Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in Scottsdale, AZ (July 2024)

In Scottsdale, Arizona, the most affordable car insurance can vary based on coverage and driver profiles. For full coverage, Root Insurance Company offers the best rates, while Travelers excels for families with teens.

Auto-Owners is cheapest for minimum coverage. With a MoneyGeek score of 87 out of 100, Auto-Owners is also the frontrunner for customer service and overall value, considering both price and service. Your ideal fit may hinge on personal coverage needs and preferences.

Auto-Owners offers the most affordable minimum coverage car insurance in Scottsdale. If you’re seeking the cheapest car insurance, the following companies have the lowest annual rates:

• Auto-Owners: $454 per year
• Mercury: $477 per year

While these companies provide the most economical options, The General has the most expensive policy for minimum coverage in Scottsdale, with an annual premium of $1,468. The contrast in pricing, with a difference of $1,014 between the cheapest and the most expensive, underscores the value of comparing car insurance rates to ensure you're getting the most cost-effective coverage.

State Minimum Liability Requirements

In Arizona's bustling cities, including Scottsdale, minimum car insurance coverage is set by state law. Here's a snapshot of what you're legally required to carry:

• $25,000 bodily injury per person
  
• $50,000 bodily injury per accident
  
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident
  

Say you're covered by the bare minimum and cause a collision, the policy will pay up to $25,000 for an individual's injuries and up to $50,000 total if multiple people are hurt. If the costs go beyond these limits, you'll be digging into your pockets to make up the difference.

Root Insurance Company offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance in Scottsdale.

• Root Insurance Company: $756 per year
• GEICO: $869 per year

The most expensive policy in Scottsdale is from The General, costing $2,768 annually. That's a $2,012 difference from Root. This highlights the importance of shopping around for full coverage policies, which are typically more costly due to the comprehensive protection they offer, including against theft, vandalism and accidents, irrespective of fault.

Do You Need Full Coverage in Arizona?

A full coverage policy in Scottsdale includes coverage for damage to your own vehicle in the form of comprehensive and collision coverages. It usually also includes increased liability limits.

• Collision Insurance: This provides coverage for your vehicle in the event of a collision, whether with another vehicle or or a stationary object like a tree or light pole. It also covers rollover accidents and pothole damage.

• Comprehensive Insurance: This coverage insures your vehicle against various types of damage not caused by collisions, including theft, vandalism, fires, natural disasters and being struck by an animal like a deer.

If you have a new vehicle, it's wise to opt for full coverage insurance for more robust financial protection. If you're leasing or have a car loan, you are typically required to carry full coverage insurance.

On the other hand, owners of older vehicles may find that the extra cost — which can amount to several hundred dollars more per year — is not justified by the value of the vehicle. When deciding how much car insurance coverage you need, consider your ideal balance: more extensive coverage comes with higher premiums, but getting less coverage means you may pay more out of pocket if you need to file a claim.

Auto insurance rates in Scottsdale for drivers with a driving offense varies significantly based on the specific infraction. Ensuring affordable coverage means identifying the cheapest company for drivers with a poor driving record, which changes from one offense to another. The most economical options for each instance are:

• Speeding ticket: Root Insurance Company ($929 per year)
• At-fault accident: Root Insurance Company ($949 per year)
• DUI: Root Insurance Company ($836 per year)

CSAA presents the highest rates across the board for these incidents, with a marked difference in annual premiums between the lowest and highest offenses. Rates for a DUI with CSAA can soar to $4,177 per year, demonstrating how a severe driving offense like a DUI can escalate car insurance costs drastically when compared with a lesser offense such as a speeding ticket with Root Insurance Company.

In Scottsdale, as in other cities, insurance rates climb with the severity of a driving infraction due to the increased risk insurers take on with drivers who have violated traffic laws. The average annual rate for drivers with a speeding ticket in Scottsdale is approximately $3,292, while those with a DUI face a significantly higher rate of around $4,203.

This stark difference underscores the necessity for individuals with driving offenses to diligently compare insurance rates to ensure they are getting the most cost-effective coverage for their circumstances.

Travelers offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance for male and female teens in Scottsdale. Here are the two providers offering the best rates:

• Travelers: $1,723 per year for female teens and $2,057 per year for male teens
• GEICO: $2,413 per year for female teens and $2,413 per year for male teens

These rates reflect the cost of adding a teen to a policy shared with two parents. In Scottsdale, Allstate tends to have the most expensive policy for families with female teen drivers, at $3,537 annually. The significant difference of $1,814 between the cheapest and most expensive options underscores the necessity of comparing rates, particularly when adding higher-risk teen drivers to your policy.

Teen drivers in Scottsdale, and nationwide, face steep car insurance premiums when purchasing an individual policy. On average, an individual teen policy costs $6,175 annually, compared with just $3,015 on a family policy. This nearly twofold increase reflects the higher risk insurers attribute to young, inexperienced drivers, who are statistically more likely to be involved in accidents.

Teens may therefore find it difficult to secure an individual policy without substantial costs, making a joint family plan far more feasible and financially savvy.

Root Insurance Company is the cheapest option in Scottsdale for those with military backgrounds seeking full coverage car insurance.

• Root Insurance Company: $756 per year
• GEICO: $869 per year

Though not the cheapest in this dataset, USAA ranks sixth with an annual premium of $1,259.

While slightly higher in rate than the competition listed, USAA is known for its exceptional service tailored to the needs of active-duty military members. For those eligible for its coverage, the company's reputation and specialized services often outweigh the slight difference in cost.

In Scottsdale, comparing car insurance rates is a key strategy for cost savings. However, the process is often cumbersome, potentially requiring over an hour to examine rates from three or more companies.

MoneyGeek's car insurance calculator can help you streamline this process. By inputting details like age, driving history, credit score and preferred coverage, you can instantly receive rate estimates.

Finding the right auto insurance for you hinges on weighing factors like service quality, cost and coverage options. In Scottsdale, MoneyGeek evaluated providers using distinct scoring systems to recommend the best based on different preferences:

• Best overall: Auto-Owners Insurance Co (MoneyGeek score: 87 out of 100)
• Best for service: Auto-Owners Insurance Co (MoneyGeek score: 86 out of 100)
• Best cheap: Auto-Owners Insurance Co (MoneyGeek score: 92 out of 100)

Auto-Owners emerges as the standout choice in Scottsdale, leading for overall value, exceptional service and affordable rates. This single company's dominance across categories signifies a well-rounded offering that caters to a variety of needs, from budget-conscious clients to those seeking premium customer experiences.

Auto-Owners offers Scottsdale's best car insurance, setting the benchmark for others in the market.

• Auto-Owners: MoneyGeek score of 87 out of 100 ($1,013 per year)
• State Farm: MoneyGeek score of 80 out of 100 ($1,190 per year)

Auto-Owners distinguishes itself with its exceptional combination of high satisfaction and affordability scores, which are the most significant contributing factors to its near-perfect MoneyGeek score.

Auto-Owners is the best option in Scottsdale if you’re prioritizing customer service in their car insurance, based on general satisfaction, claims handling, and coverage options.

• Auto-Owners: MoneyGeek score of 86 out of 100 ($1,013 per year)
• Mercury: MoneyGeek score of 79 out of 100 ($1,565 per year)

Auto-Owners’s MoneyGeek score reflects superior performance in customer satisfaction and claims handling. Its exceptional coverage offerings are also a significant factor contributing to its top ranking.

Auto-Owners is the best option for cheap car insurance in Scottsdale, excelling with a MoneyGeek score that considers affordability along with customer satisfaction and claims handling.

• Auto-Owners: MoneyGeek score of 92 out of 100 ($454 per year)
• Mercury: MoneyGeek score of 86 out of 100 ($477 per year)

Auto-Owners stands out particularly for its mix of low-cost premiums and top-tier service quality, making it a premier choice for consumers seeking minimum coverage policies without compromising on service. Key elements contributing to its MoneyGeek score include high satisfaction and claims handling scores, demonstrating that customers can expect more than just affordability.

In Scottsdale, Arizona, the average cost of car insurance is $1,448, below the average cost of car insurance in Arizona, which is $1,511. Arizona's average is substantially less expensive than the national average, coming in at $270 lower with a national premium of $1,781.

Car insurance rates are influenced by a variety of factors, with geographic location being a significant component. Insurance companies consider location vital due to its impact on risk exposure. For instance, areas with high traffic volumes typically experience more accidents, leading to higher premiums.

Tucson enjoys the cheapest car insurance premium at $1,087, while Phoenix is the most expensive within the dataset at $1,360. The contrast of $273 validates the impact location has on insurance costs. Rates in less populated, non-city areas may see even further reductions, underscoring location's critical role in determining insurance premiums.