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Icon CheckLast updated: October 31, 2024

The Best Car Insurance in Ohio

Finding the right coverage in the Buckeye State

Best Overall
Allstate Logo 2023

The best overall  car insurance in Ohio comes from Allstate. With an above-average customer service record, a full slate of discounts, and policies to fit most situations, Allstate is a safe bet for drivers in Ohio.

Best for High-Risk Drivers
Direct Auto Logo

High-risk drivers tend to have a more difficult time finding reasonable rates on auto insurance. Direct Auto caters specifically to high-risk situations, including new and young drivers.

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The good news for Ohio’s over 8 million licensed drivers is that, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the cost of auto insurance in the state is lower than the national average by about 33 percent.

It’s still important to shop around, as providers offer different rates and coverage options, some of which will match your needs and budget better than others. We’ve rounded up our top picks for Ohioan drivers below.

The Best Car Insurance Providers in Ohio

  1. 1.

    Best Overall Auto Insurance in Ohio: Allstate

  2. 2.

    Best Insurance for High-Risk Drivers in Ohio: Direct Auto

  3. 3.

    Best Minimum-Coverage Insurance in Ohio: Safe Auto

  4. 4.

    Best for Safe Drivers in Ohio: Liberty Mutual

Comparison of the Best Auto Insurance in Ohio

Provider What it’s best for Regional J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Rating (out of 1,000)1 Discounts available Average annual cost of full coverage in Ohio
Allstate Overall 822 Driver training, good student, bundle, new car, good payer, paperless, safe driving, vehicle equipment $1,446
Direct Auto High-risk drivers Not ranked Active-duty military, accident-free, continuous insurance, good student, homeownership, multi-car, good payer, multi-policy, paperless, safe driving, senior, renewal, welcome back, affinity $2,497
Safe Auto Minimum coverage Not ranked Safe driver,

multi-vehicle, homeowner, paid-in-full, multi-policy, good student, drivers 55+

$3,098
Liberty Mutual Safe drivers 801 Accident-free, low annual mileage, driving history, good student, homeownership, hybrid/electric, military, multi-car, multi-policy, good payer, paperless, safe driving, student away from home, vehicle equipment $1,637

Detailed List of the Best Auto Insurance in Ohio

1. Best Overall Auto Insurance in Ohio - Allstate

What We Like Most:

  • Three ways to earn a student discount
  • Pay-per-mile option for drivers with low mileage
  • No waiting period to purchase accident forgiveness

Allstate is one of the largest insurance providers in the United States, offering a range of auto policies through its vast network of agents. Its financial stability and local service offerings put it in the top tier of auto insurance providers. Homeowners and renters will enjoy the benefits of bundling. For most people, Allstate can provide affordable minimum or full coverage, which makes it our overall pick for auto insurance in Ohio.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    Homeowners or renters who want to bundle
  • pro
    People who want to work with a local agent
  • pro
    People who don’t own a car
ConsWho It's Not Best For
  • con
    Active duty military or veterans (no discount)
  • con
    Customers looking for the cheapest rates

Local Agents

Allstate works with a network of exclusive agents that operate as small businesses in your local community. There are over 50 agents in Ohio — from Cleveland to Columbus — who can assist you in finding the right amount of insurance based on where you live. Local insurance agents can typically get you lower auto insurance rates, less-restrictive policies, better coverage, and fair insurance claims settlements.

Policy Bundling

We identified Allstate as the best auto insurance provider for bundling home and auto insurance. Sixty-six percent of Ohio residents own a home. That rate increased in 2018, 2019, and 2020 before decreasing from 2020 to 2022.2 If you’re looking to decrease both your home and auto insurance rates, Allstate offers a bundling discount of up to 25 percent; this deal also applies to renters and condo owners.

Student Discount

Ohio is home to a number of universities, from large public research institutions like Ohio University and the University of Cincinnati to smaller liberal arts colleges like Kenyon College. Allstate’s flexible student discount gives you three ways to qualify. If you’re unmarried and under age 25, you can apply this discount if you fulfill just one of the following requirements:

  1. Attend school at least 100 miles away from home and don’t take your car
  2. Maintain a 2.7 GPA or higher
  3. Complete the teenSMART driver education course, available to Allstate customers at a discounted rate of $69.95
2. Best Insurance for High-Risk Drivers in Ohio - Direct Auto
Direct Auto Logo

What We Like Most:

  • Low rates for high-risk drivers
  • Can pay in cash locally
  • Save money by bundling with life insurance

High-risk car insurance defines a number of circumstances. Perhaps you were caught driving without insurance, or you have a DUI on your record. Direct Auto offers reasonable rates for high-risk drivers, who often pay more than drivers with a clean record for the same coverage. The company’s average annual rate of $2,497 is higher than those of standard insurers, but if you have a bad driving record, bad credit, or insurance gaps, then it is still a good bet. Direct Auto also offers discounts geared toward teen drivers, seniors, and other demographic groups who tend to have higher premiums.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    People who need an SR-22
  • pro
    People with bad credit
  • pro
    Teen drivers and multigenerational families
ConsWho It's Not Best For
  • con
    Safe drivers
  • con
    New-car owners
  • con
    People looking for a large insurance provider

Teen Drivers

The cost of auto insurance for teens is very expensive due to higher fatality and crash rates. On average, car insurance for teens costs $3,571 annual, which is 258 percent higher than the national average annual auto insurance cost of $2,071.

Direct Auto offers a number of discounts geared toward making auto insurance for young drivers more affordable: driver training, good driving habits, good student, and multi-car/family. Students with a B average or higher (minimum 3.0 GPA) can save up to 10 percent on car insurance, as can drivers under age 21 who complete a state-approved driver education course.

We identified Direct Auto as the best auto insurance for teens in multi-car households. Teens who drive separately from their parents or plan to buy a car get a nice discount. When you add a teen driver at the same time as a new car to an existing Direct Auto insurance policy, you may be eligible for a 25 percent discount.

Flexible Payment

Direct Auto offers more flexible payment options than most providers. You can choose:

  • The day of the month you make your payment
  • How often you’ll pay (in full or in installments)
  • To make a down payment to lower your monthly costs
  • The manner in which you pay your premium: cash at a Direct Auto location, online, or automatic payments

Non-Owner Insurance

High-risk and non-owner insurance often overlap. Perhaps you’re a new driver who got your license to drive rental cars or establish residence, or you caused an accident in a borrowed car. Non-owner insurance provides coverage if you’re driving a car you don’t own.

High-risk drivers can purchase non-owner insurance from Direct Auto, which will handle filing an SR-22 if you need one. These filings are needed after a DUI or other serious moving violation as proof of insurance. Direct Auto offers bodily injury liability, property damage liability, medical payments, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

FYI:

In Ohio, drivers under the age of 18 have restrictions on their license. In the first year of holding a probationary driver’s license, teen drivers cannot use electronic devices while driving. They are restricted from driving between midnight and 6 a.m. without a parent or guardian, unless driving to/from work, school, or a religious event. They can’t drive with more than one non-family member in the car without a parent or guardian present, and everyone in the car must wear a seat belt.3

3. Best Minimum-Coverage Insurance in Ohio - Safe Auto
Safe Auto Logo

Our pick for the best minimum-coverage option in Ohio is Safe Auto. Safe Auto is another company that specializes in high-risk drivers who may not be covered by other providers. We don’t recommend minimum coverage for most drivers, but if all you want is what Ohio requires for liability insurance, then Safe Auto will provide that to you.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    High-risk drivers
  • pro
    Drivers with multiple vehicles
  • pro
    Drivers content with minimum coverage
ConsWho It's Not Best For
  • con
    Drivers looking for additional coverage options
  • con
    Teen drivers
  • con
    Senior drivers

For minimum coverage, Ohio requires $25,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person ($50,000 per accident) and $25,000 of property damage liability coverage.4 While minimum coverage isn’t enough for most drivers, it is usually the least amount of auto insurance you can get. Safe Auto tends to have higher premiums than some other companies on this list; however, minimum-coverage policies — especially if you’re a high-risk driver — are easy to acquire from Safe Auto.

Available Discounts

Safe Auto offers the following discounts to make your minimum coverage even more affordable:

  • Safe driving (25 percent discount)
  • Multi-vehicle
  • Homeowners
  • Driver improvement course
  • Paid-in-full
  • Multi-policy
  • Good student
  • Drivers 55+
4. Best for Safe Drivers in Ohio - Liberty Mutual

What We Like Most:

  • Save up to 30 percent with driver monitoring program
  • Cheap average rates
  • Over 2,000 local agents throughout the U.S.

Liberty Mutual has a robust set of digital tools and lots of discounts to lower your auto insurance premium. One thing we love about the company is its safe driving discount program. Liberty Mutual is a great option for teachers as well because it provides up to $2,500 in reimbursement if teaching materials or school-owned items are stolen while in your car. Discounts for military members, homeowners, and drivers with no violations sweeten the deal for many Ohio drivers looking for cost-effective insurance.

ProsWho It's Best For
  • pro
    Safe drivers
  • pro
    Teachers
  • pro
    People who prefer to transact online
ConsWho It's Not Best For
  • con
    Rideshare drivers
  • con
    People with two or more accidents on their driving record

Safe Driving Discount Program

Take advantage of Liberty Mutual’s RightTrack program, which monitors driving behavior. You get an initial discount of 10 percent for participating and up to 30 percent after a 90-day tracking period. This program requires you to download the Liberty Mutual Mobile app on your smartphone. The company monitors your driving habits, including braking, acceleration, and nighttime driving. Depending on the amount you drive and your driving habits, Liberty Mutual will adjust your premium.

Liberty’s mobile app allows users to do a variety of other tasks, including:

  • Access ID cards
  • Pay and manage bills
  • File and track claims
  • Add drivers
  • Access and sign documents electronically
  • Talk to Liberty via chat
  • Call roadside assistance

Online Tools

Liberty Mutual has robust online tools, and it benefits you to use them. To personalize your auto insurance, you can use Liberty Mutual’s online quote tool. Once you purchase a policy, you can manage it online by creating an account, including updating vehicles/drivers and your coverage. Most importantly, if you purchase your policy online or choose to receive your documents online, you’ll save money with Liberty Mutual’s online purchase and paperless policy discounts.

Deductible Fund

Another benefit Liberty Mutual offers safe drivers is an optional coverage type called a Deductible Fund, which decreases your deductible each year you go without a claim. A deductible is the amount toward a claim you must pay before coverage kicks in (even if you are not at fault). You’ll pay $30 as part of your yearly premium toward your Deductible Fund, and Liberty Mutual will lower your deductible by $100 each year for up to five years. The money in your fund will reduce the balance you pay out of pocket if you have a claim.

DRIVE SAFE:

In Ohio, there were 1,242 fatal crashes in 2021, resulting in 11.5 deaths per 100,000 population. This is slightly lower than the national average of 12.9 deaths per 100,000 people, but it should serve as a reminder to drive safely.5

Frequently Asked Questions

Is auto insurance cheaper in Ohio?

Auto insurance in Ohio is cheaper on average than in other states. Ohio drivers pay an average of $781 per year, which is 25 percent less than the national average, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

How much is auto insurance per month in Ohio?

Auto insurance costs an average of $65 per month in Ohio.

Is Ohio a fault or no fault state?

Ohio is an at-fault state, which means the at-fault driver or their insurance company is liable for damages in the event of an accident.

Does insurance follow the car or driver in Ohio?

In Ohio, like in most states, insurance follows the vehicle. If you give your friend permission to drive your vehicle and they carry their own insurance, your coverage would still be primary in the event of an accident.

Aliza Vigderman
Written by:Aliza Vigderman
Senior Writer & Editor
A seasoned journalist and content strategist with over 10 years of editorial experience in digital media, Aliza Vigderman has written and edited hundreds of articles on the site, covering everything from plan coverages to discounts to state laws. Previously, she was a senior editor and industry analyst at the home and digital security website Security.org, previously called Security Baron. She has also contributed to The Huffington Post, SquareFoot, and Degreed. Aliza studied journalism at Brandeis University.

Citations

  1. Auto Insurance Customer Satisfaction Plummets as Rates Continue to Surge, J.D. Power Finds. J.D. Power. (2023, Jun 13).
    https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2023-us-auto-insurance-study

  2. Ohio’s homeownership rate lowest recorded. Dayton Daily News. (2023, Jul 17).
    https://www.daytondailynews.com/business/ohios-homeownership-rate-lowest-recorded/Y2UUTSFYHFGNDEN63VNQMJZSVU/

  3. Teen Driving. Ohio Department of Health. (2023).
    https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/child-injury-Prevention/teen-driving

  4. Driver License & ID Cards – Mandatory Insurance. Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. (2023).
    https://www.bmv.ohio.gov/dl-mandatory-insurance.aspx

  5. Fatality Facts 2021 State by state. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute. (2023).
    https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/state-by-state