Cheap Full Coverage Car Insurance
Full coverage auto insurance is a great way to protect your vehicle. If you need insurance now, compare rates by entering your ZIP code below.
Full coverage auto insurance is a great way to protect your vehicle. If you need insurance now, compare rates by entering your ZIP code below.
The average cost of full coverage auto insurance with liability coverage limits at 50/100/50 is $741 per six-month policy, or $124 a month. While the term “full coverage" isn't officially approved by the insurance industry, most insurance agents still use "full coverage" to refer to the combination of collision and comprehensive coverages. These coverage options, when paired with state-mandated liability coverage (which covers bodily injury liability and property damage liability), comprise a full coverage car insurance policy.
In order to find the cheapest insurance company for full coverage auto insurance, we created a sample driver profile and gathered car insurance rates from every ZIP code in the U.S. We used two coverage levels — liability-only coverage (50/100/50 coverage limits) and full coverage (50/100/50 liability limits with $500 deductibles). The average auto insurance rate for the top insurance companies in the U.S. is $707 for a six-month policy — or $118 per month.
| American Family | $331 | $700 |
| Liberty Mutual | $356 | $863 |
| Travelers | $309 | $684 |
On average, your insurance rate will more than double per six-month policy when you upgrade to full coverage, with Allstate levying the largest rate hike. The best options for cheap full coverage car insurance are Nationwide and GEICO.
Let’s outline some ways to find cheap full coverage car insurance.
Upgrading from a liability-only policy to a full coverage policy — with $500 collision and comprehensive deductibles — increases the typical driver's six-month auto insurance premium by more than $400, or 119%.
Insurance Coverage Level | 6-Month Premium |
50/100/50 Liability Only | $338 |
50/100/50 with 500 Comp-Coll | $741 |
Bear in mind, this data is based on a single profile: a single 30-year-old man, driving a Honda Accord. If you want car insurance quotes based on your driving profile, enter your ZIP code below.
Full coverage insurance comprises comprehensive and collision coverage. Unlike liability coverage (which coversand property damage that you cause), these coverages add physical protection for your car. Here’s what is covered by full coverage auto insurance:
Collision coverage insures against damages sustained by a vehicle in a collision. Below are common scenarios in which collision claims are filed:
*If you have on your policy, you can use the property damage portion of this rather than collision. We recommend you carryuninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to cover collisions involving uninsured drivers.
Collision coverage includes a deductible — the amount owed by the insured. The remaining balance of the claim is covered by the car insurance company. The amount of the deductible is variable, with most deductibles falling between $500 and $1,000.
As far as collision coverage is concerned, coverage will apply regardless of fault. Most collision claims are seen as an at-fault accident. This is why using your collision coverage will cause your insurance premium to increase. Because insurance companies consider collision claims and at-fault accidents as very similar events, insurers tend to raise drivers' premiums after a collision claim of any kind. This rate penalty can last as long as three years.
6-Month Increase | 12-Month Increase | 36-Month Increase |
$329 | $658 | $1,974 |
Another facet of full coverage car insurance is comprehensive insurance. Comprehensive coverage, sometimes known as “other than collision” (OTC), covers non-collision-related insurance claims. The list of qualifying circumstances is lengthy.
Comprehensive coverage covers damages resulting from:
Deductibles also apply to comprehensive auto coverage. However, because many auto insurance companies don't see comprehensive claims as the result of driver error, rates typically don't undergo much of a hike after a comprehensive claim — typically about $66 a year.
Insurance agents commonly refer to the combination of collision, comprehensive and liability coverages as “full coverage." If you’re looking for additional coverage, you might be left empty-handed.
Below are events not typically covered by the full coverage combination of coverages:
In order to carry gap coverage, you need collision and comprehensive. Gap coverage can be a part of your lease agreement if you’re leasing a vehicle. Make sure your insurance covers this.
You need full coverage for the following reasons:
You need full coverage if you have a financed or leased vehicle. With a lease, you do not own the vehicle and don't have the option of forgoing full protection. If you have a loan on a vehicle, you must ensure it’s protected to the lender's specifications.
If your vehicle is worth more than $4,000, most insurance experts advise it is worth paying for full coverage. Determine the value of your vehicle by using the Kelley Blue Book or NADA online.
If you plan on reselling your vehicle in the future, make sure you have full coverage insurance. If your vehicle were totaled — either in a collision or due to adverse weather — you would have no insurance options for your investment.
Consider if you have drivers included on your insurance policy that might be considered more likely to damage the vehicle. Although age does not always equate to driving skills, young drivers and teens can sometimes necessitate the addition of collision coverage. Because of young drivers' propensity for risky driving, car insurance companies charge them nearly twice as much as the average client.
Full-coverage protection is intended to protect your car. If your vehicle isn’t worth much, full coverage might be a waste of money.
Full coverage offers extra coverage — but it costs more. If you don't need comprehensive coverage, it might be worth considering basic state-minimum liability coverage. Let's dig into the differences.
You will be required to carry “full coverage” car insurance if you’re financing your vehicle. Since another entity — usually a bank or auto dealership — maintains an interest in the vehicle, they get to decide how the car is insured. Auto leasing and financing companies generally require collision and comprehensive coverage with low deductibles.
If you lease your car, you don't own the vehicle outright and you will be required to carry additional auto insurance coverage to protect the asset. This often includes collision, comprehensive, and gap insurance.
If you own your vehicle, you have complete control over your insurance. If you’re unsure of what coverage to select, consider your vehicle's value. Use an estimator like the Kelley Blue Book to assess the value of your vehicle and determine how much coverage you need.
If your vehicle is worth more than $4,000, collision and comprehensive coverage are recommended. Without physical damage coverage, you would not receive compensation if your vehicle were severely damaged or totaled.
If you opt to boost your coverage from the minimum amount to add collision and comprehensive insurance, expect to pay over double what you were paying for just the state-required minimum amount of liability insurance.
This disparity in pricing is less apparent if you already carry comp and collision coverage. Whether you have a $500 or $1,000 deductible, the difference in premium between coverage levels maxes out at about 28%.
If you're looking to save the most on full coverage, consider lowering your liability limits to your state's minimum required amount to offset the cost of comp and collision. GEICO was the cheapest insurance company for this level of coverage, with Nationwide second. These values are estimates. Your location, vehicle, age and driving record will impact your car insurance rate.
| Company | Full Coverage w/ State Minimum Liability | State Minimum Liability Only |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $968 | $378 |
| American Family | $683 | $314 |
| Farmers | $754 | $285 |
| GEICO | $509 | $232 |
| Liberty Mutual | $827 | $315 |
| Nationwide | $570 | $223 |
| Progressive | $588 | $258 |
| State Farm | $600 | $250 |
| Travelers | $655 | $280 |
| USAA | $609 | $233 |
Each state has its own liability laws. Below are average six-month premiums for each state's minimum liability limit versus a "full coverage" policy. In this instance, full coverage refers to 50/100/50 liability limits and comprehensive and collision deductibles at $500 each — a fairly typical coverage level in the U.S.
From the data above, you can see that where you live is an important factor in what you pay for auto insurance. In the table below, we've gathered and analyzed rates from top insurance companies to see which insurers offer the cheapest full coverage in each U.S. state.
Full coverage usually refers to the combination of collision and comprehensive coverage, both of which protect your vehicle from physical damage. Collision covers your car in the event you collide with another object or vehicle, while comprehensive basically takes care of damage other than collisions, such as a hailstorm.
Among major insurance companies, the average cost for a six-month full coverage auto insurance policy is $741, which equals about $124 per month. However, the cost of the auto insurance quotes you receive depends on a number of factors, including your driving history, age, credit score, home address and insurance provider.
Among major U.S. car insurance companies, the cheapest average rates for full coverage come from Nationwide ($541), GEICO ($562), and Progressive ($627).
Full coverage might be required if you are financing your vehicle. It is also a good idea to have if your vehicle is worth a significant amount of money, usually any amount over $4,000. If you plan on reselling your vehicle, you will want it to be in good shape. Full coverage is a good way to keep your vehicle protected.
If you’re looking for more information on car insurance coverage types, exclusions and related topics, see our insurance resources:
