national carriers by 20% to 30% in their markets. If you compare only GEICO and State Farm, you may be overlooking your actual cheapest option. Use the table below to find the lowest-cost insurer in your state before finalizing your shortlist.

State minimum coverage keeps you legal but wasn't designed to fully cover most drivers' costs in a serious accident. Most states require only $25,000 to $50,000 in bodily injury liability per person, and serious accidents routinely exceed those limits. Anything beyond your limit comes out of your pocket. Minimum liability coverage is the cheapest legal option at $67 a month nationally, but it covers only damage and injuries you cause to others and doesn't pay for damage to your own vehicle. It makes financial sense for drivers who own their car outright, can afford to repair it out of pocket and hold assets below $50,000. If you're financing or leasing, your lender requires full coverage. If your assets are high-value, minimum limits leave you personally exposed. See our guide to how much car insurance you need.

The step up from state minimums costs less than most drivers expect. A 50/100/50 policy doubles or triples your liability protection for $5 to $10 more a month at most insurers. Moving to 100/300/100 adds another $10 to $20 a month. Incremental liability coverage is inexpensive.

GEICO leads full coverage pricing in 16 states, Travelers in 10, but regional carriers take the top spot in 19 states. NYCM leads New York at $60 monthly, 51% below the state average. Grange leads Indiana at $65. AIG leads Alabama at $72. Drivers who compare only national brands in those states are paying more than they need to.

How much shopping pays off also varies by state. Delaware and Colorado sit at the opposite end, with the cheapest carrier 52% to 59% below the state average. There, shopping comes down to finding the right carrier. Washington and West Virginia tell a different story. Rates cluster so tightly that your ZIP code and deductible choice will move your rate more than carrier selection.

Use the table below to find the cheapest full coverage insurer in your state.

State Farm is the cheapest car insurance company for 16-year-old drivers when added to a family policy, at $271 a month for minimum coverage and $529 for full coverage. State Farm's edge widens further for students with a B average or better. Its good student discount runs 15% to 25% and stacks with Steer Clear, a telematics program for drivers under 25 with no at-fault accidents or violations in the past three years. For qualifying drivers, that combination pushes the effective rate below the $271 base.

Amica charges 16-year-olds $280 a month for minimum coverage, $9 more than State Farm. Families who bundle home and auto can close that gap through Amica's multi-policy discount.

National General is the cheapest auto insurance company for 17-year-olds, with minimum coverage at $226 a month and full coverage at $468. GEICO follows at $237 and State Farm at $238. The four carriers sit within $26 of each other, but the savings gap versus the national average remains narrow, at 6% to 11%. At that spread, discount stacking drives a larger share of the final rate than carrier selection alone.

National General, GEICO and State Farm are separated by $12 at this age. Your teen's driving record and existing policy relationships matter more than that gap. GEICO and State Farm offer good student discounts that stack with multi-vehicle savings. Families already insured with either carrier can match National General's base rate through that combination. National General prices more aggressively for teens with a violation or a nonstandard risk profile. Get quotes from all three before assuming your current carrier is cheapest.

GEICO is the cheapest car insurance company for 18-year-olds at $205 monthly for minimum coverage, but the four carriers in this table sit within $7 of each other. That $84 annual spread, the tightest cluster of any teen age group, makes discount eligibility and existing policy relationships more decisive than the base rate.

Travelers at $209 consistently prices full coverage at $415, $22 less than GEICO's $437. It's the better option for 18-year-olds financing a vehicle who don't qualify for GEICO's student discounts.

National General remains the default for any 18-year-old with a violation or a nonstandard risk profile. State Farm's good student and Steer Clear stack still applies at 18 and can push its $212 base below GEICO's for qualifying drivers.

National General is the cheapest car insurance provider for 19-year-olds, with average rates of $118 a month for minimum coverage, $47 less than GEICO at $147 and 29% below the national average. Standard carriers price 19-year-olds more conservatively; National General continues to compete aggressively for young drivers just starting their own record.

GEICO's $47 gap closes for 19-year-olds with a clean record, good grades and an existing family GEICO policy where multi-vehicle and good student discounts stack. That combination can cut GEICO's $147 base to roughly $100 to $110 a month, within range of National General's $118. Start with National General, then run a GEICO quote if either discount applies.

National General is the cheapest auto insurance provider for 20-year-olds at $117 a month for minimum coverage, 23% below the national average. The $42 monthly spread between National General and State Farm is the widest of any age in the young adult range. At 20, standard carriers still price young drivers conservatively. That conservatism gives nonstandard carriers like National General their largest pricing advantage. If you have a clean record and price is your priority, start with National General. If you expect to file a claim or want stronger digital tools, GEICO at $132 is the better trade-off.

The cheapest car insurance provider for 21-year-olds is National General at $89 a month  for minimum coverage, 36% below the national average. The $34 spread between National General and third-place Travelers makes carrier selection more decisive than discount stacking at this age. GEICO's good student discount can bring its $101 base to roughly $76 to $81 a month for full-time students with a B average. That brings GEICO within range of National General's base rate for that profile. Full-time students with a B average should quote both before defaulting to either.

National General remains the cheapest car insurance option for 22-year-olds at $87 a month for minimum coverage, but the gap with GEICO has narrowed to $7, down from $12 at 20 and 21. Two clean years of driving are beginning to register in standard carrier pricing.

GEICO's good student discount runs 15% to 25% at age 22. That brings its $94 base to roughly $71 to $80 a month for full-time students with a B average. That range overlaps with National General's $87 base. GEICO is competitive for the right profile at this age for the first time in the young adult range.

National General and GEICO are closer at 23 than at any other age in the teen and young adult range, separated by $4. National General leads at $80 a month, and GEICO follows at $84.

State Farm's $113 rate for 23-year-olds matches the national average, with no base rate advantage without discount stacking. The $4 gap between National General and GEICO is narrow enough that GEICO's good student and multi-vehicle discounts can flip the order for the right profile. Run a GEICO quote alongside National General before defaulting to either.

At 24, the cheapest car insurance comes from GEICO and National General, tied at $80 a month for minimum coverage, the first time a standard carrier has matched National General's rate across the entire teen and young adult range.

National General is the cheapest for full coverage at $160 monthly, versus GEICO's $175, a $15 gap that matters for drivers carrying a loan or lease who need comprehensive and collision. The tie on minimum coverage marks the point where four years of clean driving have fully closed the pricing gap between standard and nonstandard markets. GEICO's discount stack gives it a practical edge beyond the tied base rate for 24-year-olds with multi-vehicle savings or active student status.

State Farm and GEICO are the cheapest car insurance companies after a speeding ticket at $56 a month for minimum coverage, 25% and 24% below the national median. For full coverage, Travelers' $129 monthly rate is 23% below the national median.

A speeding ticket stays on your record and affects your rates for three to five years, depending on your state, adding $20 to $40 a month at most standard carriers. State Farm offers a first-ticket program that limits the rate impact and keeps its surcharge lower than most competitors. Check whether you qualify before your next renewal, as the program applies at renewal, not midterm.

State Farm has the cheapest minimum coverage after an at-fault accident at $62 a month, 27% below the national median. For full coverage, Travelers comes in at $137 a month and cuts the national median by 26%. Only $4 separates State Farm and GEICO for minimum coverage, and State Farm is the stronger option for drivers who need full coverage on a financed vehicle after a claim.

An at-fault accident can raise rates for three years or more at most carriers. State Farm absorbs at-fault drivers into its standard risk pool rather than routing them to a high-risk tier, which keeps its $62 post-accident rate lower than those of specialty carriers, which apply larger surcharges. If your current insurer raised rates more than 30% after the accident, compare quotes before your next renewal.

National General has the cheapest car insurance after a DUI at $66 a month for minimum coverage, 29% below the national median. State Farm and Travelers follow at $73 and $78 a month. For full coverage, Travelers leads at $158 a month, 36% below the national median, with State Farm close behind at $159.

A DUI raises rates 40% to 80% and stays on your driving record for three to 10 years, depending on your state laws. Many states require an SR-22 certificate after a DUI, a form your insurer files with the state confirming you carry the required minimum coverage. SR-22 filing fees range from $15 to $50 a year, and National General and State Farm both file SR-22s, which matters because not all carriers do. GEICO charges $102 a month after a DUI, 55% more than National General's $66. Carrier selection is the single biggest rate lever after a DUI conviction.

GEICO has the cheapest car insurance after a texting while driving violation at $55 a month for minimum coverage, 29% below the national median. State Farm charges $58 a month. For full coverage, GEICO leads at $126 a month, and State Farm charges $132.

Insurers penalize texting violations differently. GEICO and State Farm treat texting violations similarly to speeding tickets. GEICO holds its rate at $55 a month, and State Farm at $58. Chubb applies the highest surcharge in this table at $71 monthly, 29% more than GEICO. Some carriers weigh distracted driving more heavily than moving violations. Comparing quotes after a texting violation can save more than after a speeding ticket at carriers that price the two events differently.

GEICO has the cheapest car insurance after a not-at-fault accident at $45 a month for minimum coverage, 29% below the national median. State Farm charges $51 month and Travelers $54. Most insurers still raise rates after not-at-fault accidents, but GEICO keeps increases lower than those of most competitors. GEICO is also the most affordable insurer for full coverage at $103 a month, with Travelers at $107. The $4 gap between them is narrow enough that Travelers' IntelliDrive telematics discount can close it for safe drivers enrolled in the program.

Nationwide has the cheapest car insurance for drivers with bad credit at $165 a month for minimum coverage and $164 for full coverage, 29% below the national average. Farmers costs $179 a month for liability and $203 for full coverage, 17% below average. GEICO costs $183 a month for minimum coverage. Its full coverage rate of $195 is 18% below the national average, nearly matching Farmers' full coverage savings despite GEICO's higher minimum coverage cost.