The Best Cheap Car Insurance in Georgia for 2020

Real Quotes to Help You Find the Cheapest Car Insurance in Georgia

Most Georgia drivers select from the five top car insurance companies in the state when choosing coverage. The table below provides an approximate cost from each company. These numbers only offer an estimate, so remember that your quote could be different. Take the time to find the best option for you and use MoneyGeek’s discount checklist to find the cheapest car insurance in Georgia.

Many factors impact the individual cost of car insurance in Georgia, including the driver’s age, gender, the type of car they drive and their driving record. Georgia auto insurance companies will consider all of these factors when determining a quote.

The Best Car Insurance Companies in Georgia for 2020

Finding top-rated auto insurance in Georgia can take some time and effort. MoneyGeek developed a unique system that takes into account ratings from well-known outlets such as JD Power and AM Best to score insurers. The following table was created by assessing each company against metrics of customer satisfaction, affordability, reliability and claims scores.

Market Share by Company

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, State Farm Group operates as the largest auto insurer in Georgia. The group wrote more than 1.3 million direct premiums in 2018. Check out the other top insurers in Georgia below.

Cheapest Car Insurance for Drivers With a DUI in Georgia

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly 3,700 people died in Georgia due to alcohol-involved crashes. The rate of deaths per 100,000 people due to drunk driving sits lower than the national average and the Georgia DMV plans to keep it that way. In addition to facing prison time, fines, fees and license suspension, those convicted of a DUI can also expect their insurance to go up. The following table looks at approximate costs of car insurance for those with a DUI conviction.

Finding cheap car insurance with a DUI in Georgia can feel nearly impossible, but keeping a pristine driving record and taking part in an alcohol awareness driving course can help. DUIs currently stay on your record for a decade in Georgia, after which time your rates should reduce further. Learn more about the real costs of a DUI by reviewing our guide.

Cheapest Car Insurance for GA Speeding or Distracted Driving Tickets

If you get a ticket in Georgia for speeding or distracted driving, finding cheap car insurance may take some extra work, but it can be done. Georgia instituted a new law in 2018 prohibiting motorists from using their cellphones while driving, causing distracted driving tickets to increase. First-time offenders must pay a $50 fine and receive a point on their license. Getting such a ticket can impact your insurance rates. The following table looks at a few approximate costs for coverage for those with tickets.

The high toll of distracted driving can add up, but it will go away in time – provided you don’t get another ticket. The Georgia Department of Driver Services assigns various points for driving infractions, but residents can obtain a points reduction of up to seven points once per every five years.

Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in GA for Drivers With Bad Credit

Credit scores act as an important component for insurance companies when developing quotes because the scores help them assess an applicant’s ability to pay their monthly premiums. Experian states that a credit score of 670 serves as the lowest number considered “good.” As of 2019, Georgia holds an average credit score of 682. The higher your credit score, the lower the auto insurance premiums you will likely have to pay. 

Check out the following estimates on what Georgia drivers with low credit scores may have to pay for auto insurance.

Improving your credit score takes time, but it can be done. Making timely payments, keeping your credit card utilization rates down and using credit responsibly can help raise your score.

Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Georgia for Seniors

Georgia seniors accounted for 13.5% of the 2,283 drivers involved in fatal Georgia crashes during 2017. While the majority of seniors are competent and safe drivers, Georgia auto insurance companies sometimes charge this demographic higher rates. Factors such as the driver’s age, the type of car they drive, the amount of driving done and their driving record all affect senior auto insurance rates. The following table showcases what seniors in Georgia can expect to pay for car insurance.

The Georgia Department of Driver Services requires residents aged 64 and older to pass a vision screening test each time they renew their license. Want to learn more about getting cheap car insurance for seniors in Georgia? Check out MoneyGeek’s guide on car insurance for seniors.

Cheapest Car Insurance for Students

To graduate from a learner's permit to an intermediate license in Georgia, you must complete at least 40 hours of supervised driving, including at least six hours at night. If you want to get your intermediate license at age 16, you must complete a driver education course approved by the Department of Driver Services. Anyone under age 18 who wants a driver's license must also be enrolled in school.

To keep insurance rates as low as possible, AAA advises Georgia parents to ask their insurance agent about raising their deductible, seeing if their teen qualifies for a good student discount, and signing a parent-teen driving agreement. This may help keep rates down and children safe by preventing collisions and DUIs.

Even though your child is going off to college, don't expect your insurance premiums to decline quite yet. Unfortunately, statistics show that drivers under age 25 — especially males — are more likely to get in accidents, so expect their insurance rates to remain high for quite a while.

Students can help offset those costs by getting good grades. In Georgia, insurance companies must offer discounts on liability, first-party medical, and collision coverage to good students. The requirement extends to college students. Qualifying learners must rank in the upper 20% of their class, have a "B" or 3.0 GPA or better, or make the Dean's list or honor roll. If your child meets the criteria, ask your insurer about the discount.

Georgia drivers under the age of 21 accounted for 17.9% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes during 2018. Young drivers do not possess the depth of experience held by those who have been behind the wheel longer. Because of this, expect for auto insurance rates to sit higher for teens than adults. The table below gives a few approximate costs for young drivers in Georgia.

Premium Comparison by Student Type

PREMIUM COMPARISON FOR TWO ADULTS + A 16-YEAR-OLD

Average premium for two 2014

Mustang GTs

$6,187

Average premium for two 2008

Town and Country Limiteds

$3,893

Annual benefits of minivans:$2,294 saved

This is 37% less expensive.

Cheaper premium for college vs. high school drivers

Median premium change with a college student vs. high school driver:

$1,120 DECREASE

This is a savings of 25%.

Potential discounts for teens in Georgia

Impact on annual premium with good student and defensive driving discounts:

$361 SAVED

Georgia students: a long-distance discount

You may pay a smaller annual family premium if your child lives 150 miles or more away from home.

Average premium for a 19-year-old male

$4,285 at home

$3,625 at school

$660 IN SAVINGS

Average premium for a 19-year-old female

$3,579 at home

$3,142 at school

$437 IN SAVINGS

Insurance Rate Information for Military Drivers and Veterans

Georgia currently has nearly 130,000  active, reserve and civilian-military personnel. If you are in the Armed Forces, ask your insurance agent how the company handles military deployments and insurance. Make sure you stay on top of premiums and renewals and ask if you will be penalized for allowing your policy to lapse while on deployment.

In Georgia, you may cancel your registration while on deployment as long as the vehicle will not be driven on public roads during your absence. You must submit a form to the Tax Commissioner's office in your home county and have your commanding officer certify your deployment.

The following table features estimates of what military drivers and veterans can expect to pay for auto insurance in Georgia.

Age savings for Georgia service members

25 years$1,604
50 years$1,235

25 years$1,441
50 years$1,273

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$369 Saved

$168 Saved

Median auto insurance for service members: $1,310

Who Needs Car Insurance in Georgia?

If you own a car, you must hold liability insurance for it to drive on public roads and highways. You must also have liability insurance to register a vehicle in Georgia.

Proof of Insurance in Georgia

By law, your insurance company must issue an insurance card for each vehicle it insures. You must carry this card in your vehicle at all times, but it no longer suffices to prove that you have insurance. For that, your insurance policy will have to show up as active in the Electronic Insurance Compliance System's database. Law enforcement and vehicle registration officials have access to the database and can check your insurance status on the spot. You can also check your own insurance status through the Georgia Drives e-Service.

Minimum Liability Insurance Requirements in Georgia

Georgia's minimum limits of liability insurance are:

• Injury Liability of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per occurrence
• Property Damage Liability of $25,000 per occurrence

Note that these are the state's legal minimums. Experts strongly recommend you consider higher limits and additional coverage. For other common types of protection, see the MoneyGeek guide to Car Insurance.

Car Insurance Requirements in Georgia: How Much Coverage Do You Need?

You may want to consider uninsured motorist coverage to protect yourself from other drivers who skirt the law. "About twenty states require drivers to purchase uninsured motorist coverage," says Michael Barry, vice president of media relations at the Insurance Information Institute. "And it is a good idea to do so even in states where it is not mandatory to do so. About one in seven U.S. drivers are uninsured, so your uninsured motorist coverage gives you financial protection if you're involved in an accident with someone who meets that criterion."

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COMPARE QUOTES

Expert Advice on Finding Cheap Car Insurance in Georgia

1. What are the key factors drivers in Georgia should look for when searching for the best auto insurance coverage?

   Wendy Habegger

   First, drivers should educate themselves on the different kinds of insurance that exist: Comprehensive, Collision, Bodily Injury Liability, Property Damage Liability, Uninsured/underinsured, Medical Payments. Next, drivers should look for a balance between an affordable deductible with the insurance coverage they need based upon their lifestyle and driving needs and habits. A deductible should be something that the driver can afford while continuing to pay insurance premiums and monthly car payments. Having a higher deductible may lower the premium, but are the tradeoffs worth it? What good is having a low premium if one cannot afford the deductible to initiate repairs? Paying monthly car payments and insurance premiums for an inoperable car just adds insult to injury.

2. What steps can drivers in Georgia take to find affordable car insurance?

   Wendy Habegger

   • Ask around. Talk to friends and family about their auto insurance and get some recommendations.
   • Decide the coverage needed before shopping around. Knowing what is needed ahead of time will reduce the likelihood of buying unnecessary insurance.
   • Shop around. Armed with advice from friends and family and a list of what is needed, get quotes from multiple companies and compare each premium.
   • Do not over-insure. Insure based upon what is most likely to happen given one's driving history, habits, and lifestyle.
   • If one already has an existing insurance policy of any type, go to the provider and ask about bundling with an auto insurance policy. Many insurance providers provide discounts with the bundling of multiple policies.
3. How do regulations and rules in Georgia impact insurance pricing and how consumers might shop for coverage?

   Wendy Habegger

   In the short run, the addition of regulations and rules tends to increase insurance pricing. However, regulations and rules are usually reactionary and when implemented, are meant to solve an existing problem. So if regulations and rules requiring insurance are present, then that means that the absence of insurance is a problem that causes material impact on lives and costs. In the long run, auto insurance and laws reinforcing compliance at the risk of punitive consequences, should reduce the costs we collectively pay due to uninsured drivers.

   Because Georgia is a state that requires liability coverage at a minimum, this means that the cost of owning and operating a vehicle in Georgia may be higher than other states that may have fewer or no insurance requirements. If drivers do not like the costs in Georgia, they have a few options. They do not have to drive and can take an alternate mode of transportation. They can find someone, like an agreeable family member, to add them to their insurance policy. Or they can find another state whose auto insurance regulations and rules they might prefer. However, I have yet to meet someone who moved to a different state just because the cost of auto insurance was lower. Auto insurance is a cost that most drivers accept as the cost for the privilege of being able to drive where they live.

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Wendy HabeggerLecturer at James M. Hull College of Business at Augusta UniversityREAD ANSWERS

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