Updated: May 20, 2024
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Car insurance for high-risk drivers is naturally more expensive. The best way to find affordable car insurance is by shopping around and comparing several high-risk auto insurance companies in Utah.
GEICO offers the best blend of affordability and customer service, making it the best insurance for high-risk drivers. At $1,142 per year, GEICO also provides the cheapest policies in Utah. Note that these are averages, and your actual rates may differ.
Best & CheapestAuto InsuranceHigh-RiskBest Companies for High-Risk Drivers in 2023
A bad driving record, such as a history of at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, violations or a DUI, deems you high-risk. Being a teen driver and not having insurance also puts you in the same high-risk category.
Due to the elevated perceived risk and increased payout for claims, high-risk drivers can expect inflated auto insurance rates. These rates would be around 26% higher compared to a driver with a clean record.
High-risk drivers are those with severe driving violations such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, reckless driving or driving with a suspended or revoked license.
Even with a clean driving record, there are some instances where insurance companies would still consider you high-risk. Other cases that may qualify you as high-risk:
Our findings show that GEICO is Utah’s most affordable car insurance for high-risk drivers. Policies from this insurer cost roughly $1,142 annually.
MoneyGeek’s GEICO Auto Insurance Review provides an in-depth look at its pros, cons, coverages, discounts and other useful information.
| GEICO | Annual Premium$1,142 |
| Allstate | Annual Premium$1,384 |
| American Family | Annual Premium$1,387 |
| State Farm | Annual Premium$1,437 |
| Farmers | Annual Premium$1,449 |
| Nationwide | Annual Premium$1,571 |
| Esurance | Annual Premium$1,705 |
| Progressive | Annual Premium$1,730 |
If you’ve been convicted of a serious traffic violation or have been caught driving without a license or insurance, you’ll need to file SR-22 Insurance in Utah.
SR-22 does not serve as a substitute for insurance. Rather, it’s a form stating that you meet your state's minimum liability coverage requirements.
Based on MoneyGeek’s research, the best car insurance company for high-risk drivers in Utah is GEICO. It received a score of 94 out of 100. Allstate ranked the second-best, scoring 70 out of 100.
Learn more about these insurers from MoneyGeek’s review of GEICO Auto Insurance and Allstate Auto Insurance.
GEICO’s high-risk auto insurance costs around $1,142 per year, which is around 42% higher than a driver with a clean record.
GEICO is consistently one of the best insurance companies with affordable policies for different types of drivers. In addition to common coverages like accident forgiveness and roadside assistance, it offers mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI), which is an extra layer of protection to your standard policy. This insurer also provides other types of rare discounts like safety installations.
Allstate policies costs $1,384 per year for high-risk drivers. This is approximately 20% higher than policies for clean drivers.
Available in 50 states and Washington D.C., Allstate offers a list of standard auto insurance add-on coverages from roadside assistance, rental car and/or transportation services, accident forgiveness and new car replacement. It also has a list of rare coverages such as custom parts, portable electronics and media coverage and sound system coverage.
Low-income car insurance in Utah may help drivers find affordable car insurance without sacrificing quality. In Utah, the best way to find insurance for low-income drivers is to seek minimum coverage or compare insurance companies with low rates.
The cheapest car insurance in Utah for drivers after a DUI is American Family, which averages $1,387 annually.
MoneyGeek’s American Family Auto Insurance Review provides an in-depth evaluation of the coverage and discounts you can get from this insurer, the pros and cons of getting coverage and how much policies typically cost.
Another cheap option available to military families is USAA. USAA Auto Insurance is one of the country’s top-rated car insurance companies, consistently ranking high for their rates and coverage.
| American Family | Annual Premium$1,387 |
| State Farm | Annual Premium$1,395 |
| Progressive | Annual Premium$1,428 |
| Farmers | Annual Premium$1,474 |
| Allstate | Annual Premium$1,474 |
| GEICO | Annual Premium$1,488 |
| Esurance | Annual Premium$1,563 |
| Nationwide | Annual Premium$1,970 |
Consider the look-back period if you are a driver with a DUI, which is a mandated waiting period before a DUI is removed from an individual’s record. Every state has its look-back period, which usually lasts for years to accommodate criminal sentencing for repeat offenders. In Utah, a DUI disappears after 10 years.
Teen drivers should look into Nationwide, the cheapest high-risk auto insurance company for young drivers in Utah, offering policies at around $4,385 per year on average.
MoneyGeek listed the different insurance providers that offer affordable policies to teen drivers.
| Nationwide | Annual Premium$4,385 |
| GEICO | Annual Premium$4,494 |
| Allstate | Annual Premium$4,555 |
| State Farm | Annual Premium$5,248 |
| Progressive | Annual Premium$9,478 |
Auto insurance for teen drivers can triple in price because of elevated risk. But that doesn’t mean you must opt for a minimum coverage policy to save money. Extra coverage will give you peace of mind that your teen is fully protected.
You can find full coverage car insurance for risky drivers like students and teens that provide reasonable rates and excellent service quality.
Auto insurance quotes increase exponentially when you have bad credit. In Utah, policies from GEICO are the cheapest at around $1,227 per year for drivers with poor credit. This is 47% higher than policies typically available to drivers with good credit at roughly $651 per year.
| GEICO | Annual Premium1,227 | Percent Change47% |
It can be a challenge to find auto insurance for drivers with bad credit. MoneyGeek helps you with our guide on how to get car insurance with bad credit if you’ve been struggling to find cheap auto insurance because of your credit history.
High-risk insurance companies assess your risk to determine how to quote your premiums. When you are deemed high-risk, insurance costs increase as you’ll need more coverage and providers anticipate more filed claims.
In Utah, the average cost of car insurance for low-risk drivers is $1,082 per year, compared to high-risk drivers, who will have to pay around $1,476 per year. That’s a difference of $394 annually.
Low-Risk Driver
$1,082High-Risk Driver
$1,476This is 36% more expensive.
MoneyGeek’s Utah car insurance calculator is a useful tool to help you determine your auto insurance costs. Note that insurance costs vary for each driver since different factors like age, vehicle information, coverage level and driving record are considered.
MoneyGeeks's car insurance calculator will give you a customized estimate of your auto insurance cost. It's free to use, requires no personal information and we won't send you any spam.
Rates updated:
Jul 27, 2024
Although MoneyGeek partners with some of the companies we recommend, our content is written and reviewed by an independent team of writers, editors and licensed agents. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Since auto insurance is a voluntary market, some insurers may refuse to offer coverage to high-risk drivers. If insurance companies consider you too risky to insure, your best option is to look for an alternative market plan.
Automobile Insurance Plan Service Office (AIPSO) is a not-for-profit corporation in the U.S. that provides auto insurance residual market services. High-risk drivers struggling to find insurance in Utah can seek coverage through AIPSO’s Utah Automobile Insurance Plan.
Drivers can also refer to the Utah Insurance Department for other helpful guides when shopping for insurance.
AIPSO’s database helps you find a residual market plan wherever you are in the United States. In Utah, the residual market plan is called the Western Association of Automobile Insurance Plans (WAAIP).
Anyone can apply for a WAAIP policy as long as they are a resident of the state and they don’t owe money from their previous automobile insurance plan. They can reach out to an insurance agent specializing in high-risk insurance who can help them match with a provider and apply through the AIPSO website.
Office Hours
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. PT
waaip@aipso.com
Phone
(800) 227-4659
Fax
(415) 421-4013
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 6530 Providence, RI 02940
It can be challenging to find insurance when most insurers consider you a high-risk driver. MoneyGeek is here to help answer your questions about Utah's high-risk car insurance.
GEICO is selected as the best and the cheapest insurer to offer policies for high-risk drivers in Utah.
The average rates for certain types of high-risk drivers in Utah are:
Drivers with traffic violations, speeding tickets or a DUI on their record are considered high-risk. Teens and those ticketed for driving without insurance are also included in this category.
If insurance providers have refused you coverage, you can get a residual market plan through AIPSO’s Utah Automobile Insurance Plan. They are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PT. You can reach out via phone at (800) 227-4659 or by email at waaip@aipso.com.
MoneyGeek calculated average rates using full coverage car insurance policies with 100/300/100 liability insurance and comprehensive and collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible. Minimum coverage car insurance policy rates were calculated based on each state’s minimum car insurance requirement.
To calculate rates for high-risk drivers, MoneyGeek averaged the premiums insurance companies charge for three of the most common driving violations: speeding, at-fault accident and DUI.
To determine the best car insurance company for high-risk drivers, MoneyGeek scored companies based on affordability, customer satisfaction and complaints — obtained from J.D. Power surveys and NAIC complaint scores — and financial strength ratings as calculated by AM Best. Affordability received the greatest weighting in our calculations.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick has analyzed the property and casualty insurance market for over five years, conducting original research and creating personalized content for every kind of buyer. Currently, he leads P&C insurance content production at MoneyGeek. Fitzpatrick has been quoted in several insurance-related publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick earned a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his knowledge of economics and insurance to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.
