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 percent in their markets. If you only compare 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 was not designed to fully protect most drivers. 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 pocket. Minimum liability coverage is the cheapest legal option at $67 per month nationally, but it only covers damage and injuries you cause to others and does not 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 are financing or leasing, your lender requires full coverage. If your assets are significant, 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 per month at most insurers. Moving to 100/300/100 adds another $10 to $20 per month, making incremental liability coverage inexpensive.

GEICO leads full coverage pricing in 16 states and Travelers in 10, but regional carriers take the top spot in 19 states. In our analysis that is the finding most drivers miss. NYCM leads New York at $60 monthly, 51% below the state average. Grange leads Indiana at $65. AIG leads Alabama at $72. Drivers who only compare national brands in those states are leaving significant savings on the table.

How much shopping pays off also varies by state. In Delaware and Colorado the cheapest carrier sits 52 to 59 percent below the state average, meaning the savings are large and the main task is simply finding the right carrier. In Washington and West Virginia rates cluster so tightly that your ZIP code and deductible choice will move your rate more than carrier selection alone.

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, with rates at $271 monthly for minimum coverage and $529 monthly for full coverage. State Farm's edge widens further for students with a B average or better. It's 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, pushing State Farm's effective rate below the $271 base for qualifying drivers.

Amica charges 16-year-olds $280 monthly for minimum coverage, just $9 more than State Farm, and can lower rates for families who bundle home and auto, as its multi-policy discount can close the gap with State Farm for some profiles.

National General is the cheapest auto insurance company for 17-year-olds, with minimum coverage at $226 monthly and full coverage at $468, with GEICO closely behind 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%, meaning discount stacking still 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, making the teen's driving record and existing policy relationships the deciding factors. GEICO and State Farm both offer good student discounts that stack with multi-vehicle savings, giving families already insured with either carrier a practical path to matching National General's base rate. National General prices more aggressively for teens with a violation or a non-standard risk profile. Adding a 17-year-old to a parent's policy warrants quotes from all three before assuming the current carrier is the cheapest option.

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, an $84 annual spread that makes discount eligibility more decisive than base rate. That is the tightest cluster of any teenage group, and it means the base rate difference between first and fourth place is $84 annually. Discount eligibility and existing policy relationships will determine the actual cheapest option more reliably than the table alone.

Travelers at $209 is worth quoting for drivers who don't qualify for GEICO's student discounts, as it consistently prices full coverage $22 less than GEICO's $437, making it the stronger option for drivers who need full coverage on a financed vehicle and don't qualify for GEICO's student discounts.

National General remains the default for any 18-year-old with a violation or a non-standard 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 monthly for minimum coverage, $47 less than GEICO at $147 and 29% below the national average. That gap reflects how standard carriers price 19-year-olds more conservatively, while National General continues to compete aggressively for young drivers building their first independent 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. Those two discounts combined can cut GEICO's $147 base to roughly $100 to $110 monthly, bringing it 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 monthly 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, giving non-standard 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 monthly for minimum coverage, 36% below the national average. The $34 spread between National General and third-place Travelers makes carrier selection more impactful than discount stacking at this age. GEICO's good student discount can bring its $101 base to roughly $76 to $81 monthly for full-time students with a B average, putting it 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 monthly for minimum coverage, but the gap with GEICO has narrowed to $7, down from $12 at 20 and 21, as two clean years of driving begin registering in standard carrier pricing.

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

National General and GEICO are the cheapest car insurance companies for 23-year-olds, separated by $4 at 23: the cheapest car insurance comes from National General at $80 monthly, with GEICO at $84, the tightest the two carriers have been across the entire teen and young adult range.

State Farm is at $113 at this age but sits exactly at the national average, offering 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 both GEICO and National General, tied at $80 monthly 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 non-standard 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 both have the cheapest car insurance companies after a speeding ticket at $56 monthly for minimum coverage, 25% and 24% below the national median respectively. Travelers has the lowest full-coverage rate at $129 per month, 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 monthly 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 rather than mid-term.

State Farm has the cheapest minimum coverage after an at-fault accident at $62 monthly, 27% below the national median. Travelers leads on full coverage at $137 monthly, 26% below the national median. 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. Travelers leads on full coverage post-accident at $137 monthly, 26% below the national median. 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 monthly for minimum coverage, 29% below the national median. State Farm and Travelers follow at $73 and $78 monthly. For full coverage, Travelers leads at $158 monthly, 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 per year, and National General and State Farm both file SR-22s, which matters because not all carriers do. GEICO charges $102 monthly after a DUI, 55% more than National General's $66, making carrier selection the single biggest rate lever after a DUI conviction.

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

Insurers penalize texting violations differently. GEICO and State Farm treat texting violations similarly to speeding tickets, keeping their rates at $55 and $58 monthly, respectively. Chubb applies the highest surcharge in this table at $71 monthly, 29% more than GEICO, reflecting how some carriers weigh distracted driving risk 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 monthly for minimum coverage, 29% below the national median. State Farm charges $51 monthly 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 monthly, 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 monthly for minimum coverage and $164 for full coverage, 29% below the national average. Farmers costs $179 monthly for liability and $203 for full coverage, 17% below average. GEICO costs $183 monthly for minimum coverage, but its full coverage rate of $195 is 18% below average, nearly matching Farmers' discount on full coverage despite higher liability costs.