Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in Fort Lauderdale, FL (July 2024)

The best or cheapest auto insurance in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, depends on coverage choices and driver details. GEICO offers the lowest rates for minimum coverage policies, while Travelers is the most affordable for full coverage. State Farm is the most economical for families with teen drivers. Mercury excels in customer service, and State Farm tops overall for offering a balance of cost effectiveness and quality service.

MoneyGeek found that GEICO offers the cheapest car insurance in Fort Lauderdale. The rates listed below are for minimum coverage policies:

• GEICO: $806 per year
• Travelers: $864 per year

Direct General Insurance charges the highest annual premium for minimum coverage at $2,048, $1,242 more expensive than GEICO. This price gap underscores the importance of comparing quotes to get the best deal.

Florida law mandates these specific car insurance coverage minimums:

• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
  
• $10,000 personal injury protection per person
  

For example, if you cause a fender bender, minimum coverage would pay up to $10,000 for the other car's damage. But if the repair cost exceeds $10,000, you'd have to pay the balance out of pocket.

MoneyGeek found that Travelers offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance in Fort Lauderdale.

• Travelers: $1,862 per year
• State Farm: $1,954 per year

Direct General Insurance has the most expensive full coverage policy, $2,282 higher annually than Travelers. This highlights the benefit of comparing rates, as full coverage policies provide extensive financial protection, which justifies their higher costs.

MoneyGeek's full coverage plan for Fort Lauderdale increases liability coverage to $100,000 for bodily injury per person, $300,000 for bodily injury per accident and $100,000 for property damage per accident — known as the 100/300/100 policy.

This comprehensive full coverage includes two key components:

• Collision insurance covers repairs after collisions with other vehicles, stationary objects like trees or light poles, rollover accidents and pothole damage.
• Comprehensive insurance provides financial protection against theft, natural disasters, vandalism, fires and collisions with animals like deer.

Full coverage insurance is typically required for leased or financed vehicles. While it's ideal for protecting new cars, full coverage may not be cost efficient for older models. To find the right balance between coverage and affordability, assess your needs and understand how much car insurance you need.

MoneyGeek found that State Farm is the cheapest option in Fort Lauderdale across different driving offenses:

• Speeding Ticket: $2,212 per year
• At-Fault Accident: $2,407 per year
• DUI: $2,212 per year

Mercury has the highest rate of $6,035 for at-fault accidents, with a $1,679 difference from the most expensive insurer for speeding tickets (GEICO). This shows how much traffic violations can impact insurance premiums.

In Fort Lauderdale, as in many cities, car insurance rates are often higher for drivers with severe infractions due to their increased risk. For instance, drivers with speeding tickets face an average annual premium of $4,341, whereas a DUI increases the rate to around $4,965. With such a big cost difference, drivers with offenses must compare insurance policies carefully to find the most financially beneficial coverage.

MoneyGeek found that Nationwide offers the cheapest car insurance for teens in Fort Lauderdale. These rates are for a policy covering two parents and a teenager:

• Nationwide: $4,462 per year for female teens and $5,025 per year for male teens
• State Farm: $4,867 per year for female teens and $5,901 per year for male teens

Farmers offers the most expensive teen family policy, with premiums as high as $7,365 annually for female teens and $7,468 annually for male teens. The $2,903 difference between Nationwide and Farmers for female teen coverage highlights the importance of comparing quotes, especially when adding a higher-risk teen driver to your policy.

In Fort Lauderdale, individual policies for teens average about $11,956 annually. You'll save $6,413 when adding a teen to a family plan. Insurers typically charge higher rates for teens due to their limited driving experience, which raises perceived risk. Getting an individual policy can be challenging for teens, as insurers often prefer family plans to mitigate risks. Joining a family plan is the more affordable and accessible way for young drivers to get insured.

MoneyGeek found that Travelers has the cheapest car insurance for military backgrounds in Fort Lauderdale. Here are the top providers with the lowest premiums:

• Travelers: $1,862 per year
• State Farm: $1,954 per year

USAA offers competitive pricing and specialized services tailored for the military community. If included in the dataset, USAA's rates could compete with the top providers by providing value beyond cost savings.

Comparing rates is essential to saving on car insurance in Fort Lauderdale. However, it can take about 15 minutes per insurer and up to over an hour for three or more companies. Make the process much easier with MoneyGeek's car insurance calculator. Input details like age, driving history, credit score and coverage preferences to get an instant estimate.

Choosing the right auto insurance depends on how you prioritize factors like service, cost and coverage. Based on MoneyGeek's research using specific criteria, here are the top insurers:

• Best overall: State Farm (MoneyGeek score 84 out of 100)
• Best for service: Mercury (MoneyGeek score 83 out of 100)
• Best cheap: Mercury (MoneyGeek score 87 out of 100)

Mercury excels in customer service and affordability, while State Farm offers a great balance of low cost and service quality.

MoneyGeek found that State Farm offers the best car insurance in Fort Lauderdale, providing top-notch service and affordability.

• State Farm: MoneyGeek score of 84 out of 100 ($1,954 per year)
• Mercury: MoneyGeek score of 82 out of 100 ($2,801 per year)

State Farm's full coverage policy stands out for its impressive balance of customer satisfaction and affordability, significantly contributing to its MoneyGeek score. These factors underscore the insurer's ability to deliver value and quality service to its policyholders.

MoneyGeek found that Mercury is the best option for customer service in car insurance in Fort Lauderdale.

• Mercury: MoneyGeek score of 83 out of 100 ($2,801 per year)
• State Farm: MoneyGeek score of 75 out of 100 ($1,954 per year)

Mercury excels due to its exceptional customer satisfaction and efficient claims handling, both key factors influencing its impressive MoneyGeek score. This makes Mercury an ideal choice for clients who value a responsive insurance provider, especially during critical situations.

MoneyGeek found that Mercury is the best option in Fort Lauderdale for affordable car insurance without compromising service quality.

• Mercury: MoneyGeek score of 87 out of 100 ($957 per year)
• State Farm: MoneyGeek score of 83 out of 100 ($1,006 per year)

Fort Lauderdale's average car insurance cost is $2,605, which exceeds the state average of $2,392 by $213. Florida's average, in turn, surpasses the national average of $1,781 by $611.

Driving record, vehicle type and coverage level affect rates. Location also plays a critical role due to differences in traffic patterns, accident rates and vehicle theft risk. For example, Hialeah's premium of $3,233 is much higher than Gainesville's $1,699. Rates may be even lower in less densely populated areas.