The Cheapest Car Insurance in Ohio (June 2023)

Nationwide is the cheapest auto insurer in Ohio for full and minimum coverage. American Family is also the most affordable insurer for certain types of drivers in the state.

If you are looking to balance cost and quality service, look for the best car insurance in Ohio.

On average, the following companies may provide the most affordable minimum coverage auto insurance policies:

• Nationwide: $226 per year
• Erie: $228 per year

Opting for State Farm may cost around $2,556, which can be the priciest coverage in the state, based on the companies MoneyGeek assessed.

Ohio law only requires you to get bodily injury liability and property damage liability coverage.

A minimum coverage policy only covers damages or injuries you inflict on others, whereas a full coverage policy with comprehensive and collision coverage covers the cost of damages to your car. That provides you with a much greater level of financial protection in case of an at-fault accident.

MoneyGeek’s research found that the cheapest car insurers for a full coverage policy are, on average:

• Nationwide: $485 per year
• American Family: $492 per year

State Farm is the most expensive option, at approximately $4,208 per year.

In general, full coverage car insurance costs more than minimum coverage. For example, a full coverage policy with Nationwide costs around $259 more annually than a minimum coverage policy.

Remember, a full coverage auto insurance policy can protect you financially from both on-road and off-road damages.

The amount of car insurance you need determines your rates. MoneyGeek’s sample full coverage policy includes $100,000 in bodily injury liability per person, $300,000 in bodily injury liability per accident and $100,000 in property damage liability per accident.

If you want to save money, you can lower your liability limits, raise your deductible or drop comprehensive and collision coverage. However, this can lead to insufficient coverage in case of an accident.

It's easy to get a car insurance quote online, but it takes about 15 minutes to complete the process. You also have to compare quotes across multiple websites to find the one that suits your needs and budget, which makes it more time-consuming.

MoneyGeek’s car insurance calculator quickly gives you an estimate without asking for sensitive information. This can be helpful if you’re not sure how much car insurance will cost, and it gives you a starting point for your research.

Age is one of the biggest factors affecting car insurance rates in Ohio. MoneyGeek found that Nationwide and American Family offer the cheapest options on average, depending on what age group you and your family belong to.

On average, we discovered that the most affordable car insurance companies for teens on their parent’s policy include:

• Nationwide: $1,042 per year for male teens and $895 per year for female teens
• GEICO: $1,640 per year for male teens and $1,534 per year for female teens

State Farm has the most expensive coverage for teens on their parent’s policy, at around $9,901 for male teens and $7,736 for female teens.

Like anywhere else in the U.S., Ohio's teens also have a decreasing car insurance rate as they age. Rates for 19-year-olds are better than younger teens as they have more driving experience. Ohio's 19-year-old males can get the lowest quotes from Nationwide ($961 per year).

In general, it’s cheaper for teens to be added to their parent’s policy vs. getting their own coverage. Plus, in most cases, it is illegal for a teen under 18 to purchase auto insurance without a parent or guardian's consent to co-sign. In Ohio, male teens may save around $2,527 by getting added to their parent’s insurance policy rather than getting their own.

Families can save on car insurance by taking advantage of special discounts offered by some companies to teenagers. Allstate, Auto-Owners, Farmers, Progressive, State Farm and Travelers offer good student and distant student discounts. Nationwide and GEICO both offer good student discounts.

On average, we found that the lowest car insurance rates for drivers in their 20s in Ohio are offered by:

• American Family: $511 per year
• Nationwide: $582 per year

State Farm may have the highest average policy cost for young drivers in Ohio at roughly $7,296.

Premiums for young drivers can be more expensive than those for middle-aged drivers due to higher accident frequency. For example, policies from American Family cost around $19 more per year for young drivers vs. middle-aged drivers.

Senior drivers in Ohio can save the most money on car insurance from these companies, on average:

• Nationwide: $448 per year
• American Family: $459 per year

State Farm customers aged 60+ generally pay the highest average policy cost at $5,343.

Senior drivers might pay slightly more or less for coverage than middle-aged drivers. For example, Nationwide insurance charges around $37 less for the average 65-year-old than for the middle-aged. However, as you reach your 70s and 80s, car insurance rates tend to go up due to increased accident frequency.

Seniors can save on car insurance by comparing rates offered by multiple insurers since they consider more than age when setting rates. You can also look into getting a discount on your premium if you qualify for one. For example, Allstate, American Family, Farmers and GEICO all offer senior driver discounts.

Insurers tend to charge higher premiums to drivers with violations on their records. The cheapest car insurance if you have a speeding ticket, an at-fault accident or a DUI on your record is from American Family.

If you have a speeding ticket in Ohio, you can get the cheapest average car insurance rates from these companies:

• American Family: $612 per year
• Nationwide: $617 per year

State Farm provides the most expensive rates at approximately $6,342.

On average, drivers with a ticket pay up to $381 more for car insurance than those without a ticket.

Drivers with an at-fault accident can find the cheapest average rates for car insurance from these companies:

• American Family: $632 per year
• Nationwide: $766 per year

State Farm is the most expensive insurance provider, costing an average of $6,962 per year for drivers with at-fault accidents.

You may likely have to pay around $694 more for car insurance than the average driver with a clean record if you are at fault in an accident.

Those with a DUI on their record can consider the following companies for the most affordable average car insurance:

• American Family: $612 per year
• Nationwide: $938 per year

State Farm is the most expensive option, at approximately $6,342.

The average premium for drivers with a DUI is $793 more than it is for drivers with clean records.

On average, we found that the cheapest insurance companies for drivers with credit scores under 580 are:

• Nationwide: $647 per year
• American Family: $820 per year

You may find that the most expensive option is State Farm at around $12,810.

Drivers with poor credit pay $1,262 more on average than those with good credit above 750.

Insurers may use credit-based insurance scores to determine car insurance premiums. Although some states prohibit this, Ohio does allow it.

By improving your credit score over time, you might qualify for lower rates. Additionally, comparing different providers and asking about special car insurance discounts may also save you money.

On average, the cheapest car insurance companies for sports car drivers in Ohio are:

• American Family: $452 per year
• Nationwide: $659 per year

State Farm offers the highest-priced option at around $6,999.

The average sports car driver pays about $567 more for car insurance than the average Toyota Camry driver.

MoneyGeek used a Ford Mustang for its sample sports car, but insurance costs can differ greatly depending on what type of car you drive. Luxury, electric and sports cars tend to be more expensive than other types, but the model may not be the most significant factor in determining what you pay.

We found that Nationwide is the cheapest car insurance company for an active-duty or military veteran, costing around $485 per year.

USAA is also among the cheapest insurers for military personnel in Ohio at $1,149. USAA tailors its car insurance policies to the needs of military personnel and their families across the U.S.

You could also look at GEICO because it has military discounts available that may lower the cost of auto insurance.

Pricing for car insurance varies widely depending on where you live. In general, drivers who live in cities that have higher rates of theft, vandalism or accidents will pay more for coverage.

For example, the cheapest full coverage policy you can find is in Akron, at about $547 per year with Nationwide. The most expensive policies are in Cincinnati from Nationwide at around $663 annually.

Most states require drivers to have bodily injury liability (BIL) and property damage liability (PDL) coverage. Ohio is no exception, and drivers in the state are required to meet minimum limits to drive.

Ohio law only requires you to carry bodily injury liability and property damage liability. However, if you’re in an accident and you don’t have enough insurance coverage to pay for the damage, then you could be personally liable for those costs.

To mitigate this financial burden, we suggest purchasing more liability coverage.

Furthermore, those who are required to secure an SR-22 because of significant violations may have to get more coverage.

MoneyGeek recommends getting $100,000 in bodily injury liability insurance per person, $300,000 in bodily injury liability insurance per accident and $100,000 in property damage insurance per accident.

If you're financing or leasing your car, the company might require that you purchase comprehensive and collision insurance.

Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your car from events that are not related to a collision with another vehicle, such as weather hazards, fire, theft and vandalism. Collision insurance covers damage when you collide with another vehicle or object.

Even if you think you don’t need these coverages, it’s still wise to get them if you have a valuable car.

In Ohio, everyone who drives a motor vehicle must have insurance. If you're pulled over for speeding or any other reason, police officers will check the proof of insurance on your car. The same goes for accidents and inspections. Thus, there is no alternative to car insurance as of now.

However, for drivers who don’t own cars, non-owner car insurance might be worth looking into.

There are many things to consider when you're shopping for car insurance, including cost and quality. Here are some of the most common questions about car insurance in Ohio.