The Best Cheap Car Insurance in Hawaii for 2021

bestauto insuranceHawaii2021

The Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in Hawaii

Cheapest for minimum liability - GEICO

Cheapest for full coverage - GEICO

Best company overall - GEICO

Cheapest for drivers with a DUI - State Farm

Cheapest for drivers with a ticket - GEICO

Cheapest for senior drivers - GEICO

Cheapest for student drivers - State Farm

Vehicle owners need to have auto insurance in Hawaii. The cheapest car insurance is a minimum liability coverage policy that meets the state’s car insurance requirements.

The cheapest providers of minimum coverage in Hawaii are:

• USAA: $297 per year (only available to current and former military members)
• GEICO: $333 per year

The most expensive car insurance for minimum coverage is Progressive, costing $739 per year on average.

Average Cost for Minimun Liability Coverage

These prices are only estimates based on rates for an average Hawaii driver and should not be used to compare insurance prices.

MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP

A minimum coverage policy in Hawaii is the cheapest available but only covers bodily injury and property damage liability insurance and personal injury protection. Drivers looking to cover damages to their own car, or boost their protection against higher liability costs, should buy a full coverage policy.

Ideally, you should get car insurance quotes to find the lowest rates. A full coverage policy with higher liability limits and comprehensive and collision insurance will ensure you’re protected against most road accidents and off-road incidents in Hawaii. It will cost more than minimum coverage, but it protects against the cost of damages to your car, not just others.

The cheapest car insurance carriers in Hawaii for full coverage are:

• GEICO: $646 per year
• USAA: $657 per year (only available to current and former military members)

Progressive offers the costliest full coverage with average yearly prices of $1,457.

Average Comprehensive and Collision Rates in Hawaii

Please remember that your individual prices will be different from these examples. The rates are for a policy with comprehensive and collision insurance and with $100,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person, $300,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident and $100,000 in property damage coverage per accident.

Based on MoneyGeek’s data, the best car insurance companies in Hawaii for most drivers are:

• Best Overall: GEICO
• Runner-up: State Farm

USAA received the highest score in Hawaii by MoneyGeek's rating system. However, because USAA is only available to military members, veterans and their families, it is not listed as best overall.

To find the best car insurance companies in Hawaii, MoneyGeek took into account factors like the ability to pay claims, customer service quality, financial strength and affordability.

To determine these rankings, MoneyGeek used internal pricing data, as well as AM Best’s financial strength ratings and J.D. Power’s U.S. Auto Insurance Study — industry standards for reviewing and rating insurance companies. All criteria were weighted equally to arrive at a final rating out of 100.

Expand All Rankings +

1

USAA

Score:100

+

5/5

Affordability

5/5

Claims Ratings

5/5

User Satisfaction

A++

Financial Stability

Geek Quick Take

USAA is MoneyGeek’s top company in Hawaii, balancing customer service, affordability and financial stability. It only serves current and former military members and their families.

More About USAA

USAA gets consistent rankings as one of the cheapest and best insurance companies in the United States. This is true in Hawaii as well. If your parents are also USAA policyholders, you may be eligible for a discount, as this carrier rewards drivers with savings if their families stay loyal.

Read MoneyGeek's USAA auto Insurance Review

2

GEICO

Score:93

+

4/5

Affordability

5/5

Claims Ratings

3/5

User Satisfaction

A++

Financial Stability

Geek Quick Take

GEICO is the runner-up in MoneyGeek’s Hawaii rankings. It stands out with impressive scores for claims processing efficiency, affordability and financial stability.

More About GEICO

GEICO offers many excellent features to its customers. These include a convenient mobile app that you can use to easily track your policy and submit claims. Plus, you can utilize the quote tool to get an accurate rate and adjust your coverages. It’s a great option for those who don’t qualify for USAA.

Read MoneyGeek's GEICO auto Insurance Review

3

State Farm

Score:90

+

3/5

Affordability

5/5

Claims Ratings

3/5

User Satisfaction

A++

Financial Stability

4

Allstate

Score:88

+

3/5

Affordability

5/5

Claims Ratings

3/5

User Satisfaction

A+

Financial Stability

5

Progressive

Score:85

+

3/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims Ratings

3/5

User Satisfaction

A+

Financial Stability

6

Farmers

Score:83

+

2/5

Affordability

5/5

Claims Ratings

3/5

User Satisfaction

A

Financial Stability

7

Liberty Mutual

Score:78

+

2/5

Affordability

3/5

Claims Ratings

3/5

User Satisfaction

A

Financial Stability

While USAA scores highly in many areas, this provider is only available to military members, veterans and their families.

List of the Largest Insurance Companies in Hawaii

The three biggest insurers in Hawaii in terms of market share are GEICO, State Farm and USAA. Market share is calculated as the number of premiums written by an insurance company divided by the total number of premiums written in the state. A large provider is more likely to have financially sound processes and can pay out claims without hassle. However, larger companies may not always have the most affordable rates or best policies.

Most insurers in Hawaii will allow you to get a reasonably accurate quote on their website.

• Determine the coverage levels you need so you can compare quotes consistently. For example, if you get a quote with one provider for comprehensive and collision with a $1,000 deductible, you should make sure to use the same limits with other carriers.
• You can use MoneyGeek’s price data as a guide to finding insurer websites to visit. Enter your ZIP code below to compare quotes.
• The three cheapest companies for liability coverage in Hawaii are USAA, GEICO and State Farm. You can begin your search for a suitable policy by getting the prices of these providers.

Car insurance premium costs vary according to several unique factors. To demonstrate a typical case, MoneyGeek calculated average 100/300/100 comprehensive and collision coverage costs for a 40-year-old male with a clean record driving a Toyota Camry. Depending on your location, driving history and coverage level, your costs can vary significantly.

• Average Driver: $1,066
• DUI: $3,346
• Speeding Ticket: $1,253
• Poor Credit Score: $0
• Seniors: $1,066
• Students: $995

Hawaii drivers with a severe driving offense, such as a DUI, may be charged higher rates. The average cost of car insurance for drivers with a DUI in Hawaii is $3,346 per year compared to $1,066 for the average driver with a spotless record.

The cheapest car insurance companies in Hawaii for a driver with a DUI and full coverage are:

• State Farm: $911 per year
• USAA: $1,294 per year (only available to current and former military members)

In comparison, GEICO and USAA are the most affordable companies in Hawaii for drivers with no record.

Average Car Insurance Rates With a DUI

Finding cheap car insurance with a DUI in Hawaii may seem difficult, but it can be done. Drunk driving accounted for 400 deaths in Hawaii between 2009 and 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a study of adults who reported driving after drinking too much in the previous 30 days, 2.1% of Hawaiians stated they had – as compared to a national average of 1.7%. Those caught driving under the influence are subject to fines and driving suspension, both of which can make insurance rates go up. The table below provides approximate costs of auto insurance for those with a DUI on their records.

If convicted of a DUI in Hawaii, plan for this to stay on your record for five years. During this time, auto insurers may require you to pay a higher premium. Unless you receive another DUI in the interim, the charge will fall off your record and you can access reduced rates. The real cost of receiving a DUI can be high, but there are things you can do to lessen the financial burden.

Hawaii drivers with minor driving violations on their record, such as tickets, tend to be charged higher rates than those with a clean record. In Hawaii, a driver with a speeding ticket needs to shell out $1,253 per year on average for their car insurance compared to $1,066 for the average driver with no record.

The most affordable car insurers in Hawaii for a driver with a speeding ticket and full coverage are:

• GEICO: $646 per year
• USAA: $686 per year (only available to current and former military members)

These two providers also offer the cheapest full coverage insurance for drivers with a clean record in Hawaii.

Average Car Insurance Rates With a Ticket

Distracted driving accounted for 110 fatal accidents across Hawaii in 2018 alone. While not every distracted driving incident results in a wreck, Hawaii police departments take this infraction seriously. Statewide, the police issued 14,500 distracted driving citations in 2018 in addition to speeding tickets. While Hawaii does not currently employ a points-based system, tickets can still result in higher car insurance rates. Check out the table below to get a sense of approximate costs for those with a ticket on their record.

Tickets for distracted driving or speeding can impact your rates for a number of years, depending on the severity of the ticket and how many you receive over a given time period. First-time offenders may be able to remove the ticket from their record by participating in safe-driving training. Distracted driving can cost a lot more than just higher insurance rates, making it important to stay focused on the road.

Unlike other states, car insurers in Hawaii cannot use your credit score to determine your costs. However, it’s still important to maintain a healthy credit score as it can help you with other financial needs like credit cards, loans and mortgage lending.

In many states, insurance companies use a driver’s credit score to influence rates. Experian found that the average credit score in America was 703 as of 2018, while Hawaii’s average was 723 during the same period. Despite Hawaii’s higher-than-average credit scores, however, credit scores cannot be used to inform insurance costs. Hawaii is one of a small group of states that does not allow insurers to weigh a driver’s credit score. While your credit score may not impact your car insurance rates in Hawaii, it can influence other aspects of life, including mortgage lending, loans and credit cards. Improving your credit score can help improve your finances overall.

In most states, senior drivers are charged slightly higher rates than the average. However, in Hawaii, senior drivers pay the same average amount for their car insurance as the typical adult driver. This rate is $1,066 per year.

The least expensive carriers in Florida for senior drivers with full coverage are:

• GEICO: $646 per year
• USAA: $657 per year (only available to current and former military members)

These two providers also offer the cheapest full coverage for the average driver who is 40 years old.

Average Car Insurance Rates for Seniors

Seniors may face unique factors when looking for car insurance in Hawaii, but they can often lower their rates by finding coverage that fits their stage of life. Retirees, for instance, typically drive less than they did when working and may need a different type of coverage. While many seniors are safe and alert drivers, others aren’t and can cause premiums to rise for everyone. Drivers aged 65 and above accounted for 13.2% of fatal traffic crashes in the state for 2017. Review the table below to get a sense of approximate costs for this population.

Hawaii’s DMV also sets specific rules around licensing senior citizens. They must apply for their license in person and successfully pass a vision test once every eight years up until the age of 72. Once they turn 72, licenses must be renewed every two years.

In most states, young student drivers tend to be charged much higher rates than adult drivers because of their inexperience. However, in Hawaii, student drivers pay less than the average adult driver for their auto insurance coverage. The average annual rate for a student driver is $995 compared to $1,066 for the average adult driver.

The cheapest car insurance companies in Hawaii for student drivers with full coverage are:

• State Farm: $704 per year
• GEICO: $783 per year

By comparison, USAA and GEICO are the most affordable companies for adult drivers in Hawaii.

Average Car Insurance Rates for Students

Adding a teenager to your insurance policy will significantly increase your premium, but there are a few things your student can do to keep rates as low as possible. These include:

• Maintain a clean driving record with no crashes or moving violations. Many insurance companies offer discounts for three years or more with a clean record.
• Keep up the grades. Some insurance companies offer Good Student Discounts.
• Only drive the family's oldest, least expensive car. Avoid driving convertibles, sports cars and SUVs as they are usually more expensive to insure.
• You may also want to ask your insurance company about an "accident forgiveness" clause that guarantees premiums will not increase after one minor accident. If your child attends a nearby college and still lives at home, she/he will still be insured. If your child is away at school for nine months a year, you must inform your insurer of the move and find out if your child is still covered. If your child has no plans to drive at school, you may be able to remove her/him from your policy. Alternatively, some insurers offer a discount if your student lives more than 100 miles from where the insured vehicle is kept and doesn't have access to a car while at school.

Regardless of best intentions, teenagers often have higher rates of crashes due to possessing less experience behind the wheel. Because of this, insurance companies often charge higher car insurance premiums to protect them and others in the event of an accident. The table below takes a look at average monthly costs from a few of the top auto insurance companies in Hawaii.

Average Rates for Hawaii service members

25 years$1,319
50 years$1,319

25 years$1,319
50 years$1,319

Average Insurance Rate by City in Hawaii

Scroll for more

• City
  Annually
  Monthly
• 1.
  Honolulu
  $1,066
  $89

To help you make an informed buying decision, MoneyGeek provides answers to frequently asked questions about auto insurance coverages and rates in Hawaii.

About the Author

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Katy McWhirter is a professional writer and owner of Heritage Creatives, a boutique historical branding agency. She has experience in nonprofit management, marketing, personal finance, government relations and education from her decade-plus writing career. Katy’s work has been featured in both the United States and abroad, highlighting the need for research-driven, accessible information on financial topics.

Katy earned her bachelor’s degree in social entrepreneurship from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and her master’s degree in modern history from the University of York in England. She spends her free time with her husband and two cats, restoring their 1901 home in Louisville and reading up on all things personal finance.

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