Best Car Insurance in Tennessee for 2026

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Updated: April 23, 2026

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Key Takeaways
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Auto-Owners earns Tennessee's top MoneyGeek score of 4.8/5, with 5/5 ratings for affordability and customer experience. It's the only insurer in this analysis to lead on both rate and service, and it wins best and cheapest for adults ($28 per month), old cars ($22 per month) and young drivers ($82 per month).

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Farm Bureau wins cheapest for speeding tickets ($27 per month), accidents ($27 per month) and senior drivers ($31 per month), making it the rate-only pick for those profiles.

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Auto-Owners leads all 10 Tennessee cities with a 4.8/5 rating. Memphis averages $69 per month, compared with $44 in Johnson City, a $25 gap driven by urban density and I-40 corridor traffic.

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HOW MONEYGEEK CHOSE THE BEST CAR INSURANCE IN TENNESSEE

MoneyGeek analyzed quotes from five Tennessee insurers across every ZIP code in the state. Tennessee is an at-fault state where Nashville metro traffic produces above-average accident frequency and spring severe weather drives above-average comprehensive claims. Tennessee permits credit scoring in auto insurance pricing, which affects rates for drivers with low credit scores.  

MoneyGeek's licensed insurance producers noted Tennessee's at-fault liability system, Nashville's outsized effect on statewide rates and the top-of-market combination in which a single insurer leads on both rate and service.

  • Affordability (60%): Rate is the primary driver for most Tennessee drivers.
  • Customer experience (30%): Based on J.D. Power scores, NAIC complaint ratios, AM Best ratings and independent agent Google Business ratings.
  • Coverage options (10%): Measures the range of optional coverages offered in Tennessee.

Best Car Insurance in Tennessee by Driver Profile

Auto-Owners earns Tennessee's top MoneyGeek score at 4.8/5, with 5/5 on affordability and customer experience. It's the only Tennessee insurer to lead the state on both rates and service. At $28 per month for minimum coverage for a clean-record adult, it's both the best and cheapest option for that profile, and it wins young drivers at $82 per month.  

Farm Bureau has the cheapest car insurance in Tennessee for drivers after a speeding ticket and accident at $27 per month each. Travelers is the best and cheapest for DUI at $53 per month and the newer cars at $38 per month.  

Erie is the best for bad credit at $95 per month, driven by its 4.8/5 customer experience score and the Auto Plus Endorsement. GEICO isn't a featured winner, but it offers the cheapest bad-credit rate at $87 per month and the cheapest low-income rate at $58 per month.

Drivers with older cars
Auto-Owners
$22
$54
Adult drivers (26-64), clean record
Auto-Owners
$28
$77
Drivers with newer cars
Travelers
$38
$78
After a speeding ticket
Erie
$42
$112
Senior drivers (65+)
Auto-Owners
$49
$112
After an at-fault accident
Travelers
$51
$112
After a DUI
Travelers
$53
$118
Low income
Auto-Owners
$66
$150
Young drivers (16-25)
Auto-Owners
$82
$209
Bad credit
Erie
$95
$244

Tennessee allows credit scoring in auto insurance pricing. Erie's $95-per-month bad-credit minimum earns the best score for that profile in Tennessee. GEICO offers a lower non-featured rate at $87 per month for drivers who prioritize price over service scores.

Auto-Owners
Best for Young or Senior Drivers

Auto-Owners

Auto-Owners is the only Tennessee insurer MoneyGeek analyzed that leads the state on both rate and service. At $28 per month for minimum coverage for a clean-record adult, it's both the best and cheapest option for that profile. It also wins older cars at $22 per month (best and cheapest) and young drivers with the best score at $82 per month.

Auto-Owners holds a 5/5 customer experience score in MoneyGeek's Tennessee analysis, the highest of any insurer in the state. Its independent agent network averages above 4.5 stars on Google Business profiles, which feed MoneyGeek's scoring. Its NAIC complaint index runs well below the industry baseline, and its AM Best financial strength rating is strong. Auto-Owners offers four optional coverages, and the distinctive piece is that diminished value protection is included with a policy, not sold as a separate add-on. In Tennessee, where Nashville metro traffic produces above-average claim frequency and where spring severe weather drives comprehensive claims, that coverage has genuine utility for drivers financing or trading in vehicles.

  • Affordability (60%): 5/5
  • Customer Experience (30%): 5/5
  • Coverage Options (10%): 3.4/5

Don't pick Auto-Owners if you need gap insurance or a broad lineup of optional coverages. Erie offers seven optional coverages and the Auto Plus endorsement. Farm Bureau's cheapest rates for speeding and accident profiles are $27 per month, $21 and $24 per month below Auto-Owners' rates if the lowest price on those profiles is the priority.

Farm Bureau
Best Cheap for Drivers With a Speeding Ticket or Accident

Farm Bureau

Farm Bureau is the cheapest speeding ticket ($27 per month), cheapest accident ($27 per month) and cheapest senior ($31 per month) categories in MoneyGeek's Tennessee analysis. Those are the lowest rates found in the state for those profiles. Farm Bureau's accident minimum is $24 per month below Travelers' $51 best-score rate for that profile, a savings that compounds over the three-year surcharge period that follows an at-fault accident.

Farm Bureau ranks fifth in customer experience among the Tennessee insurers MoneyGeek analyzed with a 4/5 score. Its local-agent-led service model and established rural Tennessee presence translate to solid claims responsiveness in small communities. Farm Bureau offers two optional coverages: roadside assistance and new car replacement. The lineup is narrower than Travelers' or Erie's, which is the clearest trade-off against its rate leadership.

  • Affordability (60%): 5/5
  • Customer Experience (30%): 4/5
  • Coverage Options (10%): 1/5

Don't pick Farm Bureau if you need gap insurance, accident forgiveness or rideshare coverage. None are available. Travelers' $38 per month clean-record minimum is $11 more per month but includes all three, alongside a 4.6/5 customer experience score.

Erie
Best for Drivers With Bad Credit

Erie

Erie wins the bad-credit category in MoneyGeek's Tennessee analysis on the best score at $95 per month minimum. That is not the cheapest bad-credit rate in the state. GEICO's $87 per month minimum is $8 lower, but Erie earns the best composite score for that profile (4.8/5), built on a 4.8/5 customer experience score and a 4.2/5 coverage score.

On customer experience, Erie ranks second in MoneyGeek's Tennessee analysis at 4.8/5, behind only Auto-Owners' 5/5. Its independent agent network and below-baseline NAIC complaint index both support that score. Erie offers seven optional coverages, and the Erie Auto Plus endorsement is the real differentiator: a no-deductible option, a $10,000 death benefit, emergency travel expenses and enhanced lockout limits. For a bad-credit driver who may also be managing other financial pressures, the combination of a strong service reputation and substantive optional coverage is the case Erie makes here.

  • Affordability (60%): 4.4/5
  • Customer Experience (30%): 4.8/5
  • Coverage Options (10%): 4.2/5

Don't pick Erie if the absolute lowest bad-credit rate is the priority. GEICO's $87 per month bad-credit minimum is $8 cheaper than Erie's $95, though GEICO's three optional coverages don't include gap insurance or the Auto Plus endorsement.

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MONEYGEEK'S VERDICT

Auto-Owners is the top pick for most Tennessee drivers. Its 5/5 on both affordability and customer experience makes it the only insurer in the state where the best-score and lowest-rate picks are the same provider. Farm Bureau is the rate-only pick for speeding and accident profiles, where the lowest price matters more than service quality or coverage depth. Erie is the bad-credit pick: its strong service record and Auto Plus Endorsement add real value beyond the rate. Tennessee's credit scoring allowance means the bad-credit profile carries substantial weight in this analysis.

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MORE ON TENNESSEE CAR INSURANCE

Best Car Insurance in Tennessee by City

Auto-Owners leads all 10 Tennessee cities MoneyGeek analyzed, consistent with its state-level result. The rate gap is notable: Memphis averages $69 per month while Johnson City averages $44 per month, a $25 gap that reflects Memphis's urban density and I-40/I-240 interchange traffic versus the smaller markets of East Tennessee. Nashville sits in the middle at $59 per month, relevant for drivers in the state's fastest-growing metro.

Nashville
Auto-Owners
4.80
$59
Memphis
Auto-Owners
4.80
$69
Knoxville
Auto-Owners
4.80
$53
Chattanooga
Auto-Owners
4.80
$53
Clarksville
Auto-Owners
4.80
$57
Murfreesboro
Auto-Owners
4.80
$56
Franklin
Auto-Owners
4.80
$52
Jackson
Auto-Owners
4.80
$54
Johnson City
Auto-Owners
4.80
$44
Bartlett
Auto-Owners
4.80
$63

Summary: Best Car Insurance Providers in Tennessee on Average

Auto-Owners leads Tennessee at 4.8/5 with 5/5 on affordability and customer experience, the only insurer in MoneyGeek's Tennessee analysis to achieve both. Travelers follows at 4.7/5 and Erie at 4.5/5. The gap between Auto-Owners and the rest of the field is wider than in most states, reflecting its uncommon combination of rate and service leadership. MoneyGeek's methodology weights affordability at 60%, customer experience at 30% and coverage at 10%.

Auto-Owners4.83$5516
Travelers4.7$5835
Erie Insurance4.48$7123
Farm Bureau4.44$5658
Farmers3.95$79101

How to Find the Best Car Insurance in Tennessee

Tennessee rates run below the national average for most profiles, but a bad-credit driver here pays more than three times what a clean-record adult pays, and the best insurer for each profile differs by a lot.

  1. 1
    Check Tennessee's minimum coverage requirements

    Tennessee requires 25/50/15 liability coverage: $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident and $15,000 for property damage. It's an at-fault state with no personal injury protection requirement. Drivers who want only the legal minimum should check cheapest car insurance in Tennessee for the lowest available rates.

  2. 2
    Factor in the Nashville metro effect

    Nashville's growth has pushed rates above the statewide average in surrounding ZIP codes. Franklin and Murfreesboro drivers should check specific ZIP codes rather than relying on city-level averages, as local traffic density and accident frequency affect premiums directly.

  3. 3
    Plan for DUI surcharges and SR-22 requirements

    Travelers wins best and cheapest car insurance after a DUI in Tennessee at $53 per month. An SR-22 filing is required in the state after a DUI conviction.

  4. 4
    Understand how credit scoring affects your rate

    Tennessee allows insurers to use credit as a rating factor, which can increase premiums for drivers with below-average credit. Erie wins best bad-credit at $95 per month for minimum coverage.

  5. 5
    Consider Bundling Home and Auto

    Bundling home and auto policies in Tennessee reduces premium costs for drivers in the state.

Frequently Asked Questions About Car Insurance in Tennessee

Who has the cheapest car insurance in Tennessee?

What is the average cost of car insurance in Tennessee?

What car insurance is required in Tennessee?

Is Tennessee a no-fault state?

Does Tennessee allow credit scoring for car insurance?

Which Tennessee insurer has the best customer service?

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for almost a decade, first with LendingTree and now with MoneyGeek, conducting original research on hundreds of insurance companies and millions of insurance rates for insurance shoppers. 

He writes about economics and insurance on MoneyGeek, breaking down complex topics so people can have confidence in their purchase. Like all MoneyGeek analysts, Mark collects and analyzes independent cost and consumer experience data on insurance companies to provide objective recommendations in our content that are independent of any of MoneyGeek's insurance company partnerships. 

His insights on products ranging from car, home and renters insurance to health and life insurance have been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among others. 

Mark holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He started his career working in financial risk management at State Street before transitioning to the analysis of the personal insurance market. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

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