Cheapest Car Insurance in Ohio

We analyzed rates filed with the Ohio Department of Insurance across all ZIP codes to find the lowest price for each driver profile. Auto-Owners and GEICO are the cheapest across the most driver profiles, but Grange is the lowest price options for drivers with lower credit scores. See cheapest rates in Ohio for your profile:

*Note: We excluded USAA that is priced at $27 for minimum coverage and $67 for full coverage.  It is among the cheapest insurers in Ohio but is only available to military families.

Auto-Owners is the lowest priced for both minimum ($27/month) and full coverage ($68/month) in Ohio. GEICO is the second most affordable for full coverage at $72/month. Picking Auto-Owners over Travelers, the most expensive provider at $109/month, saves $41/month ($492/year).

What to consider: Auto-Owners is the cheapest starting point for most Ohio drivers. GEICO is $4/month more for full coverage and worth quoting if you prefer a fully digital experience. Ohio Mutual and Erie are regional insurers that are priced competitively for these coverage types if you would like a smaller carrier with agents.

The jump from 25/50/25 to 100/300/100 costs just $6/month more with Auto-Owners ($62 vs. $68). That quadruples your per-person bodily injury limit and triples your per-accident limit for about the price of a coffee. For most Ohio drivers, 100/300/100 is worth the extra protection. Not sure whether minimum or full coverage is right for you? See our advice on buying the cheapest amount of coverage in Ohio below.

Age is one of the biggest factors in your Ohio rate. GEICO is the cheapest for teens and young adults, while Auto-Owners is the most affordable for drivers 25 to 64. Teen drivers pay nearly three times the statewide average rate, while seniors pay about 14% more than the average adult driver. Rates drop fast between 16 and 25, and the cheapest provider shifts four times across that range.

GEICO is cheaper than all others after an at-fault accident ($88/month) and DUI ($104/month). Auto-Owners is the most affordable after a speeding ticket ($81/month) and texting violation ($80/month). Progressive is worth quoting for DUI at $108/month, just $4/month more than GEICO.

What to consider: Re-shop immediately after a violation. Ohio insurers weight violations differently. One carrier may barely increase the rate for a speeding ticket while another doubles your rate for the same violation. For example, the gap between the cheapest and most expensive provider in Ohio after a speeding ticket is $26/month ($81 vs. $107). After a DUI that gap grows to $27/month ($104 vs. $131). Staying with the wrong carrier after a violation costs you up to $324/year compared to switching to the cheapest option in Ohio.

Most violations affect your Ohio rate for three years but the point fall off your record in 2-years in Ohio. When your vilations drops off your record, re-shop immediately. Ohio drivers save an average of $13 to $32/month or $384/year when a violation clears. If you have a DUI, GEICO and Progressive both file SR-22s and are the two lowest priced DUI options in our analysis.

Grange is the most affordable option for Ohio drivers with poor credit at $127/month full coverage. Progressive is just $1/month more at $128. Erie is the most expensive at $235/month, nearly triple Grange's rate for the same profile.

The difference between the cheapest and most expensive insurer in Ohio with a poor credit rating was a staggering $3,459 per year. This means getting your insurer choice right for this profile is the most important choice until you can increase your score. Get quote from all three of Ohio's cheapest insurers above to make sure you aren't overpaying.

Auto-Owners is the most affordable in 8 of 10 Ohio cities. GEICO is cheaper in Dayton, Youngstown and Cincinnati. 

Cleveland is the most expensive city at $85/month despite not being Ohio's largest city. Columbus, which is larger, is $5/month cheaper at $80. Rates vary by city because of differences in accident frequency, theft rates and local weather patterns. Even within your city, certain insurers may price differently by ZIP code, so always get quotes tied to your specific address.

Ohio's 25/50/25 minimum is the cheapest policy you can buy and drive legally. This means your insurer covers up to $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 total per accident and $25,000 in property damage before you pay the rest out of pocket.

The $25,000 per-person bodily injury limit may not be enough for a serious injury claim. The average new car costs $48,000 and $25,000 property damage won't cover the damage from a totaled new car. Just because minimum coverage is cheaper doesn't mean it protects your assets adequately See how much liability insurance you need guide.

Most Ohio drivers need collision coverage and comprehensive coverage to protect their car. In Ohio, the gap from minimum ($27/month) to full coverage ($68/month) is only $41/month, one of the smallest differences in the country. If your car is financed or leased, your lender requires full coverage regardless of what Ohio law requires.

Lastly, though its not required in Ohio, we recommend adding UM/UIM coverage because it pays for your medical bills and vehicle damage when an uninsured driver causes the accident. Ohio has one of the highest uninsured driver rates in the country at 18.5%, according to the Insurance Information Institute.