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Last updated: March 26, 2024

Average Cost of Car Insurance in Kentucky

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Kentucky, home to over 3 million licensed drivers, is famous for horse races and bluegrass music. Drivers enjoy cheaper auto insurance rates than the national average. Still, your cost will vary based on your demographic information, driving record, credit score, and even the type of car you drive. We developed these pages to help you decide when you purchase your next auto insurance policy.

Average Cost of Car Insurance in Kentucky

The average auto insurance cost in Kentucky is $909, which is 13 percent less than the national average, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.1 Factors including your gender and credit score — criteria that some states require insurance companies to disregard — will determine your auto insurance rate.

By City

Louisville, home of the Kentucky Derby, is the largest city in the state of Kentucky (628,594).2 It corresponds with the highest average annual cost of car insurance at $1,990. In general, larger cities have higher rates than rural and suburban areas.

City Average annual cost of car insurance
Louisville $1,990
Lexington $1,383
Bowling Green $1,486
Owensboro $1,404
Covington $1,574

By Age

Teens in Kentucky may pay as much as $8,383 for auto insurance every year! Luckily, auto insurance rates decrease with age and experience. By the time you’re in your 30s, you can expect to pay an average of $1,932.

Age Average annual cost of car insurance
16 $8,383
17 $5,797
18 $5,846
19 $3,748
20s $3,366
30s $1,932
40s $1,831
50s $1,712
60s $1,734
70s $1,939

By Gender

Bucking the nationwide trend, women pay more for auto insurance in Kentucky than men. Statistically, men often pay more for car insurance. In Kentucky, women pay $42 more per year on average.

Gender Average annual cost of car insurance
Male $2,060
Female $2,102

By Marital Status

Married couples get a break on their auto insurance premiums. In Kentucky, married people pay $1,947 per year for car insurance, whereas single and divorced people pay $2,060.

Marital Status Average annual cost of car insurance
Single $2,060
Married $1,947
Divorced $2,060
Widowed $2,048

By Coverage Level

The more coverage you want, the more coverage you pay for. In Kentucky, you’ll pay $985 for a minimum coverage policy versus $2,178 for a full coverage policy.

Coverage level Average annual cost of car insurance
Minimum $985
Full $2,178

By Credit Score

Kentucky allows auto insurance companies to account for credit score when providing policy quotes. If you have poor credit, you could pay more than twice what you’d pay if your credit score were high.

Credit score Average annual cost of car insurance
Poor $4,112
Average $2,527
Good $2,079
Excellent $1,588

By Violation

How much your auto insurance premium changes after a violation depends on the severity. Compared to a clean driving record, drivers with a speeding ticket pay more, but not as much as drivers found at fault in an accident or driving under the influence.

Driving history Average annual cost of car insurance
Clean driving record $1,994
Speeding ticket $2,499
Accident $3,045
DUI $3,544

NOTE:

A DUI conviction will stay on your record for 10 years in Kentucky.3

By Company

Nationwide has the lowest average rate for auto insurance in Kentucky at $790 per year, but Auto-Owners, Kentucky Farm Bureau, State Farm, and Travelers all have policy options for under $1,000.

Company Average annual cost of car insurance
Nationwide $790
Auto-Owners $808
GEICO $1,273
Kentucky Farm Bureau $911
State Farm $925
Travelers $928
Progressive $1,016
Allstate $1,028
Shelter $1,504

Cheapest Car Insurance in Kentucky

If you’re looking for the absolute cheapest car insurance in Kentucky, look no further than our list — segmented by demographic.

Demographic Cheapest company Annual rate
Male teens Shelter $2,244
Female teens Shelter $2,244
Married Auto-Owners $1,338
Military USAA $1,281
Veteran USAA $1,281
After a speeding ticket GEICO $1,604
After an accident State Farm $1,784
After a DUI State Farm $1,662
Full coverage Auto-Owners $1,517
Minimum coverage GEICO $429
Bad credit GEICO $2,043
16 years old GEICO $5,311
17 years old Shelter $2,244
18 years old GEICO $2,783
19 years old GEICO $1,751
20s GEICO $1,648
30s Auto-Owners $1,338
40s GEICO $1,096
50s GEICO $1,069
60s Auto-Owners $1,197
70s State Farm $1,286

How to Save on Car Insurance in Kentucky

Here are some basic ways to get the best deal on auto insurance:

  1. Look for discounts.
  2. Bundle policies with the same company.
  3. Raise your deductible.
  4. Lower your coverage limits.

Minimum Car Insurance in Kentucky

Kentucky requires the following car insurance minimums to crack down on uninsured motorists. Failure to maintain auto insurance will result in a suspended vehicle registration, a fine of up to $1,000, and/or up to 90 days in jail. Here are the liability insurance limits:

  • $25,000 for bodily injury sustained by one person;
  • $50,000 for bodily injury sustained by two or more people;
  • $25,000 for property damage as a result of any one accident; or
  • A policy with a single limit of $60,0004

Fault Law in Kentucky

Because of Kentucky’s no-fault law, the state requires personal injury protection (PIP) coverage for all motor vehicles except motorcycles. Basic PIP is paid through the insurer of the vehicle in which the injured person is riding or the vehicle that strikes a pedestrian, regardless of fault. It provides up to $10,000 per person per accident for medical expenses, lost wages, and other out-of-pocket costs.5

In exchange for receiving PIP benefits, all persons registering, operating, maintaining, or using a motor vehicle in Kentucky have certain accepted limitations on their rights to sue for bodily injury in a motor vehicle accident. The threshold for suing the at-fault party for damages is $1,000 in medical expenses, a broken bone, permanent disfigurement, permanent injury, or death.6 You can reject the no-fault coverage, which means you will not receive PIP coverage.

FYI:

Kentucky uses pure comparative negligence laws to determine payouts, meaning accident victims collect compensation based on their percentage of fault.

SR-22s in Kentucky

An SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility that proves you have the minimum auto insurance required in your state. Kentucky does not require an SR-22 to reinstate a suspended license. If you get a DUI in another state, then you may be required to hold one even if you live or register your car in Kentucky.7

If you have trouble getting insured through the voluntary market, you can get coverage via the Kentucky Automobile Insurance Plan. Eligibility requirements include proof that you attempted and could not obtain insurance in the last 60 days, applied in good faith, and registered your vehicle in Kentucky (or intend to do so within 15 days). If you plan to apply with a suspended or revoked license, you are still eligible, provided you meet one of the following conditions:

  1. Another licensed operator is on the application;
  2. The application is returned with an additional licensed operator;
  3. Current valid operator’s license information is submitted;
  4. A notice of restoration of license is received from the state; or
  5. An SR-22 filing is requested at the time of the application.8

Recap

Kentucky has optional no-fault insurance and a state-sponsored auto insurance plan for high-risk drivers who may find it difficult to get coverage on the voluntary market. The cost of auto insurance is cheaper than the national average for most Kentucky drivers.

Methodology

We utilize our proprietary database of auto insurance transaction information and state-specific research to provide this overview of auto insurance factors in Kentucky.

Frequently Asked Questions

What car insurance company has the lowest prices in Kentucky?

GEICO had the lowest price for auto insurance in Kentucky. According to our research, you could pay as low as $429 for minimum coverage auto insurance through GEICO.

What is full coverage insurance in Kentucky?

Our recommended full coverage auto insurance limits in Kentucky include $500,000 of bodily injury and property damage liability, comprehensive, collision, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage of at least $500,000.

How long do I have to register a vehicle after I move to Kentucky?

You have 15 days in the county where you reside in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to apply for vehicle registration after you move from out of state.

Citations

  1. 2020/2021 Auto Insurance Database Report. National Association of Insurance Commissioners. (2024, Jan).
    https://content.naic.org/sites/default/files/publication-aut-pb-auto-insurance-database.pdf

  2. Glossary. United States Census Bureau. (2024).
    https://www.census.gov/glossary/

  3. DUI Penalties. Drive.ky.gov. (2024).
    https://drive.ky.gov/Drivers/Pages/DUI.aspx

  4. Mandatory Insurance. Drive.ky.gov. (2024).
    https://drive.ky.gov/Vehicles/Pages/Mandatory-Insurance.aspx

  5. No Fault Rejection/Verification (PIP). Team Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet. (2024).
    https://insurance.ky.gov/ppc/newstatic_info.aspx?static_id=24

  6. No-Fault Coverage Uncovered. Insurance.kentucky.gov. (2024).
    https://insurance.ky.gov/ppc/Documents/nofaultbrochure051310.pdf

  7. Kentucky SR-22 Insurance. SR22 Insurance Quotes. (2024).
    https://www.sr22insurancequotes.org/sr22-state-guide/ky-kentucky/

  8. KENTUCKY AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE PLAN MANUAL. Kentucky Insurance Plans. (2021, Jul 1).
    https://kyinsplans.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/KY-2021-Manual-001.pdf