The Cheapest Car Insurance for February 2022
NerdWallet analyzed 2022 auto insurance rates nationwide to find the cheapest car insurance companies.
Kayda Norman
Feb 22, 2022
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WHAT’S INSIDE
How we found the cheapest companies
The cheapest car insurance
Cheap car insurance by state
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If you’re looking for the cheapest car insurance, you’ve come to the right place. NerdWallet analyzed rates from auto insurers across the country to find cheap car insurance for a variety of drivers. The cheapest car insurance will likely be the minimum coverage required in your state, so we focused our rate analysis on those minimums. In many states, this is liability insurance only, which covers property damage and medical bills for others due to accidents you cause.
Why you can trust NerdWallet: Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our writing and data analyses. You can trust the prices we show you because our data analysts take rigorous measures to eliminate outliers and inaccuracies in pricing data, which include rates from every ZIP code in the country where coverage is offered and data is available. When comparing rates for different coverage amounts, ages and backgrounds, we change only one variable at a time, so you can easily see how each factor affects pricing. Read our methodology.
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Another alternative is full coverage, but it can cost over $1,000 more a year on average than an annual minimum policy. That’s because it comes with additional coverage like uninsured/underinsured motorist protection and comprehensive and collision insurance.
Nerdy tip: If you have a car loan or lease, your lender will likely require you to buy comprehensive and collision coverage. These coverage types pay out if your car is stolen or damaged in an accident you cause, among other scenarios.
If you need more than a bare-bones policy, see our analysis of the best cheap full coverage insurance. If you’re simply looking for the cheapest possible auto insurance, we’ve listed providers of affordable minimum coverage below.
How we found the cheapest companies
NerdWallet’s editorial team analyzed minimum coverage car insurance rates from pricing analytics company Quadrant Information Services. Our analysis looked at 40-year-old drivers in all ZIP codes across the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., with a variety of driving and credit histories. All drivers had a 2019 Toyota Camry L.
The cheapest car insurance
Geico is the cheapest major auto insurance company in the nation, according to NerdWallet’s most recent analysis of minimum coverage rates. Geico’s average annual rate was $354, or about $29 per month. The company earned a 4.5-star rating from NerdWallet.
Here are the cheapest annual auto insurance rates for six of the largest auto insurers in the United States. We also included average rates for some smaller companies. These rates are for only state-mandated minimum coverage. Our “good driver” profile is a 40-year-old with no moving violations and credit in the “good” tier.
These rates are just benchmarks; the cheapest auto insurance for you may be different.
Cheap auto insurance from the largest companies
Company
Average annual rate
Average monthly rate
1. Geico
$354
$29
2. State Farm
$452
$38
3. Progressive
$619
$52
4. Farmers
$620
$52
5. Allstate
$666
$55
USAA*
$356
$30
*USAA auto insurance is available only to military, veterans and their families.
» MORE: The average cost of car insurance
Cheap auto insurance from smaller companies
Finding affordable car insurance doesn’t mean you have to stick with large insurance companies. Central Insurance, MMG and Secura, smaller insurers that offer coverage in multiple states, have even cheaper car insurance rates than Geico.
While availability can be limited, regional and small insurers may beat the cheapest auto insurance prices from larger carriers. Plus, they often have great customer service.
Company
Average annual rate
Average monthly rate
1. Central Insurance
$257
$21
2. MMG
$287
$24
3. Secura
$319
$27
4. Hastings Mutual
$428
$36
5. Mutual of Enumclaw
$499
$42
We chose these companies because of their low rates and availability in multiple states. But there may be more affordable auto insurance options where you live. For example, many Farm Bureau insurance companies are available only in a single state, but they were often among the cheapest in our analysis.
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