Cheapest Car Insurance in Tennessee for 2026

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Updated: April 30, 2026

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Tennessee ranks 15th most affordable of 50 states, with full coverage averaging $103/month, 15% below the national average. Auto-Owners is cheapest for full coverage ($77/month); Farm Bureau (a regional Tennessee insurer) is cheapest for minimum coverage ($27/month). Farm Bureau charges the same rate for speeding tickets and at-fault accidents as its clean-record rate, with no surcharge for either violation. At age 16, the cheapest provider differs by gender, with a $59/month gap between the best male and female options.

Cheapest in Tennessee by coverage type

Cheapest by driver age

Cheapest by driving record and credit score

MoneyGeek analyzed 11 companies for Tennessee car insurance rates. The baseline profile is a 40-year-old driver with a clean record, good credit, 100/300/100 coverage limits and a $1,000 deductible. Tennessee Farm Bureau is a regional Tennessee insurer. Gender is a rating factor and young driver rates are shown separately by gender. Data provided by Quadrant Information Services.

Cheapest Minimum and Full Coverage Car Insurance in Tennessee

Farm Bureau has the cheapest minimum coverage at $27/month, while Auto-Owners leads full coverage at $77/month. Tennessee Farm Bureau is a regional, state-specific insurer. Choosing Auto-Owners over Erie (the third-cheapest full coverage option at $102/month) saves $25/month ($300/year). Compare providers across coverage levels on MoneyGeek's best car insurance in Tennessee page.

Tennessee's minimum coverage requirement is 25/50/25: $25,000 per person bodily injury, $50,000 per accident bodily injury and $25,000 property damage. Tennessee is an at-fault state with no personal injury protection (PIP) requirement and no mandatory uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Minimum coverage pays the other party's costs when the insured driver is at fault; it does not cover the driver's own vehicle.

Farm Bureau
$27
$82
Auto-Owners
$28
$77
Erie Insurance
$37
$102
Travelers
$39
$78
State Farm
$40
$115

Cheapest Car Insurance by Age in Tennessee

Travelers is the cheapest for young adult policies at $195/month. Farm Bureau is the most affordable for seniors at $87/month. At age 16, the cheapest provider differs by gender: Farm Bureau leads female drivers at $299/month while Erie Insurance leads male drivers at $358/month, a $59/month gap. From age 18, Travelers leads both genders. Both males and females converge at Auto-Owners at $145/month at age 25. Compare age-based rates on MoneyGeek's car insurance rates by age page.

Open the dropdowns below for full age breakdowns.

Young Drivers (standalone)
Travelers
$195
Teen Drivers (16, female)
Farm Bureau
$299
Teen Drivers (16, male)
Erie Insurance
$358
Seniors (65+)
Farm Bureau
$87

Cheapest Car Insurance for High-Risk Drivers in Tennessee

Farm Bureau leads in speeding ticket rates at $82/month and in at-fault accident rates at $82/month. Both rates equal Farm Bureau's clean-record full coverage rate, meaning the insurer applies no surcharge for either violation in Tennessee. Travelers leads DUI coverage at $118/month. Auto-Owners leads texting-while-driving rates at $77/month, identical to its clean-record rate. GEICO is the cheapest for bad credit, with rates at $209/month. Bad credit rates in Tennessee are expensive relative to the state's affordable clean-record market: GEICO at $209 is nearly three times Auto-Owners' clean-record rate of $77. You can research MoneyGeek's high-risk car insurance in Tennessee.

Most violations affect rates for three years. DUI surcharges remain on record longer. The percentage rate increase varies by violation type and provider.

Speeding Ticket
Farm Bureau
$82
At-Fault Accident
Farm Bureau
$82
DUI
Travelers
$118
Texting While Driving
Auto-Owners
$77
Bad Credit
GEICO
$209

Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes in Tennessee by City

Auto-Owners leads in six of 10 cities analyzed. Travelers leads in Johnson City, Memphis and Nashville. Farm Bureau leads in Franklin. The largest gap is Memphis at $99/month versus Johnson City at $61/month, a difference of $38/month ($456/year). Memphis is Tennessee's most populous city, with high traffic density and elevated crime rates. 

Johnson City is a smaller city in northeast Tennessee's Tri-Cities metro area, with far lower density and lower claim frequency.

Nashville averages $82/month while Murfreesboro averages $80/month, a $2/month difference despite Nashville being far larger. Murfreesboro's suburban location within commuting distance of Nashville means similar risk profiles in insurer pricing models. Compare options across providers on MoneyGeek's compare car insurance page.

Bartlett
Auto-Owners
$92
Chattanooga
Auto-Owners
$76
Clarksville
Auto-Owners
$81
Franklin
Farm Bureau
$74
Jackson
Auto-Owners
$79
Johnson City
Travelers
$61
Knoxville
Auto-Owners
$78
Memphis
Travelers
$99
Murfreesboro
Auto-Owners
$80
Nashville
Travelers
$82

What Does Tennessee's Minimum Coverage Actually Protect You From?

Tennessee sets a standard minimum and charges below-average rates — a reasonable starting point that still leaves gaps.

At 25/50/25 with no required PIP, UM/UIM, or MedPay, Tennessee's minimum is the same floor most states set. But at 9% below the national average, Tennessee is one of the more affordable states to meet the legal minimum. 

However, $25,000 per person won't cover a serious injury, and your own medical costs after an at-fault crash aren't covered at all. Tennessee also has a meaningful share of uninsured drivers, which makes UM/UIM worth adding even though the state doesn't require it.

Image showing Tennessee state minimum car insurance liability requirements compared to other states in the US.

How to Get the Cheapest Car Insurance in Tennessee

Tennessee drivers can reduce car insurance costs through eight proven strategies. Choosing Auto-Owners at $77/month for full coverage is the most affordable option among analyzed providers. Compare rates across providers on MoneyGeek's compare car insurance page and review top options on the cheapest car insurance companies page.

  1. 1

    Compare by Coverage Level

    Farm Bureau at $27/month leads minimum coverage while Auto-Owners at $77/month leads full coverage. The best provider depends on the coverage level being purchased, so compare quotes for the specific tier needed.

  2. 2

    Match Coverage to Vehicle Value

    Full coverage averages $103/month in Tennessee. For older, lower-value vehicles, reducing to minimum coverage can free up substantial monthly savings. Calculate the best coverage level using MoneyGeek's car insurance calculator for Tennessee.

  3. 3

    Enroll in a Telematics Program

    Auto-Owners TrueRide and Travelers IntelliDrive reward safe driving with discounts based on actual driving behavior. Tennessee drivers who brake gently, avoid hard acceleration and drive during low-risk hours can earn meaningful premium reductions.

  4. 4

    Bundle Home and Auto

    Bundling home and auto policies with the same insurer produces discounts on both policies. Review bundle options on MoneyGeek's home and auto bundle in Tennessee page.

  5. 5

    Take a Defensive Driving Course

    Tennessee-approved defensive driving courses can qualify drivers for premium discounts. The discount ranges from 5% to 10% and may remain available for multiple years after course completion.

  6. 6

    Re-Shop When Violations Age Off

    Most Tennessee violations affect rates for three years, and SR-22 requirements run three years as well. Set a reminder and compare quotes immediately when a violation drops off the driving record, as rates can decrease substantially at that point.

  7. 7

    Improve Credit Score

    The gap between GEICO's bad-credit rate at $209/month and Auto-Owners' clean-credit rate at $77/month is $132/month ($1,584/year). Tennessee allows credit-based pricing, so re-shopping after a meaningful score improvement can produce substantial savings.

  8. 8

    Consider Non-Owner Coverage

    Drivers who don't own a vehicle but need liability coverage can purchase non-owner policies at lower rates than standard policies. Review options on MoneyGeek's non-owner car insurance in Tennessee page.

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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