Cheapest and Best Car Insurance Companies in Dayton, OH

The best insurer for you will vary based on your needs and preferences. Erie offers the most affordable full and minimum coverage auto insurance in Dayton. For drivers with driving records, both Auto-Owners Insurance Co and American Family offer the best deals. Nationwide provides teen drivers with the best car insurance. Cincinnati Insurance is MoneyGeek's winner for best overall and best customer service, while Erie offers the best cheap auto insurance in Dayton.

The following companies offer the cheapest minimum coverage auto insurance in Dayton:

• Erie: $198 per year
• Nationwide: $257 per year

State Farm has the most expensive policy for minimum coverage car insurance, with annual premiums costing $2,421, on average. At $226 a year as of October 2022, Nationwide provides the most affordable auto insurance in Ohio but this insurer is only the second-cheapest in Dayton.

State law determines the liability limits for minimum coverage insurance. The minimum coverage required in Ohio includes the following amounts for bodily injury and personal property damage:

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Liability-only insurance covers the cost of damages to the other vehicle or motorist, not damages to your car. With the minimum coverage required in Ohio, insurers will cover medical expenses of up to $25,000 per person, totaling up to $50,000 per accident. You will be responsible for any costs exceeding this amount.

The following insurers provide the cheapest full coverage auto insurance in Dayton:

• Erie: $544 per year
• Nationwide: $556 per year

At $3,662 per year, State Farm charges the most for full coverage. Although Nationwide offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance in Ohio as of October 2022, at an average annual cost of $485, it earned our runner-up spot in Dayton.

A full coverage policy provides more coverage than a minimum coverage policy, including collision and comprehensive coverage.

• Collision coverage: Pays for damages to your vehicle from collisions with another vehicle or object (tree, stop sign, mailbox, streetlight, etc.).
• Comprehensive coverage: Aids in covering costs for damages to your vehicle from a natural disaster or vandalism.

To safeguard their investments, owners of new cars are advised to purchase full coverage. However, it might not be worthwhile to spend more each year for additional coverage if your car is older.

In Dayton, drivers with the following violations on their records will get the cheapest rates from these companies:

• Speeding ticket: Auto-Owners Insurance Co ($594 per year)
• At-fault accident: American Family ($740 per year)
• DUI: American Family ($717 per year)

State Farm is the most expensive for those with speeding tickets, at-fault accidents and DUI offenses, charging drivers annual premiums of $4,063, $4,465 and $4,063, respectively. Even insurers that typically offer affordable policies charge drivers with violations more for car insurance.

Your insurance rate will typically increase in proportion to the severity of your driving offense. The average increase in the annual premium for a driver with a speeding ticket is $194 compared to $571 for a driver with a DUI offense. However, it is possible to acquire cheap auto insurance even if you have a poor driving history.

The cheapest auto insurance providers in Dayton for 16-year-old teen drivers on a family policy are:

• Nationwide: $1,093 per year for female teens; $1,274 per year for male teens
• Travelers: $1,927 per year for female teens
• Allstate: $1,955 per year for male teens

State Farm is the most expensive for teenagers joining a plan, charging families $11,719 or $14,998 annually to add a female or male teen to a parent’s existing policy.

Male teens are typically charged more for car insurance as insurance companies consider them riskier to insure. This cost discrepancy drops off in early adulthood, however.

Families with teen drivers can save money by adding them to a family policy rather than purchasing an individual policy. A 16-year-old male teen in Dayton could save $2,527 per year by joining a family policy as opposed to purchasing their own.

By following the appropriate steps to discover the cheapest car insurance for teens, families could save thousands annually.

For Dayton residents with a military background (active duty personnel and veterans and their families), the following insurers offer the cheapest car insurance:

• USAA: $447 per year
• Erie: $544 per year

The rates listed above are for a full coverage policy. If you choose minimum coverage, USAA is also the most affordable provider at $186 annually, with Erie coming in second at $198 annually. You can also find cheap car insurance for military drivers by comparing rates from multiple companies.

It could take a long time to compare insurers for their rates. A single quote can take up to 15 minutes to obtain when you account for the time needed to input your personal information.

MoneyGeek’s insurance calculator allows you to easily obtain quotes from multiple insurers using only your age, driving history, car model and preferred coverage level.

Depending on your preferences and needs, the best auto insurer for you will vary. Here are our top picks for the best performers across various categories:

• Best overall: Cincinnati Insurance (MoneyGeek score of 86 out of 100)
• Best for service: Cincinnati Insurance (MoneyGeek score of 74 out of 100)
• Best cheap: Cincinnati Insurance (MoneyGeek score of 86 out of 100)

A company’s MoneyGeek score varied based on the factors weighted in each category. Companies that thrive in all categories, like Erie, combine affordability with top-notch service — it also provides the best car insurance in Ohio. With a rating of 85 out of 100, USAA is another excellent choice if you have military experience.

The following are the best car insurance companies in Dayton for a full coverage policy:

• Cincinnati Insurance: MoneyGeek score of 86 out of 100 ($809 per year)
• Erie: MoneyGeek score of 83 out of 100 ($544 per year)

Cincinnati Insurance is our top choice due to its affordability and superior customer service. USAA is another excellent option for drivers with a military background. It has a high MoneyGeek score of 85 out of 100 and offers rates for around $447 per year.

The best auto insurance providers in Dayton for customer service, irrespective of cost, are:

• Cincinnati Insurance: MoneyGeek score of 74 out of 100 ($809 per year)
• Erie: MoneyGeek score of 70 out of 100 ($544 per year)

Cincinnati Insurance excels when it comes to customer service and coverage availability. Although it offers superior customer service, its prices are higher than most of its competitors in Dayton.

The following insurers offer the best minimum coverage in Ohio based on affordability and customer satisfaction ratings:

• Cincinnati Insurance: MoneyGeek score of 86 out of 100 ($342 per year)
• Erie: MoneyGeek score of 83 out of 100 ($198 per year)

Minimum coverage policies cost less, but they provide the least amount of protection against liability costs. They also won’t cover damages to your vehicle.

The average cost of car insurance in Dayton is $933, the same as the average cost of car insurance in Ohio as of October 2022. Insurance rates in Ohio are $332 less than the national average cost of insurance — $1,265. These rates apply to a full coverage insurance policy with $100,000 bodily injury liability per person, $300,000 in bodily injury liability per accident and $100,000 in property damage liability per accident. Your rate may vary depending on your location, driver profile and coverage needs.