The Zebra Data Desk: Your Source for Unbiased Auto Insurance Data

Explore the latest trends in auto insurance through downloadable datasets, visualizations, and insights you can cite with confidence.

Where market reports meet expert insights

We don’t just connect the dots, we connect millions of people to the insurance they need. Our unique analysis can’t be found anywhere else because no one else has access to both market data and the proprietary data we've gathered from years in the business and over 172 million quotes.

Affordability of rates based on income

When looking at insurance rates, we can’t just consider the average rate people are paying in a vacuum. That’s why The Zebra developed The Zebra Premium Pressure Index (ZPPI). This index compares the latest insurance premium data with other economic indicators, such as income, to provide an outlook for not just the cost of insurance, but how well people are able to afford it.[1]

$1,933

Median annual premium in the U.S.

$74,481

U.S. income per capita
Q1-2025

2.60%

Median premium as % of income

Car insurance affordability based on income

Source: The Zebra

Deductible affordability survey

Nearly half of Americans don’t have enough savings to cover a month of expenses.

Our survey found that 46% of Americans don’t have enough emergency savings to cover a single month of expenses.[2] This small amount of savings can easily be eaten up by an unexpected expense, such as a home or car repair, or a medical event.

Emergency savings by generation

Source: The Zebra

Increasing your deductible for savings

One of the best ways to lower your monthly premium is to raise your deductible. The deductible is what you pay out of pocket when you file a claim—so increasing it reduces how much your insurer is responsible for, which can lower your monthly cost.

Can you afford your insurance deductible?

Source: The Zebra

Average Premium by Coverage Level

Updating data...

Coverage Avg. Annual Premium
Liability Only $597
Full Coverage with $1,000 Deductible $1,554
Full Coverage with $500 Deductible $1,760

Source: The Zebra


Actual car insurance costs by state

While the average auto insurance cost for the U.S. is an interesting number, it doesn’t really tell the full story. Insurance is a state-regulated industry and each state has their own unique risk factors that can change what you pay for car insurance just by living there – regardless of who you are or how you drive.

Average annual premiums by state

Source: The Zebra

Monthly insurance costs for vehicles from the most popular brands

Most expensive make: Nissan

Insuring a Nissan is the most expensive at $278 a month—however, this is largely due to its most expensive model skewing the data.

Cheapest model: Ford

Ford’s Bronco is the cheapest model to insure, averaging $76 a month.

Most expensive model: Nissan GT-R

Among non-luxury models, the Nissan GT-R is the most expensive to insure at nearly $400 a month.

Average insurance premiums for different makes

Source: The Zebra


State-by-state rate filings show when rates go up or down

Insurance companies can change rates throughout the year or annually. Rate changes must be filed in each state where changes occur. When these rate change filings are approved, they may increase insurance rates in that state by an average of 6.65%. Some markets can be even more impacted by rate filings like this. In California, for example, rates went up 15.30% within 2025.[3]

1,317

Total number of filings that resulted in a rate increase

6.65%

Average national rate increase

2,921

Total approved rate change filings from January-November 2025

Claims submitted by month

Source: The Zebra

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Nobody does insurance like The Zebra®

The Zebra has helped customers compare over 74 million quotes since 2012. At its heart, both insurance and tech industry veterans collaborate together to simplify insurance shopping for customers. In today’s digital world, The Zebra’s customer-centered approach offers people the choices they want and simplicity they need.

The Zebra's Unbiased Team

Experts you can quote

Author profile picture

Gemma Ros

Chief Technology Officer

Gemma joined The Zebra in 2022 as Chief Technology Officer, leading the company’s engineering, DevOps, and data teams. With more than 20 years of exp…

Credentials
  • Certified ScrumMaster
  • Certified Scrum Product Owner
Author profile picture

Beth Swanson

Insurance Analyst

Beth joined The Zebra in 2022 as an Associate Content Strategist. A licensed insurance agent, she specializes in creating clear, accessible content t…

Credentials
  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
  • Associate in Insurance (AINS)
  • Professional Risk Consultant (PRC)
  • Associate in Insurance Services (AIS)
Author profile picture

Katie Gold

Head of Agency

Katie has worked in the insurance industry for more than 12 years. She started her career in claims with Allstate insurance, but with a background in…

Credentials
  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Life, Accident and Health
  • Series 6 License (Investment Company/Variable Contracts Products Limited Representative)
  • Series 63 License (Uniform Securities Agent)
  • Series 26 License (Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Principal)
Author profile picture

Susan Meyer

Senior Editorial Manager

Susan is a licensed insurance agent and has worked as a writer and editor for over 10 years across a number of industries. She has worked at The Zebr…

Credentials
  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
Author profile picture

Renata Balasco

Senior Content Strategist

Renata joined The Zebra in 2020 as a Customer Experience Agent. Since 2021, she has worked as licensed insurance professional and content strategist.…

Credentials
  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
  • 5 years of experience in the insurance industry
Author profile picture

David Seider

CCO

David Seider is the Chief Commercial Officer of TheZebra.com, the company simplifying the insurance shopping experience. In this role, David oversees…

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Need an insurance expert? We’ve got you covered.
Our team is available for comment on insurance trends, technology, and more. Reach out to  press@thezebra.com  to connect with our experts.

The minds behind the metrics

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Juan Moreno Pabon

Senior Data Scientist

Juan is a machine learning scientist and economist with over 10 years of experience applying machine learning, statistical modeling, and causal infer…

Author profile picture

Prateek Mithal

Senior Marketing Analyst

Prateek is a senior marketing analyst at The Zebra with over 6 years of analytics experience in the insurance industry. He delivers data-driven insig…

Author profile picture

Kyle McComb

Senior Marketing Analyst

Kyle is a senior marketing analyst at The Zebra with over 7 years experience working in insurance, healthcare, and software. He models data insights …


Using our data

The Zebra is the nation's leading independent insurance comparison site and has sought to bring transparency and simplicity to insurance. We encourage you to explore, share, and reference these researach findings, with attribution to "The Zebra" or "TheZebra.com" and link to this page. 

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74 million quotes compared

The Zebra has helped customers compare over 74 million quotes

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29 million Zebra shoppers

29 million people have turned to The Zebra to shop for car insurance

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172 million quotes provided

We've pulled more than 172 million quotes so people like you could find their best insurance options.


Sources:
  1. The Zebra Premium Pressure Index (ZPPI)

  2. This survey was conducted through Survey Monkey in October 2025. 1,040 Americans were surveyed. 

  3. Copyright © 2025, S&P Global Market Intelligence (and its affiliates, as applicable)

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