Find Your Perfect Policy: 866-843-5386

Icon CheckLast updated: February 5, 2024

Best Cheap Auto Insurance Companies in 2024

Find the best car insurance coverage at the lowest prices.

Cheapest Auto Insurance Overall
Metromile Insurance Logo

Full Coverage Averages
• Annual Premium: $662
• Monthly Premium: $55

Read our Metromile review.
Affordable pay-per-mile insurance
X Available in only eight states

Cheapest Option for Safe Drivers
Root Logo

Full Coverage Averages
• Annual Premium: $829
• Monthly Premium: $69

Read our Root review.
Usage-based insurance
X Available in only 38 states

Cheapest Auto Insurance for Teens
State Farm Logo

Full Coverage Averages
• Annual Premium: $1,419
• Monthly Premium: $118

Read our State Farm review.
Available in all 50 states
A variety of young driver discounts
X No gap insurance

Get car insurance in your new state.

Let our Perfect Policy Connectors shop the market for you!

Auto Insurancephone-icon(855) 939-3117Request a Callback.
Share
Twitter brand
Facebook brand
Linkedin brand
Reddit brand
Envelop icon
Our Commitment to You: At AutoInsurance.com, our mission is to help you make smarter auto insurance decisions with confidence. We follow a strict editorial policy to ensure the accuracy of information presented is rooted in data and vetted by thousands of hours of research. While we may earn compensation from our partners, this does not influence our assessments and recommendations. Learn more about how we make money.

With a burgeoning year-over-year inflation rate of 9.1%, the highest seen in four decades, cost-conscious drivers are looking for the best auto insurance coverage at the cheapest prices.1 We understand how difficult it can be to shop for auto insurance considering the wide range of factors — age, coverage type, location, etc. — that impact your premium, which is why our team’s extensive research analyzed auto insurance rates across the U.S. to provide you with a helpful starting point.

If you’re looking for the absolute cheapest rates in the U.S., both Root and Metromile offer rates from $55 to $69 per month. If you’re looking for nationwide coverage from larger providers, State Farm, GEICO, and Progressive offer rates as low as $99 per month across all 50 states.

Best Cheapest Auto Insurance Pricing by Driver Type

Below we’ve identified the cheapest car insurance companies based on the type of insurance or the type of driver seeking insurance. Here are the cheapest rates by category:

Cheapest By Category Carrier Average Monthly Rate Average Annual Rate
Full coverage Metromile $55 $662
Minimum coverage USAA $29 $350
Large provider
(available in all 50 states)
GEICO $99 $1,194
Low credit score GEICO $207 $2,485
Teens State Farm $364 $3,516
Seniors GEICO $111 $1,330
After a DUI Progressive $214 $2,570
After a speeding ticket GEICO $165 $1,974
Military members and veterans USAA $96 $1,151
Electric vehicles Auto-Owners $125 $1,500

Auto insurance companies determine your premium based on a variety of factors, including your age, gender, driving history, marital status, and location. As seen in the table above, providers can specialize in different types of insurance — like car insurance for seniors or for high-risk drivers — so your quotes will vary.

Car and cell phoneOur Top Options for the Cheapest Auto Insurance

  1. Metromile – Best Cheap Auto Insurance Overall
    With an average annual rate of $662 — only $55 per month — Metromile is the cheapest provider in the country on average. If you don’t drive often, Metromile’s pay-per-mile insurance could be a great option for you.
  2. Root – Cheapest Auto Insurance for Safe Drivers
    Root’s unique usage-based insurance determines your rates based on how safely you drive. Because Root insures only safe drivers who exhibit good driving habits, it’s able to keep its prices low.
  3. State Farm – Cheapest Auto Insurance for Teens
    You may have trouble finding affordable insurance as a teen driver or parent of a teen driver. If this has been the case for you, look no further. State Farm offers some of the most affordable insurance for teens as well as a young driver program to improve teen driving habits.
Woman wearing headphones with mouthpiece

Are You a Distracted Driver?

Whether it's texting or scarfing down a meal, we're all guilty of driving while distracted. But just how distracted are you?

Summary of the Best 5 Cheap Car Insurance Companies

  1. 1.

    Best Cheap Auto Insurance Overall: Metromile

  2. 2.

    Cheapest Auto Insurance for Safe Drivers: Root

  3. 3.

    Cheapest Auto Insurance for Teens: State Farm

  4. 4.

    Cheapest Auto Insurance for Seniors: Geico

  5. 5.

    Cheapest Auto Insurance After a DUI: Progressive

Comparison of Cheap Auto Insurance of 2024

Features Metromile Root State Farm GEICO Progressive
Features Metromile Root State Farm GEICO Progressive
Average annual cost $662 $829 $1,419 $1,194 $1,508
Student discount No No Yes Yes Yes
Bundling discounts (renters or homeowners insurance) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Discounts by age Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Review Metromile review Root review State Farm review GEICO review Progressive review

Detailed List of the Cheapest Car Insurance Companies

1. Best Cheap Auto Insurance Overall - Metromile
Metromile Insurance Logo

What We Like Most:

  • Save an average of 47 percent by basing insurance off of miles driven
  • Rates start at $29 a month, plus a per mile rate
  • 24/7 roadside assistance available

Metromile is, on average, the cheapest auto insurance provider in the country. Its annual cost is only $662, or $55 per month. Part of the reason Metromile can offer such low rates is because its pricing model is based on how much you drive, also known as pay-per-mile insurance. Metromile will track how many miles you drive each month and calculate your premiums based on how many miles you drive. The less you drive, the lower your rates will be.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    People who drive less than 10,000 miles a year
  • pro
    Low-mileage young drivers
  • pro
    People who work from home
  • pro
    People living in these eight states:
ConsWho It's Not Best For
  • con
    People who need to commute or drive long distances on a regular basis
  • con
    Drivers who don’t live in one of the eight covered states

Pay-Per-Mile Insurance

Metromile specializes in pay-per-mile car insurance, meaning pay-per-mile insurance is the only type of plan you can get with Metromile. If you’re a low-mileage driver, these low-cost plans could be a great option for you.

Metromile will take into account other factors like credit score, driving history, and age to calculate your per-mile cost, but your monthly mileage is the most important factor. If you’re a teen driver or a driver with a bad driving record who doesn’t drive often, Metromile may offer better rates than competitors. Metromile claims you could save as much as $1,000 a year on car insurance if you drive less than 50 miles per week.2

Calculating Your Costs

If you’re still unsure about how pay-per-mile insurance works, here are a couple of examples displaying how Metromile may calculate your premium based on varying monthly miles driven.

Per-Mile Rate Miles Driven Per Month Flat Monthly Rate Monthly Cost Annual Cost
$0.05 500 $45 $75 $900
$0.05 750 $45 $82.5 $990
$0.05 1,000 $45 $95 $1,140

Did You Know?

Americans drive around 9,400 miles per year on average, which is about 783 miles per month. If you drive well below that average, you can expect to pay less than $1,000 per year for car insurance with Metromile.

Tracking and App-Friendly Features

Metromile bills you by tracking how many miles you drive through its Metromile Pulse device. When we tested the device, it only took us a few minutes to plug it in and activate it. As soon as we saw the red light turn on, we were ready to take it for a short drive to calibrate the GPS system.

From there, Metromile could track where we drove, how far we drove, how fast we drove, and other key driving behaviors that it used to generate our quote. We were able to communicate with a Root representative entirely through the mobile app. If you’re tech-savvy and appreciate managing your account from the comfort of your phone, Metromile could be the choice for you.

2. Cheapest Auto Insurance for Safe Drivers - Root
Root Logo

What We Like Most:

  • Savings of up to $900 a year
  • Discounts for good drivers
  • File claims through the Root app, no paperwork required

Root is our top provider for drivers with safe driving habits and a good driving record. Although Root is the second-cheapest insurance on our list ($829 annually), signing up comes with a few caveats. Root is able to offer great rates because it denies coverage to high-risk drivers, especially high-risk drivers with a bad record.

Learn more about how Root can help keep rates low for safe drivers with a clean driving record.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    Safe drivers
  • pro
    Drivers who don’t need SR-22s
  • pro
    Drivers looking for the cheapest rates
  • pro
    Drivers with excellent records
ConsWho It's Not Best For
  • con
    Drivers who don’t live in one of these states or districts:
    • Alaska
    • Hawaii
    • Idaho
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • New Hampshire
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • Rhode Island
    • South Dakota
    • Vermont
    • Washington
    • Washington, D.C
    • Wyoming
  • con
    People with poor driving records

Cheap Insurance for Safe Drivers

Here’s how much Root’s full coverage may cost safe drivers compared to competitors:

Company Monthly Average Premium for Full Coverage Annual Average Premiu
Metromile $662 $55
Root $69 $829
Erie $90 $1,084
Clearcover $93 $1,119
USAA $96 $1,151
GEICO $99 $1,194
Safeco $114 $1,373
Gainsco $115 $1,389
Concord $116 $1,396
American Family Insurance Group $116 $1,400
State Farm $118 $1,419

Test-Drive Process

Part of why Root can offer such low rates is its strict vetting process. You must sign up for a test drive and allow Root to track your driving behavior for up to 30 days to get a quote.

Root connects to your smartphone and uses already available features – GPS, accelerometer, and gyroscope – to measure your driving habits across those 30 days. Its tracking system will identify what time of day you’re driving, how many miles you’ve driven, your turn speed, and more. If your driving habits meet its standards, it will approve you and offer you some of the cheapest rates available today.

Safe Driver Discount Model

Root has a unique auto insurance discount model that makes benefiting from savings much easier for customers. While it offers traditional bundling discounts for car and renters insurance, most of the company’s safe-driver discounts will be integrated into your final quote automatically. So rather than having to ask an agent for your eligible discounts or applying for a discount, Root will apply a number of safety discounts to your quote. Drivers with the best driving records and test drive scores will be eligible for the lowest prices.

3. Cheapest Auto Insurance for Teens - State Farm

What We Like Most:

  • Multiple discounts for safe driving, including one specifically for young drivers
  • Local agents
  • Discounts for multiple cars

Teen drivers tend to pay the highest car insurance rates on average because they file more claims, get into more accidents, and receive more tickets than any other age group on average. If you’re a teen driver or the parent of a teen looking for affordable car insurance, State Farm is a great option. Teens pay $3,516 for car insurance with State Farm, which is about 21 percent less than the $4,487 average across all providers.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    Teen drivers
  • pro
    Teens insured under their parents/guardians policy
  • pro
    College students away at school
  • pro
    Safe teen drivers
ConsWho It's Not Best For
  • con
    Young drivers entering the military
  • con
    Teens with multiple at-fault accidents

Cheap Car Insurance Pricing for Teens

Here’s how State Farm’s rates compare to some of its competitors for drivers under the age of 20.

Company Monthly Average Rate for Full Coverage Annual Average Rate for Full Coverage
USAA $237 $2,844
State Farm $293 $3,516
Auto-Owners $345 $4,140
Farm Bureau $350 $4,200
GEICO $363 $4,356
American Family $403 $4,843
Nationwide $430 $5,160
Allstate $569 $6,834

FYI:

While USAA offers the cheapest rates for teens, it’s available only to active military members, veterans, and children/spouses of military members.

State Farm’s Young Driver Program

State Farm’s Steer Clear Program is a great way for teens and young drivers to improve their driving skills and reduce their car insurance premium. If you or your teen successfully complete the program, you can earn up to 20 percent off on your car insurance.

Steer Clear is a six-month safety driver program that tracks your driver habits and gives you a score based on how well or poorly you’re driving. It comes with five training modules consisting of videos, quizzes, daily tips, and driving scenario exercises. You need to meet the following requirements to qualify for the program:

  • Be under the age of 25
  • Have a valid driver’s license
  • Have no at-fault accidents or moving violations in the past three years
  • Successfully complete all the program requirements

Discounts for Teens and Young Drivers

Part of why State Farm has such affordable rates for teens has to do with its long list of discounts for teens. If you’re a teen driver or looking to add a teen to your policy, you should ask your State Farm agent about which of the following discounts are available in your state.

  • Steer Clear Program: You get up to 20 percent off your car insurance rates if you complete the Steer Clear Program.
  • Good student discount: Save up to 25 percent on your premium if you’re under the age of 25, in college or high school, and meet at least one of the following requirements
    • In the upper 20 percent of your class
    • Have a B average (3.0) or higher
    • Made the dean’s list or honor roll
  • Driver training discount: If you’re under the age of 21 and complete a State Farm-approved driver education course, you may be eligible for this discount.
  • Away-at-school discount: You might qualify for this discount if one of the operators of your vehicle is an away-at-school student under the age of 25. The student can operate the vehicle only during school vacations and holidays.
  • Safe car discount: If you purchase a safe car for your teen driver, you could earn a discount. Talk to your agent about what is considered a safe vehicle.
4. Cheapest Auto Insurance for Seniors - Geico

What We Like Most:

  • Save money with defensive driving courses
  • Cheapest rates after a speeding ticket
  • Save by installing safety equipment

As you get older, you may notice your insurance premium is increasing. That’s because car insurance tends to rise incrementally between the ages of 65 and 80. Still, seniors pay much less than younger drivers and have several options for affordable, quality insurance, like GEICO.

With almost 100 years in business, GEICO offers cheap rates and great incentives for older Americans.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    Drivers over the age of 50
  • pro
    People with a clean driving record
  • pro
    Older Americans insuring multiple vehicles
ConsWho It's Not Best For

Affordable Rates for Seniors

Here’s how GEICO’s rates compare to those of other providers for drivers over the age of 65:

Company Monthly Average Rate for Full Coverage Average annual cost for teens on their own policy
GEICO $111 $1,330
Nationwide $125 $1,504
State Farm $135 $1,623
Progressive $160 $1,920
USAA $186 $2,233
Travelers $194 $2,336
Allstate $304 $3,650

Below are the average annual rates for drivers over the age of 65 across the country:

Age Average annual rate for full coverage
65 $1,321
70 $1,584
75 $1,887
80 $1,933
85 $2,416
65-85 $1,828

GEICO Discounts for Senior Drivers

GEICO has an impressive list of discounts for most drivers, but it has a few sizable discounts specifically for older Americans. If you’re over the age of 50, you should ask your GEICO agent about the following discounts:

  • Defensive driver discount: Drivers over the age of 50 who complete an approved mature defensive driving course can earn a discount on their premium.
  • Retired military discount: If you’re a retired military member, you might be eligible for a 15 percent discount on your premium.
  • Membership and affiliate discounts: GEICO has partnerships with more than 800 organizations and affiliates. If you’re a member of any of those groups, like the AARP or World Golf Tour, you may be able to save on car insurance.

GEICO’s Prime Time Contract for Older Americans

GEICO customers over the age of 50 may be eligible to sign up for GEICO’s Prime Time Contract, which guarantees that GEICO will continue to renew your insurance at an affordable rate. Because providers tend to increase premiums for older drivers and, in some cases, may refuse to renew your policy, this is a good option to ensure you maintain your coverage.

To qualify for the Prime Time Contract, you need to:

  • Be at least 50 years old
  • Have no one else on your policy who is under the age of 25
  • Have no violations or accidents within the past three years
  • Not use your vehicle for business

Fun Fact:

With an average annual rate of $1,321, 65-year-old drivers enjoy the second-cheapest rates across all age groups. The only age group with cheaper rates is 55-year-old drivers; they pay $1,276 per year on average for car insurance.

5. Cheapest Auto Insurance After a DUI - Progressive

What We Like Most:

  • Cheaper rates for drivers with a DUI
  • Several ways to save if your premium increases
  • Accident forgiveness automatically applies to policy in most states

It’s probably no surprise that your car insurance premium will increase after a DUI, even if it’s your first DUI. A DUI is one of the most serious traffic violations you can be convicted of, and a DUI affects your premium by increasing it by 67 percent on average. If you’ve been in a DUI and are looking for an affordable option, we recommend you take a look at Progressive. Compared to major competitors, Progressive has affordable rates for drivers with a DUI.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    People with one DUI on the record
  • pro
    People with one DUI on the record
  • pro
    Someone who needs an SR-22
ConsWho It's Not Best For
  • con
    People with several speeding tickets
  • con
    Drivers who want new-car replacement coverage

Cheapest Rate After a DUI

Progressive has the cheapest rates for drivers after a DUI on average compared to its competitors. Here’s a comparison of Progressive’s average rate for drivers with one DUI compared to other major providers.

Company Monthly rate after a DUI Annual rate after a DUI
Progressive $214 $2,570
State Farm $263 $3,154
Allstate $306 $3,674
Nationwide $308 $3,693
Farmers $320 $3,847
GEICO $320 $3,850
USAA $200 $2,396

Similar to the cheapest rates for teens, USAA is cheaper than Progressive on average for drivers after a DUI. However, it’s available only to active military members, veterans, and dependents (spouses/children) of military members.

Progressive Will File Your SR-22

A DUI is one of the leading reasons why you might need to file an SR-22, and not all providers are willing to insure or file an SR-22 on your behalf. That isn’t the case with Progressive. Progressive accepts drivers who need an SR-22s, will file your SR-22 on your behalf, and offers SR-22 non-owner insurance for drivers with a DUI.

Name Your Price Tool

If you’re having trouble finding coverage in your price range after a DUI, you can use Progressive’s Name Your Price tool. Here’s how it works:

  1. Provide Progressive with some basic background info about your driving metrics and insurance needs, including that you’ve had a DUI.
  2. Use the Name Your Price tool to tell Progressive the maximum you’re willing to pay for coverage.
  3. Progressive will generate a few different policies with varying coverages under the maximum amount you’ve laid out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which provider offers the cheapest auto insurance rates for teens?

USAA and State Farm offer some of the cheapest auto insurance rates for teen drivers. If you’re an 18-year-old USAA member, you can get competitive rates starting at $120 per month.

Which state has the cheapest auto insurance rates?

According to 2020 data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, North Dakota has the cheapest rates, with an average annual rate of only $692. That’s 34 percent less than the national average.

Where can I find the cheapest rates after a lapse in insurance?

With increases as low as $50 to $100 for a 31-day lapse in coverage, GEICO and USAA offer the cheapest rates for drivers with a lapse in coverage.

Which vehicles are the cheapest to insure?

According to Kelly Blue Book, some of the cheapest cars to insure annually are the Chrysler Voyager ($1,272), Honda CR-V ($1,285), and Mazda CX-3 ($1,294).

Which provider offers the cheapest rates for Teslas?

With rates around $1,600 per year on average, State Farm offers the cheapest auto insurance rates for Teslas.

Methodology

Our focus throughout this guide was to find the cheapest rates for the various unique needs that you may have as a driver. It’s important to note that depending on your location, age, gender, driving record, and vehicle type, the rates you’ll find might differ from the averages we’ve presented. Based on the company information, quotes, and data we’ve collected, we think these rates will apply to most drivers within their respective categories (low-mileage drivers, seniors, students, and so on). Our approach for finding these rates involved the following sources.

  • Proprietary data: Over the past 20 years, AutoInsurance.com has been collecting millions of data points based on transactions that people make when they sign up for car insurance. That data helps us discern what type of customer has had the most success with certain plans and insurance providers. By looking at which companies cater to a specific customer type or demographic, we use a data-driven approach to narrow down the type of provider that will give you the best plan at the best rates.
  • Public studies: While we use our own proprietary data from the various drivers we’ve helped connect to insurance providers, we also use public studies from accredited organizations and leaders in the industry. We look at third-party studies from AM Best, the Better Business Bureau, J.D. Power, Moody’s, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and S&P Global to gather information on customer satisfaction and financial strength.
  • Information from the providers: Sometimes, the best way to find the information you need is directly from the source. That’s why we look directly to insurance providers to compare prices, request quotes, evaluate benefits and discounts, and assess their insurance processes.

Citations

  1. Why is inflation so high? An economist explains why everyday essentials cost more. CNBC. (2023, Aug 15).
    https://www.cnbc.com/select/why-is-inflation-so-high/

  2. Pay Per Mile Car Insurance, Explained. Lemonade. (2023).
    https://www.lemonade.com/car/explained/pay-per-mile-car-insurance/#how-does-pay-per-mile-auto-insurance-work