Best Cheap Car Insurance for Seniors
Cheap car insurance for senior citizens
Cheapest car insurance for seniors over 60
State Farm has the cheapest full coverage car insurance for seniors over 60, at $141 a month. It also has the cheapest liability insurance for most of these drivers, at $57 a month.
USAA’s rates are nearly identical at $142 a month for full coverage Full coverage includes collision and comprehensive, which cover your own car for damage and theft. and $56 a month for liability insurance Liability insurance covers injuries and property damage you cause to others. It’s required by law in almost every state. . However, USAA is only available to the military community.
Auto insurance rates for drivers over 60
| Company | Full coverage | Liability coverage | LendingTree score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | State Farm | $141 | $57 |  |
 | Progressive | $152 | $72 |  |
 | AARP | $179 | $79 |  |
 | Geico | $191 | $80 |  |
 | American Family | $196 | $77 | |
 | Travelers | $211 | $99 | |
 | AAA | $228 | $82 |  |
 | Nationwide | $238 | $111 |  |
 | Allstate | $255 | $126 | |
 | USAA* | $142 | $56 | |
Rates are for a 65-year-old male with good credit and a clean driving record. *USAA is only available to current and former members of the military and their families.
Your actual rate depends on factors like your driving record, your location and, in most states, your credit history. Each company weighs these factors differently. This makes it good to compare car insurance quotes from a few different companies when you buy or renew your policy.
Best car insurance for seniors over 70
State Farm has the cheapest car insurance for seniors over 70, at $161 a month for full coverage. This is 21% less than the next-cheapest rate for most of these drivers, $203 a month from Progressive.
State Farm also has a better overall customer satisfaction score than Progressive from J.D. Power J.D. Power’s satisfaction scores are based on customer surveys rating companies on factors like price, coverage options and problem resolution. . This means State Farm generally has happier customers.
Auto insurance rates for seniors over 70
| Company | Full coverage | Liability coverage |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $161 | $68 |
| Progressive | $203 | $93 |
| AARP/The Hartford | $210 | $103 |
| American Family | $227 | $102 |
| Geico | $234 | $104 |
| Travelers | $253 | $121 |
| AAA | $271 | $111 |
| Allstate | $286 | $147 |
| Nationwide | $291 | $140 |
| USAA* | $170 | $73 |
Rates are for a 75-year-old male with good credit and a clean driving record.
Cheap auto insurance for seniors over 80
State Farm also has the cheapest auto insurance for most seniors over 80. Its full coverage rates average $194 a month. This is 9% less than Progressive’s rate of $214 a month.
State Farm also gives you a discount for completing an approved defensive driving class. Unfortunately, you can’t get this discount from Progressive.
Car insurance rates for seniors over 80
| Company | Full coverage | Liability coverage |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $194 | $83 |
| Progressive | $214 | $101 |
| Geico | $248 | $111 |
| American Family | $264 | $121 |
| AARP/The Hartford | $276 | $146 |
| Travelers | $310 | $150 |
| AAA | $341 | $148 |
| Nationwide | $351 | $168 |
| Allstate | $364 | $199 |
| USAA* | $220 | $99 |
Rates are for an 85-year-old male with good credit and a clean driving record.
Best car insurance companies for seniors
State Farm’s cheap rates and good ratings make it the best car insurance company for most senior drivers. The Hartford, Nationwide and USAA stand out for different reasons.
Best auto insurance companies at a glance
| Company | Best for | Satisfaction rating Source: J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Auto Insurance Study. 644 is average, high is better. | Financial strength Source: AM Best | LendingTree score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | Best overall | 657 | A++ | |
| AARP | Coverages package | 642 | A+ | |
| Nationwide | Pay-per-mile plan | 641 | A | |
| USAA* | Military | 739 | A++ | |
Best overall for seniors: State Farm
State Farm offers the best of both worlds for customer service. You can get personalized service from local agents in most communities. If you prefer to do it yourself, you can manage your policy online or with State Farms’ smartphone app.
Several discounts make State Farm’s rates more affordable for seniors. You can typically save the most by bundling your auto policy with your home or renters insurance, no matter your age. You can get another discount for taking an approved defensive driving course. If you don’t drive very often, you may qualify for State Farm’s low-mileage discount.
Pros
Cheapest rates for senior drivers
Senior-friendly discounts help you save more
Personalized service in local offices
Cons
Does not offer pay-per-mile insurance
Best coverage for seniors: AARP/The Hartford
The Hartford’s auto insurance package for AARP members includes convenient extras. You can add glass coverage to your policy to avoid out-of-pocket expenses for a broken window. Its optional roadside assistance plan provides up to 100 miles of towing. Most other insurance company plans only cover short tows.
AARP members get 10% off The Hartford’s policies. You can also get discounts for bundling, taking a defensive driving class and keeping a clean driving record.
Pros
Discounts for AARP members
Useful add-ons for glass and towing coverage
Added savings for bundling and good driving
Cons
Other companies have lower rates
Best pay-per-mile plan: Nationwide
Nationwide’s SmartMiles is a good way for occasional drivers to save money on car insurance. The program factors the number of miles you drive each month into your rate. The less you drive, the less you pay.
Allstate and American Family also have good pay-per-mile insurance programs. However, Nationwide’s program is available in more areas, including California. Nationwide’s program also has a road trip exception. It only charges you for the first 250 miles you drive on any given day.
Pros
SmartMiles helps low-mileage drivers save money
Only charges you for the first 250 miles each day
Available in more places than other pay-per-mile plans
Cons
Nationwide’s non-SmartMiles rates are expensive
Best for seniors in the military community: USAA
Along with cheap rates, USAA has the best satisfaction rating among all car insurance companies. This means customers don’t only like USAA for its low prices — they also like its coverage options and customer service.
Like most other companies, USAA gives you discounts for bundling policies, being a safe driver and taking a defensive driver course. It offers basic coverages like liability, collision and comprehensive, but not many extras. It’s only available to current and former service members and their families.
Pros
Cheap rates for most senior citizens
Better satisfaction score than every other company
Discounts for bundling and good drivers
Cons
Only available to the military community
How much is car insurance for seniors?
The average cost of car insurance for 65-year-old drivers is $195 a month. Unfortunately, your rates are likely to go up in your retirement years. As a group, senior citizens have higher crash rates than middle-aged drivers. This usually means paying more for car insurance.
For comparison, car insurance costs an average of $282 a month for 85-year-olds, before discounts and other adjustments. This is 45% higher than the average for 65-year-olds.
Senior car insurance rates by age
| Age | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| 60 | $189 |
| 65 | $195 |
| 70 | $208 |
| 75 | $233 |
| 80 | $261 |
| 85 | $282 |
| 90 | $297 |
Best car insurance discounts for seniors
Several car insurance discounts help make rates more affordable for seniors. Car insurance quotes usually show the discounts that have been applied to your rate. It’s good to ask the insurance agents you contact if any others are available.
Bundling policies
Drivers of any age usually get a big discount for bundling car insurance with a home or renters policy. If you don’t already bundle your insurance, your senior years may be a good time to start.
It’s good to get quotes for all the policies in your bundle at the same time. A company with expensive car insurance may be a good deal if its home rates are cheap enough.
Safe driver programs
Several companies give drivers of any age a big discount for joining their safe driving programs. These programs often use a smartphone app to monitor how safely you drive. You get a discount just for signing up. If you drive safely enough, you may get more discounts when you renew.
It may feel weird to have your insurance company track your driving. But the savings can add up. You can save up to 30% with State Farm’s Drive Safe and Save app. The Hartford’s TrueLane program offers discounts of up to 40%.
Make sure to read the fine print in any program you join. Some raise your rates for unsafe driving. You usually have to opt out in time to avoid a possible rate increase like this.
Defensive driving classes
Many companies give mature drivers a discount for completing an approved defensive driver class. Eligible classes usually last for a half or full day. Some are available online. It’s good to get a list of approved classes from your insurance company before you take a class.
Low-mileage discounts
A few companies give you a low-mileage discount if you only drive now and then. You usually have to drive fewer than 7,500 miles or so a year to qualify. American Family, State Farm and USAA are some of the companies that have this discount. This is a good discount to ask about from any company, including your current insurer.
Pay-per-mile insurance
Pay-per-mile insurance plans are another good money saver for low-mileage senior drivers. These plans factor the number of miles you drive into your rate. They can save you a lot of money if you only use your car occasionally to get around town.
American Family, Allstate and Nationwide offer pay-per-mile insurance in several states. Lemonade offers it in Arizona, Oregon and Washington.
Clean driving records
Many companies also give you a discount for having a clean driving record. The Hartford, for example, knocks 10% off your rate if you haven’t had tickets or accidents in the past five years. The amount you save varies by insurance company and state.
Insurance companies usually check your driving record for discounts like these. You should ask your insurer to recheck, especially if you have recently become eligible.
Payment discounts
You can usually save a little more on car insurance by paying for your policy in full up front. Most companies also give you a discount for setting up automatic payments.
You should check your quote to see how different payment plans affect your rates. You may save money by choosing a different option than you normally use.
Affordable auto insurance coverage options for seniors
Higher deductibles and dropping full coverage can also help a senior citizen get more affordable auto insurance.
Why choose higher deductibles
Raising your car insurance deductibles reduces the amount your insurance company may have to pay for certain claims. Insurance companies pass these savings on to you in the form of a lower rate.
Since your deductibles come out of your own pocket, you don’t want them to be too high. However, just raising your collision and comprehensive deductibles from $500 to $1,000 can take a strain off your wallet.
When to drop full coverage
Dropping full coverage from an older car is another good way to save money on senior car insurance.
Collision and comprehensive insurance only cover your car at its market value, after depreciation. Once your car’s value drops below $5,000, the benefits of full coverage may no longer be worth the price.
Dropping full coverage can reduce your car insurance rate by about 40% to 50%. The exact amount varies by your insurance company and your car. You can usually find estimates of your car’s value on sites like kbb.com.
Frequently asked questions
State Farm has the cheapest average car insurance for senior citizen drivers. Its full coverage rates average $141 a month for 65-year-old drivers. Progressive, USAA and The Hartford also have cheap rates for seniors.
No. Unfortunately, most drivers see their rates go up after age 65. Seniors are more likely to get into accidents than middle-aged drivers. It’s good to shop around for the lowest car insurance rate at any age to find the cheapest rate.
The Hartford offers special car insurance rates and coverage to AARP members. AARP’s car insurance can help some members save money.
Seniors who don’t drive much can often save money on car insurance with a pay-per-mile plan. American Family, Allstate and Nationwide are among the companies that have it. These plans generally charge you less if you drive less.