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Comparing car insurance: what to know

When comparing car insurance rates, it helps to know how insurance companies arrive at the quotes they give to you. Along with the type and amount of coverage that you choose, your auto insurance rates depend primarily on a number of personal factors including your driving record, your age, your credit history, your vehicle, and the risk level of your area. Insurance companies' weighting of these attributes is reflected in your premium. For example, having a limited driving history or a poor credit score can raise your rates dramatically.

This unbiased guide — written by The Zebra's insurance experts — outlines the factors that comprise car insurance premiums and provides tips to help you compare quotes and find the right car insurance policy.

Why insurance comparison shopping is important

How to compare car insurance policies

Now that you understand what contributes to your car insurance premium, let’s talk about how to shop for car insurance. First off, you need to decide on what’s most important to you in a policy. Is affordability top of your list? Are you dead set on having a responsive and courteous customer service team? Do you prefer having the highest level of coverage to keep you and your assets protected?

Ideally, you will find a policy from a company that can provide all of the above. To do that, follow these steps for comparing car insurance policies.

1. Gather some personal information

Unless you want to spend a significant amount of time talking to an insurance agent, you'll need to make sure to have certain pieces of information ready when you begin your car insurance shopping process.

What you need to start a policy

• Personal information of anyone on the policy, including date of birth, driver’s license number, and address (if different from your own)
• Driving history of all drivers on the policy
• Insurance history of all drivers on the policy
• Vehicle information of all vehicles on the policy including VIN
• Payment: If you’re getting a policy for the first time, the insurance company will likely require a down payment before the policy is bound (accepted)

3. Compare car insurance company reputation

With quotes in hand, now is the time to dig into which individual carrier will provide the best overall policy and customer experience. To begin, consult customer ratings from trusted sources such as J.D. Power and The Zebra customer survey. You can also use the National Association of Insurance Commissioner's (NAIC)^[1] website to look up a company’s complaint trends. Reviews from third-party sites and the Better Business Bureau can also give you a good idea of what to expect as a customer of these companies.

Once you have an idea of overall customer satisfaction, revisit your short-list to decide on the carrier – and policy – that is best. The level of customer service you can expect could very well be what tips the scales in favor of one company over another.

Is it bad to get multiple insurance quotes?

Insurers in most states use credit as a rating factor, but getting car insurance quotes has no impact on your credit score. When putting together your quotes, car insurance companies only run a soft pull on your credit, which does not have any effect on your credit. Therefore, getting quotes from many different insurance companies is highly encouraged in order to get the best rate.

While you might want to finish shopping for car insurance coverage as quickly as possible, it’s essential to do your due diligence and find the right company. At the end of the day, car insurance is designed to protect you and your assets. If you were to be injured or have your car totaled in an accident, your insurer’s customer service and claims satisfaction would be vital.

What are the best car insurance comparison sites?

In your search for auto insurance, you may choose to use an online insurance comparison site to avoid the tedious task of going through the quoting process of many different companies. Much like The Zebra's comparison tool, these car insurance marketplace sites request your personal information to generate your quotes and help you shop for your next policy. However, not every auto insurance finder keeps your data secure — and in many cases, lead generation sites will sell your data to insurance companies, who will contact you relentlessly in pursuit of your business.

If you want to avoid spam emails, texts and phone calls, it's in your best interest to find out how your information is handled before submitting your contact info for online car insurance quotes. A site that generates real insurance quotes without selling your information is the best way to get affordable insurance without sacrificing your sanity. Unfortunately, most of the quote comparison sites online use a lead-gen model, so exercise caution before offering up any personal information.

Other insurance comparison sites

Other popular insurance comparison sites include Nerdwallet, Compare.com, Insurify and Gabi. Be careful in your search, however, as some sites claim to have no-spam policies, but partner with lead generation sites for insurance quotes.

The Zebra has a pledge to not sell your information to spammers. In fact, we don't ask for your phone number when you get a quote, unlike many comparison sites, and offer personalized quotes from more than 100 insurance providers. The Zebra also operates an in-house insurance agency to guide consumers through the process of obtaining coverage from only the best car insurance companies.

Compare car insurance rates by age and insurance company

As drivers get older, their car insurance rates typically change as well. This has to do with how insurance companies assign risk to drivers of varying ages. For example, young drivers are considered a greater risk to insure than drivers in their 40s, 50s or 60s.

Let’s look at average car insurance rates by age — starting first with teenage drivers.

Teen drivers

If you have teenage dependents — or if you’re a teen driver yourself — you know insurance is expensive. In many cases, adding a teen to your car insurance plan can nearly double your premium. Insurance professionals often suggest increasing the amounts of your liability coverage limits or seeking out an umbrella policy to safeguard against any unforeseen issues^[2].

Of the most popular car insurance companies in the U.S., Travelers, American Family and USAA are the most affordable insurance companies for teen drivers.

Drivers aged 20-to-29

Travelers is the least expensive car insurance company for drivers in their 20s, with USAA being a bit more expensive.

Compare car insurance for seniors

Between the ages of 30 and 60, car insurance rates don’t fluctuate much based only on age. As you reach your late 50s and 60s, age becomes a more important determinant of your rate. For a typical senior-aged married couple without young drivers on their policy, USAA and Nationwide offer the lowest rates with all other metrics constant.

Car insurance comparison by driving history

Naturally, insurance companies use your driving past as an indicator of how you will drive in the future. It can be difficult to find affordable car insurance if you have a checkered driving history. While it’s very unlikely you will find an insurance company that won’t increase your premium after an at-fault accident or other violation, the degree of the rate increase will vary by company. Let’s compare rate increases for some common violations across major insurance companies.

Insurance rate comparison after a DUI conviction

In many states, a DUI/DWI is the most costly violation you can receive. In fact, in California, a DUI offense can stay on your insurance record for as long as ten years, and even set you back an average of $1,000 per year in insurance rate increases during that ten-year period. To limit costs, do your due diligence and compare rates. We've found that American Family and Travelers are solid insurance options after a DUI — so consider starting your comparison process with one of these companies.

Auto insurance rate comparison: with a reckless driving citation

Like a DUI, a reckless driving ticket can raise your car insurance rates. If you’ve received a reckless driving citation, your best bets for car insurance are USAA and Travelers. But keep in mind that your driving profile will be handled differently from carrier to carrier.

Compare car insurance rates by credit score

Another major contributor to your car insurance rate is your credit score. While it's not directly related to your driving, car insurance companies believe your credit score says a lot about what kind of client you’ll be.

Twelve-month car insurance rates for drivers with fair credit

USAA offers the most affordable insurance for drivers with "fair" credit scores. Even so, a fair credit score will result in elevated rates. While the average premium for fair credit drivers is over $2,000, that's more than $400 more than those with "very good" credit are paying, with all other metrics consistent.

The best car insurance for drivers with good credit

As a driver improves their credit score, they earn more competitive car insurance rates from companies. Although a driver with a credit score between 670 and 739 is still paying $250-plus more than a driver in the highest credit tier, it's possible to cut insurance costs by selecting Travelers or USAA as your car insurance provider.

The top car insurance companies for a driver with very good credit

Between "very good" and "great" credit, there's an average of about $120 in annual premium difference. For our user profile, Travelers and USAA are the best options for drivers in this credit tier. On average, these companies charge just over $100 per month for auto insurance.

Twelve-month insurance premium comparison for a driver with excellent credit

For drivers in the top credit tier, Travelers and USAA are again the most affordable car insurance companies. At $190 less per year than the group average, Travelers and USAA auto insurance typically cost a driver with exceptional credit about $100 per month.

Compare car insurance costs by vehicle make and model

The type of vehicle you insure will impact your car insurance rate. Insuring a truck or luxury vehicle is more expensive than insuring a sedan with standard trim. This is because collision and comprehensive coverage are designed to replace your vehicle in the event of an accident. The more it costs to replace your vehicle, the more it costs to insure it.

Compare rates to find car insurance in your location

Your location can have a huge impact on your insurance premium. Like many industries in the U.S., car insurance is regulated at the state level and is dictated by each state’s regulations. If you live in an area prone to floods, hurricanes or wildfires, your rates could be more expensive: insurance companies compensate for these risks with higher premiums.

Dive into the data below to find check out your expected costs, or check out our full list of car insurance rates by city.

If you live in an area with unusual state regulations or heightened risk of weather-related claims, shopping for car insurance options will be vital. Not every car insurance company offers policies in every state, which can make pricing less competitive. If you live in a storm-prone state such as Louisiana or Florida, you might find it harder to get a competitive rate.

While factors decide whether a driver qualifies for affordable car insurance, we tried to touch on some of the major factors. If you’re interested in learning more about other rating factors, such as your homeownership status, education level, and more, consult our other research pieces:

• What are the top factors that affect car insurance rates?
• Read more about car insurance policies
• Car insurance calculator: discover different types of coverage and how much you need

Car insurance comparison FAQs