Cheapest Car Insurance in South Dakota for 2026

South Dakota ranks 19th most affordable at $106/month. Progressive leads full coverage at $52/month; Farmers Mutual of NE leads minimum and bad credit.

Written by Mark Fitzpatrick

Updated: April 30, 2026

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South Dakota ranks 19th most affordable of 50 states at $106/month for full coverage, 13% below the national average of $122/month. Progressive leads full coverage at $52/month. Farmers Mutual of NE (a regional Great Plains insurer entirely unrelated to the national Farmers brand) leads minimum coverage, young drivers, most violations, and bad credit. Farmers Mutual's bad-credit rate of $105/month is the lowest bad-credit rate in this series, $46/month below second-place North Star at $151/month. Farmers Mutual also leads the family policy table from age 16 through 25, with gender gaps so small they are nearly zero.

Cheapest in South Dakota by coverage type

Full coverage: Progressive, $52/month
Minimum coverage: Progressive / Farmers Mutual of NE, $13/month

Cheapest by city

Sioux Falls: Progressive, $54/month
Rapid City: Farmers Mutual of NE, $65/month
Aberdeen: Progressive, $46/month

Cheapest by driver age

Teen drivers (age 16) on a family policy: Farmers Mutual of NE, $163/month (female) / $166/month (male)
Senior drivers (65+): Progressive, $57/month

Cheapest by driving record and credit score

Speeding ticket: Farmers Mutual of NE, $69/month
At-fault accident: Farmers Mutual of NE, $78/month
DUI: Progressive, $69/month
Texting while driving: Farmers Mutual of NE, $72/month
Bad credit: Farmers Mutual of NE, $105/month

MoneyGeek analyzed 11 providers in South Dakota using Quadrant Information Services data. South Dakota is an at-fault state with minimum coverage of 25/50/25 plus required uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. Farmers Mutual of NE is a regional Great Plains carrier entirely unrelated to the national Farmers brand. North Star Insurance and Western National Insurance are regional Great Plains carriers. Gender is a rating factor in South Dakota.

All rates reflect the baseline profile: 40-year-old male, clean driving record, good credit, 100/300/100 coverage with $1,000 deductibles for comprehensive and collision.

Cheapest Minimum and Full Coverage Car Insurance in South Dakota

Progressive leads full coverage in South Dakota at $52/month; Farmers Mutual of NE ties Progressive for the cheapest minimum coverage at $13/month. Farmers Mutual of NE is a regional Great Plains insurer entirely unrelated to the national Farmers brand. The national Farmers is the most expensive provider in this dataset at $149/month. Choosing Progressive over national Farmers saves $97/month ($1,164/year). South Dakota drivers seeking the best car insurance in South Dakota should compare both Progressive and Farmers Mutual of NE.


Farmers Mutual of NE	$13
Progressive	$13
State Farm	$19
North Star Insurance	$24
GEICO	$25


Farmers Mutual of NE	$58
Progressive	$52
State Farm	$90
North Star Insurance	$119
GEICO	$90

Cheapest Car Insurance by Age in South Dakota

Farmers Mutual of NE is the cheapest provider on family policies for teen and young adult drivers at every age from 16 to 25. Progressive is the cheapest for seniors at $57 a month. Gender gaps in South Dakota are essentially zero from ages 19 through 25, ranging from $0 to $1 a month, and Farmers Mutual of NE prices boys only $1 to $3 a month more than girls at the younger ages.

Teen rates drop from age 16 to 25 with one exception: both girls and boys see a slight uptick at age 21 ($135 a month) compared to age 20 ($130 a month), an unusual pattern in the source data. By age 25, the family premium settles at $117 a month for both genders, a $46 a month ($552 a year) reduction from the age-16 female rate of $163 a month. South Dakota's car insurance rates by age run well below the national average, and Farmers Mutual of NE's dominance across every age bracket reflects the state's regional carrier pricing dynamic.

Open the dropdowns below to see full rate breakdowns for all ages 16 to 25 and for the top senior options.


Teen Drivers (16, Female, Family Policy)	Farmers Mutual of NE	$163
Teen Drivers (16, Male, Family Policy)	Farmers Mutual of NE	$166
Seniors (65+)	Progressive	$57

Farmers Mutual of NE is the cheapest provider on family policies at every age from 16 to 25 for both girls and boys. At age 16, Farmers Mutual of NE charges $163 a month for girls and $166 a month for boys, a $3 a month ($36 a year) gap. Gender pricing converges by age 19, where both groups pay $137 a month, and remains within $0 to $1 a month through age 25. Both groups see an unusual uptick at age 21 before rates resume their decline.


16	Farmers Mutual of NE	$163
17	Farmers Mutual of NE	$156
18	Farmers Mutual of NE	$148
19	Farmers Mutual of NE	$137
20	Farmers Mutual of NE	$130
21	Farmers Mutual of NE	$135
22	Farmers Mutual of NE	$127
23	Farmers Mutual of NE	$122
24	Farmers Mutual of NE	$118
25	Farmers Mutual of NE	$117


16	Farmers Mutual of NE	$166
17	Farmers Mutual of NE	$158
18	Farmers Mutual of NE	$150
19	Farmers Mutual of NE	$137
20	Farmers Mutual of NE	$130
21	Farmers Mutual of NE	$135
22	Farmers Mutual of NE	$128
23	Farmers Mutual of NE	$122
24	Farmers Mutual of NE	$119
25	Farmers Mutual of NE	$117

Progressive is the cheapest car insurance for seniors in South Dakota at $57 a month, $5 above its standard adult rate of $52 a month. Farmers Mutual of NE is second at $62 a month, $5 more than Progressive. Auto-Owners is the most expensive of the five at $109 a month, $52 more than Progressive ($624 a year). Defensive driving course discounts, low-mileage discounts and bundling can cut costs further.
Progressive
$57
Farmers Mutual of NE
$62
GEICO
$92
State Farm
$94
Auto-Owners
$109


Progressive	$57
Farmers Mutual of NE	$62
GEICO	$92
State Farm	$94
Auto-Owners	$109

Cheapest Car Insurance in South Dakota for High-Risk Drivers

Farmers Mutual of NE leads speeding ticket ($69/month), at-fault accident ($78/month), texting while driving ($72/month), and bad credit ($105/month) categories. Progressive leads DUI at $69/month, which is higher than Progressive's clean-record rate of $52/month. Farmers Mutual's bad-credit rate of $105/month is the lowest bad-credit rate in this series, $46/month below North Star at $151/month and $112/month below GEICO at $217/month. Credit-challenged South Dakota drivers have a clear primary choice in Farmers Mutual of NE.

Most violations affect rates for three years; DUI convictions affect rates for a longer period. Drivers with violations may need to file SR-22 car insurance in South Dakota to reinstate their license.

Profile	Cheapest Provider	Monthly Rate
Speeding Ticket	Farmers Mutual of NE	$69
At-Fault Accident	Farmers Mutual of NE	$78
DUI	Progressive	$69
Texting While Driving	Farmers Mutual of NE	$72
Bad Credit	Farmers Mutual of NE	$105

Farmers Mutual of NE offers the cheapest full coverage after a speeding ticket in South Dakota at $69/month. The spread from first place (Farmers Mutual of NE at $69/month) to fifth place (Allstate at $103/month) is $34/month. Drivers with a speeding ticket should compare all available providers, as rates vary by a wide margin across insurers.
Farmers Mutual of NE
$69
Progressive
$76
State Farm
$95
Auto-Owners
$98
Allstate
$103


Farmers Mutual of NE	$69
Progressive	$76
State Farm	$95
Auto-Owners	$98
Allstate	$103

Farmers Mutual of NE offers the most affordable full coverage after an at-fault accident in South Dakota at $78/month. Progressive at $89/month is second. Western National, a regional Great Plains carrier, appears in fourth place at $121/month. The spread from first place (Farmers Mutual of NE at $78/month) to fifth place (Auto-Owners at $131/month) is $53/month.
Farmers Mutual of NE
$78
Progressive
$89
State Farm
$100
Western National Insurance
$121
Auto-Owners
$131


Farmers Mutual of NE	$78
Progressive	$89
State Farm	$100
Western National Insurance	$121
Auto-Owners	$131

Progressive offers the cheapest full coverage after a DUI in South Dakota at $69/month, sourced from Quadrant Information Services data. State Farm at $95/month is second. The spread from first place (Progressive at $69/month) to fifth place (Allstate at $155/month) is $86/month. Drivers with a DUI conviction will need to file an SR-22 to reinstate their license.
Progressive
$69
State Farm
$95
Farmers Mutual of NE
$109
Western National Insurance
$121
Allstate
$155


Progressive	$69
State Farm	$95
Farmers Mutual of NE	$109
Western National Insurance	$121
Allstate	$155

Farmers Mutual of NE offers the lowest-cost full coverage after a texting while driving violation in South Dakota at $72/month. Progressive at $77/month is second. The spread from first place (Farmers Mutual of NE at $72/month) to fifth place (Allstate at $103/month) is $31/month.
Farmers Mutual of NE
$72
Progressive
$77
Auto-Owners
$92
State Farm
$95
Allstate
$103


Farmers Mutual of NE	$72
Progressive	$77
Auto-Owners	$92
State Farm	$95
Allstate	$103

Farmers Mutual of NE offers the lowest-priced full coverage for South Dakota drivers with poor credit at $105/month, the lowest bad-credit rate in this series. This rate is $46/month below North Star at $151/month and $112/month below GEICO at $217/month. Both figures are sourced from Quadrant Information Services data.

South Dakota drivers with poor credit should prioritize Farmers Mutual of NE, as the gap to competing providers is substantial. Credit-based insurance scoring uses credit history as one factor in determining rates, and drivers with poor credit pay more on average.
Farmers Mutual of NE
$105
North Star Insurance
$151
GEICO
$217
Farm Bureau
$230
Nationwide
$252


Farmers Mutual of NE	$105
North Star Insurance	$151
GEICO	$217
Farm Bureau	$230
Nationwide	$252

Cheapest Car Insurance in South Dakota by City

Progressive leads nine of 10 South Dakota cities analyzed; Farmers Mutual of NE leads Rapid City at $65/month. The biggest city-to-city gap is between Rapid City at $65/month and Brookings at $43/month, a difference of $22/month. Rapid City is the second-largest city in South Dakota and sees higher hail and weather-event frequency, plus higher tourism-related traffic as the gateway to Mount Rushmore.

Brookings and Watertown are small college and agricultural cities with very low claims density. Sioux Falls, at $54/month, is the most populous city in South Dakota and slightly more expensive than smaller eastern South Dakota cities, but far below Rapid City.

Drivers in all cities should compare car insurance options to confirm the lowest available rate.

City	Cheapest Provider	Monthly Full Coverage Rates
Aberdeen	Progressive	$46
Brookings	Progressive	$43
Huron	Progressive	$50
Mitchell	Progressive	$47
Pierre	Progressive	$52
Rapid City	Farmers Mutual of NE	$65
Sioux Falls	Progressive	$54
Vermillion	Progressive	$47
Watertown	Progressive	$43
Yankton	Progressive	$48

How to Get the Cheapest Car Insurance in South Dakota

South Dakota drivers can lower their car insurance costs by choosing the right provider for their specific profile. Farmers Mutual of NE leads most rate categories in the state, while Progressive is the top choice for full coverage and DUI. The steps below outline the most effective strategies for reducing your premium based on MoneyGeek's analysis of 11 providers using Quadrant Information Services data.

1
Know Farmers Mutual of NE is not the national Farmers
The national Farmers brand charges $149/month, $97/month more than Progressive at $52/month. Farmers Mutual of Nebraska is a separate regional insurer that leads most rate categories in South Dakota.
2
Use Farmers Mutual of Nebraska for bad credit
Farmers Mutual of Nebraska offers the lowest bad-credit rate in South Dakota at $105/month, which is $46/month below second-place North Star at $151/month. No other provider in the 11-carrier analysis comes close for drivers with poor credit.
3
Choose Progressive for full coverage and DUI
Progressive leads full coverage at $52/month among the 11 providers analyzed in South Dakota. Drivers with a DUI on their record should compare Progressive against other carriers, as its rates stay competitive after violations.
4
Use Farmers Mutual of Nebraska for family policies
Farmers Mutual of Nebraska leads all age brackets from 16 to 25 with near-zero gender gaps across the family policy table, making it the strongest option for South Dakota households adding young drivers.
5
Carry comprehensive coverage for hail and wildlife
South Dakota ranks among the states with the highest per-capita hail claims in the country according to the Insurance Information Institute, and wildlife collisions are common statewide. Review how much car insurance do I need? to determine the right coverage level for your vehicle.
6
Re-shop at age 21
Farmers Mutual of Nebraska shows a slight rate uptick at age 21, which may make it worth comparing against Progressive at that transition point. Confirming the lowest available rate at 21 can prevent overpaying as a young adult driver in South Dakota.
7
Note city rate differences across South Dakota
Rapid City averages $65/month, which is $22/month more than Brookings at $43/month. Both rates are sourced from Quadrant Information Services data. Drivers in western South Dakota should verify they are using the correct city-specific rate when comparing quotes.
8
SR-22 requirement after violations
Drivers with certain violations may need to file an SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility to reinstate their license in South Dakota. An SR-22 is not a separate policy. Learn more about SR-22 car insurance in South Dakota.

All rates reflect the baseline profile: 40-year-old male, clean driving record, good credit, 100/300/100 coverage with $1,000 deductibles for comprehensive and collision.

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About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for almost a decade, first with LendingTree and now with MoneyGeek, conducting original research on hundreds of insurance companies and millions of insurance rates for insurance shoppers.

He writes about economics and insurance on MoneyGeek, breaking down complex topics so people can have confidence in their purchase. Like all MoneyGeek analysts, Mark collects and analyzes independent cost and consumer experience data on insurance companies to provide objective recommendations in our content that are independent of any of MoneyGeek's insurance company partnerships.

His insights — on products ranging from car, home and renters insurance to health and life insurance — have been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR among others.

Mark holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He started his career working in financial risk management at State Street before transitioning to analysis of the personal insurance market. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

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