Cheapest Car Insurance in Knoxville, TN (2026)

Knoxville drivers pay an average of $552 per year for minimum coverage and $1,188 per year for full coverage. The city has some of Tennessee's highest crime rates and high traffic density. Comparison shopping gives you confidence that you're getting the lowest rates.

• Cheapest minimum liability coverage: Farm Bureau offers Knoxville's most affordable minimum coverage at $326 per year ($27 monthly). That's 41% lower than the city average of $552, saving you $226 annually. Auto-Owners ranks second for minimum coverage at $348 per year ($29 monthly), a 37% savings compared to the city average.
• Cheapest full coverage: Auto-Owners provides the most affordable full coverage at $930 per year ($78 monthly), 22% below the city average of $1,188. That's $258 in annual savings. Travelers' full coverage costs $977 per year ($81 monthly), still 18% below the city average but $47 more than Auto-Owners annually.

Car insurance costs vary dramatically by age in Tennessee's third-largest city. Here are the most affordable providers in Knoxville by age group:

• Adults: Farm Bureau leads at $27 monthly, followed by Auto-Owners at $29
• Seniors: Farm Bureau remains cheapest at $32 monthly, with Auto-Owners at $50
• Young drivers: Farm Bureau offers the lowest rates at $76 monthly, while Erie follows at $81

Auto-Owners helps young drivers reduce costs through their Good Student Discount for maintaining a 3.0 GPA and Student Away at School Discount. Farm Bureau provides savings for drivers 50 and older through their 55 and Retired Discount.

Car insurance costs more when you have driving violations on your record. Shopping around after a violation helps you find insurers that penalize your specific incident less severely. These Knoxville companies offer the most affordable rates despite past driving mistakes:

• Accident: Farm Bureau at $27 and State Farm at $49 monthly
• Ticket: Farm Bureau at $27 and Auto-Owners at $40 monthly
• DUI: Farm Bureau at $42 and State Farm at $45 monthly

In Tennessee, most violations remain on your driving record for five years, with rates dropping after three years.

Knoxville neighborhoods show different car insurance costs depending on your ZIP code. Drivers in 37919 pay the highest rates at $109 monthly for full coverage, while those in 37932 enjoy the most affordable premiums at $94 monthly.

Auto-Owners earned 96 out of 100 on MoneyGeek's rating scale, establishing it as Knoxville's top car insurance provider. Travelers follows closely with a 91 out of 100 score. 

Auto-Owners has good affordability and customer service, based on our analysis of agent network ratings, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), J.D. Power studies and customer reviews across multiple platforms. Travelers maintains excellent customer service standards and strong financial stability ratings.

See below for why each insurer is best and which fits your needs.

Knoxville drivers pay some of Tennessee's highest car insurance rates. Shopping around, adjusting your coverage and timing your policy review can lower what you pay.

Our insurance experts provide answers to common questions about finding affordable car insurance in Knoxville:

We analyzed hundreds of thousands of quotes from major insurers using data from the Tennessee Insurance Division and Quadrant Information Services. Our research covered all Knoxville ZIP codes and factored in driver profiles including age, driving record, credit score and military affiliation.

Our rating system weighs three factors:

• Affordability (60%): Premiums matter most when you're deciding whether you can keep coverage long-term. We compared minimum coverage, which meets Tennessee's state liability requirements, and full coverage, which adds comprehensive and collision with $1,000 deductibles, to show savings across coverage levels.
• Customer experience (30%): Google reviews and J.D. Power ratings show how insurers handle claims and resolve problems, drawn from real customer interactions during stressful moments, such as filing storm-damage claims or dealing with hit-and-run accidents.
• Coverage options (10%): More choices improve your odds of matching coverage to Knoxville risks like severe weather damage, uninsured motorists and theft in higher-risk areas.