Updated: May 25, 2026
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Travelers: Most affordable for many driver profiles. At $53 monthly for minimum coverage and $98 monthly for full coverage, Travelers saves most drivers 24% compared to Tempe's average.
GEICO: Runner-up for affordability with $61 minimum and $129 full coverage monthly rates. It's affordable for young drivers seeking competitive premiums.
State Farm: Cheapest for senior drivers and drivers with an accident record in Tempe.
Cheapest Monthly Rates by Coverage and Driver Profile in Tempe:
Travelers charges Tempe's lowest rates for both minimum and full coverage. Minimum coverage costs $53 monthly (41% below the city average), while full coverage runs $98 monthly (also 41% below average). GEICO ranks second at $61 monthly for minimum coverage and $129 for full coverage, both 26% below city rates. Your actual premium depends on your ZIP code, driving record and coverage selections, so compare quotes from multiple insurers.
| Travelers | $54 | $99 | -41% |
| Geico | $62 | $130 | -26% |
| State Farm | $63 | $135 | -24% |
| Auto Owners | $68 | $134 | -22% |
| Progressive | $93 | $153 | -5% |
Not in Tempe? Read more about the cheapest car insurance or the best provider in Arizona.
Young drivers pay higher rates in Tempe due to limited driving experience. Travelers charges the lowest premiums at $230 monthly for full coverage. GEICO costs $281 monthly, and Auto-Owners charges $313 monthly. Teens save hundreds annually by staying on their parents' policy rather than buying separate coverage. Defensive driving courses reduce premiums by 5% to 15%.
| Travelers | $231 | $2,768 | -44% |
| Geico | $281 | $3,373 | -32% |
| Auto Owners | $313 | $3,757 | -24% |
| State Farm | $314 | $3,769 | -24% |
| Safeway Insurance | $331 | $3,969 | -20% |
Tempe seniors pay lower insurance rates than younger drivers. Travelers charges $142 monthly for full coverage, the city's lowest rate for drivers 65+. State Farm costs $165 monthly, and GEICO charges $167 monthly. Defensive driving courses cut premiums up to 10% for three years. Most insurers offer accident forgiveness programs for drivers 65 and older.
| Travelers | $142 | $1,704 | -38% |
| State Farm | $166 | $1,988 | -27% |
| Geico | $168 | $2,012 | -27% |
| Safeway Insurance | $193 | $2,316 | -15% |
| Auto Owners | $206 | $2,473 | -10% |
Violations increase Tempe insurance rates, but costs vary by company and infraction type. State Farm charges $67 monthly for minimum coverage after a DUI, with Travelers at $76 monthly. Travelers and State Farm both charge $67 monthly after speeding tickets. Travelers costs $69 monthly after at-fault accidents, while State Farm charges $73 monthly. Speeding tickets affect rates for three to five years. DUIs impact premiums for up to 10 years. Compare quotes from multiple insurers after violations since companies weigh infractions differently.
| At-Fault Accident | Travelers | $70 | -45% |
| At-Fault Accident | State Farm | $73 | -42% |
| DUI | State Farm | $67 | -51% |
| DUI | Travelers | $77 | -44% |
| Speeding Ticket | Travelers | $67 | -37% |
| Speeding Ticket | State Farm | $67 | -37% |
Full coverage costs $145 to $193 monthly in Tempe, depending on ZIP code. ZIP 85282 averages $193 monthly, while ZIP 85284 costs $145 monthly. Theft rates, traffic congestion and accident frequency cause the $48 difference between Tempe's most and least expensive areas.
| 85282 | $193 |
| 85281 | $182 |
| 85288 | $157 |
| 85283 | $154 |
| 85287 | $148 |
| 85284 | $145 |
| 85284 | $145 |
| 85287 | $148 |
| 85283 | $154 |
| 85288 | $157 |
| 85281 | $182 |
| 85282 | $193 |
Travelers leads Tempe with a MoneyGeek score of 95 out of 100 and the city's lowest premiums. Auto-Owners, Progressive, State Farm and GEICO fill out the top five, and each of them has different price points and coverage options.
| Travelers | 95.76 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Auto Owners | 92.68 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Progressive | 87.02 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| State Farm | 86.66 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Geico | 86.11 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
Lowest rates across all age groups in Tempe
Photo app for faster damage claims
Gap coverage available for auto loans
Claims processing slower than competitors
Fewer discount options than most major insurers
Limited add-on coverage selections
Travelers has the lowest premiums in Tempe for young drivers, seniors and drivers with violations or accidents. Claims can be filed digitally any time, with a photo app that speeds up the damage assessment. IntelliDrive cuts premiums up to 30% for safe driving. Coverage includes monsoon damage and Arizona weather events.
Highest customer satisfaction ratings in Tempe
Over 100 years serving Arizona drivers
TrueRide app lowers premiums for safe driving
Few local agents in the Tempe area
Slower claims processing than competitors
Limited add-on coverage selections
Auto-Owners scores the highest customer satisfaction rating among Tempe insurers. Rates are competitive for young drivers, and coverage includes monsoon and hail damage. TrueRide tracks driving behavior and cuts premiums up to 20% for safe habits. Claims and customer support are available around the clock through digital tools.
Tempe drivers pay some of Arizona's highest car insurance rates. Compare quotes from multiple insurers to find lower premiums.
Combine auto with home or renters insurance to save 15% to 25%. Add multi-car discounts (10% to 25% per vehicle), good driver discounts and paperless billing. Total savings reach 30% to 40% when you combine multiple discounts.
Increasing your deductible from $500 to $1,000 cuts annual premiums 10% to 15%. Make sure you can afford the higher out-of-pocket cost before filing a claim.
Insurers adjust Tempe rates based on local claims and risk data. Your driving record improves after three violation-free years, opening access to better rates from other companies.
Tempe car insurance costs more than most Arizona cities. Full coverage averages $145 to $193 monthly, depending on ZIP code. Arizona's cheapest locations cost around $98 monthly, while the most expensive areas reach $193. Tempe's student population and traffic congestion drive up rates.
Finding affordable car insurance in Tempe starts with understanding how insurers price policies across the city. Traffic congestion, theft risk and Arizona’s insurance requirements all shape your premium. Even within city limits, drivers in ZIP code 85282 often pay much more than those in 85284.
We partnered with the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions and Quadrant Information Services to analyze hundreds of thousands of quotes from 12 insurers across every Tempe ZIP code.
Our ratings for the best car insurance in Tempe are calculated by a weighted score incorporating affordability (60%), customer experience (30%) and coverage options (10%).
Read more about our methodology, which shows which insurers maintain competitive rates across Tempe neighborhoods and driver categories while delivering reliable claims service, not just advertised rates for perfect-record drivers.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has spent nearly a decade analyzing the market, first at LendingTree and now at MoneyGeek, where he has produced original research on hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.
He covers economics and insurance at MoneyGeek, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among other outlets.
Like all MoneyGeek analysts, he draws on independent cost and consumer experience data, and no insurance company partnership influences his recommendations.
Fitzpatrick earned his degrees from Johns Hopkins University (M.A. Economics and International Relations) and Boston College (B.A.). He began his career in financial risk management at State Street. He's also a five-time “Jeopardy!” champion.
