Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in Knoxville, TN (August 2024)

Tennessee Farm Bureau offers the most competitive rates for full and minimum coverages in Knoxville, Tennessee. Nationwide is the best choice for families with teens, while Cincinnati Insurance excels in customer service and overall value, balancing cost and service. Your best option depends on your coverage needs and preferences.

Tennessee Farm Bureau offers the cheapest car insurance for minimum coverage in Knoxville.

• Tennessee Farm Bureau: $290 per year
• Cincinnati Insurance: $334 per year

Allstate offers the most expensive minimum coverage policy at $739 per year, a $449 difference from the cheapest option. This gap underscores the importance of comparing rates to find the best deal, making shopping around for car insurance a simple way to manage your expenses effectively.

Tennesse law mandates minimum car insurance coverage, which includes:

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

If you're at fault in an accident, your policy will cover up to $25,000 for a person's injuries and $50,000 for all injuries in that accident. However, you'll be responsible for the difference if costs exceed these limits. This coverage meets the legal requirements, but it's just basic protection.

Tennessee Farm Bureau offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance in Knoxville.

• Tennessee Farm Bureau: $841 per year
• Auto-Owners: $851 per year

Progressive has the most expensive full coverage policy, at $1,651 per year. That's $810 more annually than Tennessee Farm Bureau, highlighting the importance of shopping around to save money. Full coverage car insurance typically costs more because it provides comprehensive protection.

A full coverage policy enhances protection with higher liability limits than minimum coverage: $100,000 for bodily injury per person, $300,000 for bodily injury per accident and $100,000 for property damage per accident.

Full coverage also includes these insurance types:

• Collision insurance covers vehicle repair costs after collisions, whether with another car or an object like a tree or light pole. It also covers rollover accidents and pothole damage.
• Comprehensive insurance provides financial protection from theft, weather damage, vandalism, fires, natural disasters and hitting animals like deer.

Full coverage insurance is typically required if you lease or finance a car. For new vehicles, full coverage provides financial protection for your investment. However, the additional protection may not justify the higher cost for older vehicles. Finding the right amount of car insurance involves balancing coverage against premiums to prepare for unexpected expenses.

In Knoxville, Tennessee Farm Bureau is the cheapest company for drivers with traffic violations such as speeding tickets and at-fault accidents. Farmers offers the lowest rates for DUI violations.

• Speeding ticket and at-fault accident: Tennessee Farm Bureau ($841 per year)
• DUI: Farmers ($1,243 per year)

Chubb has the highest premiums, with rates up to $5,109 annually after a DUI. The $494 difference between the cheapest rates for a speeding ticket and a DUI underscores how much insurance costs can increase based on the severity of driving infractions.

Insurance rates often rise with the severity of driving violations because insurers view these drivers as riskier. For example, in Knoxville, drivers with a DUI may pay an average of $2,711 annually, while those with a speeding ticket average $1,757. This significant difference highlights the importance of comparing insurance rates, especially for drivers with offenses, as doing so could lead to substantial savings.

Nationwide is the cheapest option for insuring teen drivers in Knoxville. Here are the most affordable rates for a policy covering two parents and a teen driver:

• Nationwide: $1,136 per year for female teens and $1,286 per year for male teens
• Farmers: $1,606 per year for female teens and $1,702 per year for male teens

Progressive offers the most expensive car insurance for teen drivers, with annual premiums of $2,801 for female teens and $3,049 for male teens. This price difference highlights the importance of comparing rates, particularly when adding higher-risk teen drivers to a policy.

Teen drivers face high insurance costs, averaging $4,991 annually for individual policies. Adding a teen to a family plan reduces this to about $2,222 annually. This difference stems from insurers viewing teens as high-risk due to inexperience, making individual policies more costly. Families should consider these financial impacts when choosing car insurance for teens.

USAA offers the cheapest car insurance for those with military backgrounds in Knoxville.

• USAA: $692 per year
• Tennessee Farm Bureau: $841 per year

USAA is also renowned for its services tailored specifically to active-duty military members.

In Knoxville, comparing rates helps you save on car insurance. However, it can take about 15 minutes per insurer and up to over an hour for three or more companies. MoneyGeek's car insurance calculator can help make the process much easier. Enter key details like age, driving history, credit rating and coverage preferences to get an instant estimate.

Choosing the right auto insurance depends on how you prioritize factors like service, cost and coverage. In Knoxville, Cincinnati Insurance leads in all categories with top MoneyGeek scores.

• Best overall: 84 out of 100
• Best for service: 80 out of 100
• Best cheap: 85 out of 100

Cincinnati Insurance offers the best overall value, combining excellent service with competitive pricing. It suits those looking for reliable coverage at a reasonable rate.

Cincinnati Insurance offers the best car insurance in Knoxville.

• Cincinnati Insurance: MoneyGeek score of 84 out of 100 ($897 per year)
• Auto-Owners: MoneyGeek score of 80 out of 100 ($851 per year)

Cincinnati Insurance excels at top-notch customer satisfaction and affordability, which is why it has a high MoneyGeek score. With competitive pricing and comprehensive benefits, it's the best choice for drivers seeking reliability and value.

In Knoxville, Cincinnati Insurance provides the best customer service in car insurance. Its high score is based on overall satisfaction, claims handling and coverage quality, excluding cost.

• Cincinnati Insurance: MoneyGeek score of 80 out of 100 ($897 per year)
• Chubb: MoneyGeek score of 79 out of 100 ($1,252 per year)

Cincinnati Insurance earns top marks in satisfaction and claims service, making it the top choice for those prioritizing excellent service.

Cincinnati Insurance offers the best cheap car insurance in Knoxville, balancing cost and quality service.

• Cincinnati Insurance: MoneyGeek score of 85 out of 100 ($334 per year)
• Westfield: MoneyGeek score of 82 out of 100 ($367 per year)

Cincinnati Insurance excels with the highest affordability score and strong claims and coverage scores, making it a top choice for affordable coverage without compromising quality.

In Knoxville, the average car insurance cost is about $1,063, lower than Tennessee's average of $1,152 and the national average of $1,781.

While location plays a significant role in determining insurance rates, other factors like risk profiles, accident frequency and theft rates also influence costs. Memphis has the highest premium at $1,414, while Knoxville offers the most affordable rate at $1,063. This $351 difference highlights the significant price gaps within the state. Rates in less populated areas with lower traffic density might be lower than city premiums.