Average Cost of Car Insurance in Tennessee for 2026

Tennessee drivers pay $103 per month ($1,233 per year) for full coverage and $47 per month ($570 per year) for minimum coverage, both below the national averages of $124 and $59 per month.

Find affordable Tennessee car insurance below.

Written by Mark Fitzpatrick

Updated: June 17, 2026

Advertising & Editorial Disclosure

How Much Does Car Insurance Cost in Tennessee?

Full coverage in Tennessee costs $1,233 per year, $260 less than the $1,493 national average. Minimum coverage costs $570 per year, $156 less than the $726 national average rate. The full coverage saving is $104 larger than the minimum saving in dollar terms. Tennessee's 20% uninsured driver rate, tornado and hail exposure, and above-average vehicle theft rates in Memphis and Nashville all add cost pressure that reduces what would otherwise be a larger discount.

Tennessee at $103 per month sits between Massachusetts ($99) and Alabama ($104), near the lower-middle of the national range. Vermont holds the national low at $75 per month. Florida is near the top at $243 per month.


Minimum Coverage	$47	$60	$570	$726
Full Coverage	$103	$124	$1,233	$1,493

How Much Does Car Insurance Cost in Tennessee by Coverage Level?

The $56 monthly difference between minimum liability ($50 per month) and full coverage ($106 per month) is wider than it looks when you factor in what minimum coverage doesn't include. Adding comp and collision to minimum liability costs $11 more per month ($61 per month total), protecting your vehicle against Tennessee's tornado damage, hail and elevated theft exposure in Memphis and Nashville without jumping to maximum liability limits.

The 50/100/50 + $500 Deductible costs $107 per month, just $1 more than full 100/300/100 coverage at $106, with weaker liability limits on every measure. At one dollar, the difference is easy to miss. The Minimum Liability + $250 Deductible at $112 per month has the same problem at a wider $6 margin. Both combinations cost more on average than full 100/300/100 coverage in our data while providing less protection, though your own quotes may land differently. Getting quotes at all three limit levels before committing is worth the time. The 300/500/300 + $1,500 Deductible at $114 is a different case entirely: it costs more than 100/300/100 full coverage but delivers higher limits. The $0 deductible at $125 per month breaks even in just under four and a half years without a claim.


Minimum Liability Only	$50	$596
Minimum Liability + Comp/Coll ($1,000 Deductible)	$61	$736
Minimum Liability + Comp/Coll ($2,000 Deductible)	$83	$999
100/300/100 Liability + Comp/Coll ($1,000 Deductible)	$106	$1,276
50/100/50 Liability + Comp/Coll ($500 Deductible)	$107	$1,285
Minimum Liability + Comp/Coll ($250 Deductible)	$112	$1,344
300/500/300 Liability + Comp/Coll ($1,500 Deductible)	$114	$1,370
Minimum Liability + Comp/Coll ($0 Deductible)	$125	$1,506

How Much Is Car Insurance by City in Tennessee?

Full coverage ranges from $142 per month in Memphis to $83 per month in Johnson City, a $59 monthly difference across Tennessee's 10 most populous cities. That city range more than doubles Tennessee's company range of $26 per month, which flips the usual cost hierarchy: where you live in Tennessee moves your rate further than which company you choose.

Memphis's $142 rate reflects the state's highest crime rates, dense traffic and vehicle theft rates that jumped 15% in 2023. Johnson City's smaller size and lower crime profile produce the state's most affordable full coverage.


Bartlett	$126	$58
Chattanooga	$101	$47
Clarksville	$107	$51
Franklin	$95	$43
Jackson	$98	$45
Johnson City	$83	$38
Knoxville	$99	$46
Memphis	$142	$66
Murfreesboro	$105	$50
Nashville	$106	$49

How Much Is Car Insurance in Tennessee by Age and Gender?

Teen drivers are the single largest cost addition to any Tennessee policy. At $264 per month for a 16-year-old male and $239 for a female, adding a teen more than doubles the 40-year-old baseline of $106. That $25 monthly difference between genders reflects Tennessee's use of gender as a rating factor. Drivers under 18 can't get their own individual policy, so the family plan is the only path for that age group.

Both figures drop steadily through the teen years and into the early 20s. The $25 gender difference at 16 closes to $4 per month by 25 as male rates fall faster over that stretch. Family plan rates are lower than individual rates through the early 20s, though some companies start pricing individual policies competitively around 19 and 20. At that point, running both quotes side by side is worth the time.

Data filtered by:


16	$239	$2,874
17	$220	$2,635
18	$203	$2,432
19	$190	$2,278
20	$180	$2,156
21	$173	$2,079
22	$167	$2,009
23	$162	$1,940
24	$155	$1,859
25	$141	$1,696

Cost of Car Insurance with Violations in Tennessee

Tennessee's violation penalties sit at opposite extremes. The not-at-fault penalty is $1 per month ($12 per year), the lowest of any state we've reviewed. A DUI, by contrast, adds $66 per month and pushes full coverage from $106 to $172, with annual costs climbing to $2,068. Tennessee's DUI conviction rate is higher than neighboring states, meaning that surcharge applies to more drivers here than the statewide average implies.

Speeding adds $27 per month ($324 per year) and an at-fault accident adds $44 per month ($528 per year). Violations affect rates for three to five years, so re-shopping at the three-year mark captures available savings before your current insurer applies them at renewal. Drivers with a DUI or multiple violations may need to file an SR-22. Companies that specialize in high-risk car insurance in Tennessee often offer more competitive rates for affected drivers than standard carriers will.


Clean Record	$106	$1,276	—
Accident (not at fault)	$107	$1,285	1%
Texting While Driving	$127	$1,524	20%
Speeding	$133	$1,595	25%
Accident (at fault)	$150	$1,798	42%
DUI	$172	$2,068	62%

How Does Credit Score Affect Car Insurance Rates in Tennessee?

Tennessee drivers with bad credit pay $287 per month for full coverage compared to $100 for good credit, a $187 monthly difference that adds up to $2,244 more per year. That annual penalty exceeds Tennessee's entire full coverage premium ($1,233 per year) by more than $1,000, and it outpaces every other cost factor on this page.


Good Credit	$46	$100
Bad Credit	$132	$287
Difference	$86	$187

How Much Does Car Insurance Cost in Tennessee by Vehicle?

Insuring a Tesla Model Y in Tennessee costs $200 per month for full coverage compared to $125 for a Ford F-150, a $75 monthly difference equal to $900 per year. That vehicle range is wider than Tennessee's company range of $26 per month, making vehicle choice the more consequential of those two decisions for most drivers.

The Toyota Camry and Toyota Prius both price at $138 per month, an unusual tie between a sedan and a hybrid. The Prius carries no hybrid premium in Tennessee's rate environment. The Tesla Model 3 at $170 per month costs $27 more than the Toyota RAV4 at $143 per month, a step that reflects EV repair complexity amplified by Tennessee's tornado and hail exposure. Hail damage to EV battery systems and sensors produces repair costs that conventional vehicles in the same storm don't face. Drivers prioritizing lower premiums can save $75 per month by choosing a Ford F-150 over a Tesla Model Y, or $57 per month by choosing a Ford F-150 over a Tesla Model 3.


Ford F-150	$62	$743	$125	$1,501
Honda Civic	$63	$760	$128	$1,534
Honda Accord	$65	$782	$132	$1,582
Toyota Camry	$68	$816	$138	$1,655
Toyota Prius	$68	$818	$138	$1,661
Toyota Rav4	$71	$846	$143	$1,721
Tesla Model 3	$84	$1,006	$170	$2,038
Tesla Model Y	$99	$1,186	$200	$2,399

What Affects Your Car Insurance Rates in Tennessee?

Credit score produces the largest premium swing in Tennessee at $187 per month, more than any other single factor on this page. Tennessee also has the narrowest company range of any state we've reviewed, which means that for most drivers here, understanding where you live and what your credit looks like matters more than which insurer you pick.

Tennessee's company range is narrower than most states, but Travelers at $78 per month and Farmers at $104 per month still represent a $312 annual difference for identical coverage. Insurers weight Tennessee's risk factors differently — DUI prevalence, urban theft concentration in Memphis, tornado exposure — so the same driver can land at meaningfully different prices depending on which company's model happens to align with their profile. Travelers and Auto-Owners at $79 per month are essentially tied for the floor. If your full coverage rate exceeds $78 per month, getting quotes from both before your next renewal takes about 15 minutes.
Vehicle choice drives a wider premium range than company choice in Tennessee at $75 per month, from a Ford F-150 at $125 to a Tesla Model Y at $200. What you drive affects your rate through repair cost, theft attractiveness and claim frequency for that model. EVs carry higher repair costs from battery and sensor systems, and Tennessee's tornado and hail exposure amplifies that: a hail event that dents a conventional hood can damage an EV battery pack in ways that cost far more to fix. The Toyota Camry and Prius tie at $138 per month, an unusual result that shows hybrid pricing doesn't carry an EV-style premium in Tennessee's claim environment.
Memphis and Johnson City sit about 400 miles apart and carry a $59 monthly rate difference, more than double Tennessee's entire company range. Urban density, traffic volume, crime rates and weather exposure all feed into city-level pricing. Memphis carries the state's highest vehicle theft rates and crime concentration; Johnson City's smaller size and lower-risk profile produce the most affordable full coverage in the table. Nashville's rate of $106 per month, just $3 above the state average, reflects how its dispersed suburban layout offsets what its size might otherwise add.
Your driving record works as a multiplier on your base rate. At-fault accidents tell insurers you're statistically more likely to file a future claim; DUIs signal both impaired judgment and a pattern insurers price heavily. Tennessee's DUI surcharge of $66 per month is notable partly because the state's conviction rate is higher than neighboring states, meaning more Tennessee drivers encounter it than the national rate would suggest. The not-at-fault penalty of $1 per month shows the opposite: Tennessee insurers largely don't penalize you for incidents you didn't cause.
Age is a proxy for driving experience and risk exposure. Insurers charge more for teen drivers because claim frequency and severity are higher for that group, not as a penalty but as a reflection of actual loss data. Tennessee's three largest age drops (16-to-17, 17-to-18 and 24-to-25) are nearly equal in size, which means the rate changes are gradual. That makes annual re-shopping worthwhile across the teen and early adult years rather than waiting for one large trigger. Tennessee permits gender as a rating factor, producing a $25 monthly difference at 16 that closes to $4 by 25.
Coverage level determines both what gets paid in a claim and how much you pay each month. The two combinations worth avoiding in Tennessee, the 50/100/50 + $500 Deductible at $107 and the Minimum Liability + $250 Deductible at $112, cost more than full 100/300/100 coverage while providing weaker liability protection. The one-dollar difference on the first option is easy to miss entirely. Before dropping to minimum coverage to lower your bill, compare what Travelers charges for full coverage at $78 per month. The savings over minimum are smaller, but so is the protection tradeoff.
Credit-based insurance scores are distinct from credit scores used for lending, but they draw on similar underlying information: payment history, utilization, account age. Insurers use them because they correlate with claim likelihood. In Tennessee, the spread between good and bad credit is $187 per month, larger than the DUI surcharge and wider than the entire city range. Unlike a violation or a vehicle choice, credit improvement compounds over time and carries no tradeoff: a better score lowers your rate at every renewal without changing your coverage, your car or where you live.

How to Compare Car Insurance Rates in Tennessee

Tennessee's cost range by company is narrower than most states, but it's still a factor within drivers' control. Travelers at $78 per month and Farmers at $104 per month represent a $312 annual difference for identical coverage with the same driver. In a state where city location and credit score are harder to change quickly, a rate comparison is the one action available to almost anyone before their next renewal.

Getting quotes from at least three companies shows you where the market actually prices your specific profile, since every insurer weights Tennessee's risk factors differently. Our rankings of the cheapest car insurance companies in Tennessee cover rate data across all available carriers, and our guide to the best car insurance in Tennessee weighs service and claims quality for drivers who want more than the lowest number.


Auto Owners	$32	$79	$383	$943
Farm Bureau	$27	$85	$324	$1,021
Travelers	$38	$78	$458	$936
Erie Insurance	$38	$103	$455	$1,240
Farmers	$53	$104	$636	$1,250

Cost of Car Insurance in Tennessee: FAQ

Tennessee full coverage averages $103 per month ($1,233 per year) and minimum coverage averages $47 per month ($570 per year). Your rate depends on your driving record, age, credit score, the company you choose and where in Tennessee you live. A driver with good credit and a clean record can pay as low as $78 per month for full coverage with Travelers; a driver with bad credit pays $287 per month.

Tennessee's rates sit below the national average, though several factors keep the savings from being larger. A 21.3% uninsured driver rate, the fifth highest in the country according to the Insurance Information Institute, forces every insured driver to carry uninsured motorist coverage at elevated cost. Tennessee ranks among the top 10 states for tornado and hail damage, which drives comprehensive and collision claims above what the state's overall risk profile would otherwise produce. Vehicle theft rates in Memphis and Nashville that exceeded national averages in 2023 add further claim pressure.

Tennessee drivers with bad credit pay $287 per month for full coverage versus $100 for good credit, a $187 monthly difference ($2,244 per year). Tennessee permits insurers to use credit-based insurance scores when setting premiums. Improving your credit score reduces your rate at renewal without any change to your coverage.

How We Determined Tennessee Car Insurance Costs

We used this profile to determine auto insurance costs across all available ZIP codes and cities in the state:

40 years old
Clean driving record
Good credit
2012 Toyota Camry LE

Sections on cost by age and driving record use rates for those driver profiles, with all other factors held constant.

Minimum coverage is a state's minimum liability coverage. Full coverage is a policy with 100/300/100 liability limits and a $1,000 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage.

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, a licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has spent nearly a decade analyzing the market, first at LendingTree and now at MoneyGeek, where he produces original research on hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.

He covers economics and insurance at MoneyGeek, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among other outlets.

Like all MoneyGeek analysts, he draws on independent cost and consumer experience data. No insurance company partnership influences his recommendations.

Mark holds a B.A. from Boston College and an M.A. in Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University. He started his career in financial risk management at State Street and is also a five-time “Jeopardy!” champion.

Read Full Bio »