Cheap Colorado Car Insurance

Across the Centennial State, there are 183,498 miles of road just waiting to be driven. We’ll get you prepped, then you take the wheel.

Cheap Car Insurance

Cheap Insurance for Good Drivers in Colorado

Drivers with good driving records typically enjoy lower car insurance costs than drivers with histories of speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, or DUI citations. Colorado drivers without a recent at-fault accident save 30% on their car insurance, on average, while Colorado drivers without a recent ticket save 17%. Both of these figures are near US-average. In addition to earning a cheaper premium for driving incident-free, you may qualify for a safe-driving bonus through your car insurance company. The amount of these discounts may vary, but they typically run between 5 and 10%.

Cheap Insurance for Young Drivers in Colorado

Young drivers (those between the ages of 16 and 25) pay extraordinarily high auto insurance rates, with those aged 16-19 paying the most expensive premiums of all. Because of the risk presented by inexperienced drivers, teens pay more than three times the national average for car insurance. In Colorado, the typical teen driver pays $4,941 annually — approximately equal to the national average for teens, but about three times more than the average Coloradoan driver.

Cheap Car Insurance for Bad Drivers in Colorado

Drivers with clean driving records — meaning no at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, DUIs, or other citations — typically pay less for car insurance. In Colorado, your car insurance premiums will increase by 33% after a DUI, 30% after an at-fault accident, and 17% after a speeding ticket. These hikes roughly align with national averages. If you have a sparkling clean driving history, be sure to take advantage of your insurer's safe driver discount.

What are the Best Car Insurance Companies in Colorado?

Every car insurance company brags about its affordable costs. But just like with any product, the cheapest car insurance isn't always the finest choice. Considering the financial stakes, it's worth doing the due diligence to find the policy that protects your car completely in the event of a collision. Find the best value, instead of settling for the cheapest auto insurance available.

Compare top insurers' financial strength and claims satisfaction ratings to better understand the level of service they will provide. Claims satisfaction — measured by J.D. Power — is ranked on a scale of 2 to 5, with 5 being "among the best" and 2 being "the rest." Financial strength — calculated by A.M. Best and running from "Superior" to "Poor" — evaluates an insurer's financial strength and ability to fulfill its contractual and policy obligations.

What is the Best Car Insurance Coverage in Colorado?

The minimum allowed car insurance level in Colorado is $25,000 Bodily Injury per person, $50,000 Bodily Injury per accident, and $15,000 Property Damage per accident.

For the minimum required coverage in Colorado, be prepared to pay a mean of $647 annually. This is cheaper than the nationwide average by 2%. If you opt for better car insurance coverage, you can select a policy with comprehensive and collision coverage, insuring against the costs of auto collisions, theft, or weather incidents. It's worth noting that better coverage comes at a cost: in Colorado, a comprehensive policy with a $1,000 deductible costs $1,273, 97% more than basic insurance coverage. For comprehensive coverage with a $500 deductible, expect to pay 122% more than you might for a basic liability-only policy.

Compare average prices for basic, better, and best insurance levels in the following table.

Car Insurance Laws

State minimum insurance requirements in Colorado

In Colorado, the state minimum coverage requirement is liability with limits of:

• Bodily Injury $25,000 per person
• Bodily Injury $50,000 per accident
• Property Damage $15,000 per accident

Optional coverage in Colorado (varies by carrier):

• Comprehensive
• Collision
• Loan/Lease Payoff
• Medical and Funeral Services
• Rental Car Reimbursement
• Roadside Assistance
• Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury
• Uninsured Motorist Property Damage

Liability coverage is legally required in Colorado and pays for injury and lost wages that you cause to another driver or their passengers as well as damage to the other driver’s vehicle in the event that you are considered “at fault” in an accident. The coverage limits are determined by each individual state and normally split into three categories. In Colorado, the minimum is listed as 25/50/15 and explained below:

• $25,000 bodily injury coverage per person. This is the maximum dollar amount that pays for a single person that you injure in an auto accident.
• $50,000 bodily injury coverage per accident. This is the maximum dollar amount that pays for all injuries that you cause in an accident if more than one person is hurt.
• $15,000 property damage per accident. This is the maximum dollar amount that pays for damage that you cause in an accident.

These numbers reflect the minimum limits required in Colorado but higher coverage amounts are available with most companies.

Colorado Auto Insurance FAQs

Is Colorado a no-fault state for car insurance?

No. Colorado is a tort state, meaning you are required to cover any bodily injury or property damage you cause.

Do you need insurance to register a car in Colorado?

Yes. In order to register a vehicle with Colorado's DMV, you're required to present proof of insurance for the vehicle you are registering.

How do you sign over a Colorado car title to insurance?

If you're selling a vehicle, you will need the title information, the emissions inspection certificate — if required in your county — and the bill of sale. The exact documents and details are available on Colorado's DMV website.

Driving Laws

Colorado Texting and Driving Laws

1. Ban on all cell phones for novice drivers <18 years old
2. Ban on text messaging for all drivers

Colorado DUI Laws

DWAI offenses are commonly considered misdemeanors in Colorado.

First-time offenses result in:

• Two to 180 days in jail
• Fines between $200 and $500
• Up to 96 hours of community service
• Possible required interlock ignition device usage
• Possible requirement to attend alcohol courses
• Eight points toward a license suspension

Speeding Laws in Colorado

Except when otherwise posted, you are speeding in Colorado if your speeds exceed:

• 20 miles per hour on narrow, winding highways or blind curves
• 25 miles per hour in business districts
• 30 miles per hour in residential districts
• 40 miles per hour on open mountain highways
• 55 miles per hour on open highways that are not a part of the interstate system and are not four-lane expressways or freeways
• 65 miles per hour on surfaced four-lane highways that are part of the interstate system or expressways

In other cases, the maximum speed limit in Colorado is 75 miles per hour.

Colorado Reckless Driving Laws

If you drive with a “wanton or willful disregard for the safety of persons or property,” you are guilty of reckless driving in Colorado. In other words, intentionally ignoring the rules of the road or driving in an unsafe manner may result in you being charged with reckless driving.

Colorado Distracted Driving Rules

Distracted driving in Colorado is considered a primary offense. Law enforcement officers are permitted to pull over and cite drivers even if their only offense is driving while distracted.

Distracted driving constitutes anything that prevents a driver from paying full attention to the road. Pets, eating, and grooming can all lead to a driver becoming distracted. Of course, use of a wireless device while driving can also be dangerous.

What Constitutes Racing in Colorado?

Racing in Colorado is also referred to as engaging in a “speed contest.” A speed contest takes place when one or more vehicles:

• Participate in a race or time trial
• Rapidly accelerate
• Exceed “reasonable and prudent speeds”
• Perform one or more lane changes in an attempt to gain an advantage on another competitor

At-Fault Accidents in CO

Colorado became a fault-based state in 2003. After an accident, fault may be assigned to one or more drivers. Additionally, as a comparative negligence state, drivers may share some degree of fault for an accident.