Cheapest Companies for Liability-Only Car Insurance (2026)
American Family has the cheapest liability car insurance rates for most drivers, at $51 per month. Erie and USAA are cheaper but not available to everyone.
Best cheap liability car insurance
Who has the cheapest liability car insurance?
American Family has the cheapest liability Liability insurance covers injuries and property damage you cause to others. It’s required by law in almost every state. car insurance for most drivers, with an average rate of $51 per month.
State Farm is a few dollars more, at $56 per month, but it also scores a bit better with customers State Farm has a better J.D. Power customer satisfaction score than American Family. This means its customers are happier about things like price, coverage options and service. .
Liability-only car insurance rates by company
| Company | Monthly rate | LendingTree score | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | American Family | $51 |  |
 | State Farm | $56 |  |
 | Travelers | $59 | |
 | Geico | $65 |  |
 | Progressive | $69 | |
 | AAA | $72 |  |
 | Nationwide | $76 |  |
 | Farmers | $101 | |
 | Allstate | $104 | |
 | Amica | $107 | |
 | USAA* | $39 | |
USAA is cheaper than both American Family and State Farm, with liability rates that average $39 per month. But only members of the military and their families can get coverage from USAA.
The average cost of liability car insurance is $68 per month.
Cheapest regional companies for liability-only car insurance
Erie has the cheapest liability insurance quotes among regional companies, with an average rate of $44 per month. Auto-Owners also comes in well below the national average, at $51 per month.
However, Erie is only available in 12 states Erie is available in IL, IN, KY, MD, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, DC, WV and WI. and the District of Columbia. You can buy an Auto-Owners policy in 26 states Auto-Owners car insurance is available in 26 states: AL, AR, AK, CO, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, NC, ND, OH, PA, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA and WI. .
Regional company liability rates
| Company | Monthly rate | LendingTree score | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Erie | $44 | |
 | Auto-Owners | $51 |  |
 | Mercury | $54 | |
 | Farm Bureau | $57 | |
 | Country Financial | $61 | |
 | Grange | $66 | |
If both companies are an option for you, it might help to know that Erie has a much better J.D. Power customer satisfaction score than Auto-Owners. Erie’s standard policies also include some nice extras, such as coverage for windshield repairs, locksmith charges and pet injuries.
Still, Auto-Owners has a few car insurance discounts that Erie doesn’t, so it could be your cheapest option if you can get some of them. With Auto-Owners, you may get a discount for having a good history of insurance claims, getting a quote before you buy a policy and enrolling in paperless billing.
Who has the cheapest liability car insurance in my state?
In some states, large companies like State Farm and Geico are the cheapest, while in others, regional companies like Auto-Owners and Erie have the lowest prices.
Use the cheapest company in your state as a starting point when you compare car insurance quotes. The most affordable company for you might be different because of the many factors What you pay for car insurance is based on factors like your age, gender, location, vehicle, driving record and insurance history. that go into what you pay.
Cheapest liability insurance quotes by state
| State | Cheapest company | Cheapest rate |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | State Farm | $37 |
| Alaska | Geico | $45 |
| Arizona | State Farm | $56 |
| Arkansas | State Farm | $33 |
| California | Geico | $41 |
| Colorado | State Farm | $51 |
| Connecticut | Travelers | $47 |
| Delaware | Farmers | $66 |
| Florida | Geico | $38 |
| Georgia | Farm Bureau | $55 |
| Hawaii | Geico | $24 |
| Idaho | State Farm | $18 |
| Illinois | Erie | $37 |
| Indiana | State Farm | $39 |
| Iowa | Progressive | $15 |
| Kansas | State Farm | $38 |
| Kentucky | Farm Bureau | $39 |
| Louisiana | Allstate | $61 |
| Maine | Travelers | $32 |
| Maryland | State Farm | $64 |
| Massachusetts | Geico | $49 |
| Michigan | Progressive | $64 |
| Minnesota | State Farm | $43 |
| Mississippi | State Farm | $28 |
| Missouri | Farm Bureau | $31 |
| Montana | State Farm | $17 |
| Nebraska | Farmers Mutual of Nebraska | $21 |
| Nevada | Travelers | $79 |
| New Hampshire | Safety | $37 |
| New Jersey | Geico | $66 |
| New Mexico | State Farm | $34 |
| New York | NYCM | $39 |
| North Carolina | State Farm | $41 |
| North Dakota | State Farm | $25 |
| Ohio | Westfield | $30 |
| Oklahoma | Progressive | $31 |
| Oregon | State Farm | $43 |
| Pennsylvania | Erie | $28 |
| Rhode Island | Travelers | $60 |
| South Carolina | Geico | $55 |
| South Dakota | Farmers Mutual of Nebraska | $14 |
| Tennessee | Erie | $38 |
| Texas | State Farm | $37 |
| Utah | Auto-Owners | $67 |
| Vermont | Co-Op | $19 |
| Virginia | Farm Bureau | $37 |
| Washington | Mutual of Enumclaw | $40 |
| Washington, D.C. | State Farm | $83 |
| West Virginia | Westfield | $29 |
| Wisconsin | Erie | $25 |
| Wyoming | American National | $13 |
Best liability-only car insurance companies
State Farm, Erie and USAA are the best car insurance companies for liability coverage.
Each of these companies has affordable rates and good customer service reviews. These include strong customer satisfaction ratings from J.D. Power.
Best companies for liability insurance
| Company | Monthly rate | Satisfaction rating | LendingTree score |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $56 | 650 | |
| Erie | $44 | 703 | |
| USAA | $39 | 735 | |
Best company overall: State Farm
State Farm’s rates and availability make it the best liability insurance choice for most drivers. You can get personalized service from a State Farm agent in most communities. You can also get quotes from State Farm’s website if you prefer to shop on your own.
The company also offers several discounts that make its rates more affordable. These include a large discount for bundling car insurance with a home or renters policy. Safe driving can get you a discount if you let its Drive Safe & Save app track your driving.
PROS
- Among the cheapest auto liability rates for large companies
- Good satisfaction rating from J.D. Power
- Several discounts can make its rates more affordable
CONS
- Regional companies are sometimes cheaper
- Not as many coverage options as some insurers
Best regional company: Erie
Erie charges less for liability insurance than most large companies. It also has a better customer satisfaction rating than many of them.
Something else that helps set Erie apart is that its car insurance policies come with coverages many other companies charge extra for, like accident forgiveness. Another example is its Rate Lock feature, which protects you from annual rate increases.
PROS
- Cheaper rates than most large companies
- Excellent satisfaction rating from J.D. Power
- All policies include coverages that usually cost extra elsewhere
CONS
- Not available in every state
- Fewer discounts than many large companies
Best for military: USAA
USAA’s high satisfaction score shows that it doesn’t cut corners to keep its rates low. You’ll get an even lower rate if you bundle your car insurance with a home or renters policy. The company also has a discount for drivers who keep their car on a military base during deployments.
USAA’s website and smartphone app make it easy to get quotes and manage your policy. However, you usually talk to a different agent each time you call for help.
PROS
- Cheaper liability rates than most other companies
- Better satisfaction rating than any other company
- Special perks for active duty military
CONS
- Only for members of the military and their families
- You work with a different agent each time you call for help
- Not as many discounts as some companies
What does liability car insurance cover?
Liability car insurance protects you if you cause an accident and injure someone else or damage their vehicle or other property.
The bodily injury portion of your liability car insurance helps pay the medical bills, lost wages and other related costs of someone you injure in a crash.
The property damage portion of your liability coverage helps pay to repair or replace someone else’s property damaged in an accident. This can include their car or things like a wall, fence or tree.
Your liability insurance does not cover:
- Your own injuries
- Damage to your own car
Liability-only car insurance is sometimes called minimum coverage. However, the two terms are not exactly the same.
Some states require uninsured motorist
Uninsured motorist covers you and your passengers for injuries caused by a driver with no insurance.
coverage or personal injury protection
PIP covers injuries to you and your passengers, whether you or another driver causes the accident. It also covers lost wages and certain other expenses.
(PIP), along with liability coverage. In these states, minimum coverage includes liability plus these other coverages.
How much cheaper is liability-only car insurance than full coverage?
Liability insurance is 61% cheaper than full coverage, which costs an average of $177 per month. Full coverage includes collision Collision covers damage to your car from a collision with another vehicle or object. and comprehensive Comprehensive covers your car for theft and damage from non-collision causes, like fire, flood and vandalism. , which cover your car for damage and theft.
Full coverage car insurance is not required by law in any state. However, you usually need it for a car loan or lease. It’s also good to have if your car is worth more than $5,000, even with no loan.
The average costs of liability insurance and full coverage differ by state. If you’re currently paying more than your state’s average for either, it’s a good time to shop around.
Liability vs. full coverage car insurance by state
| State | Liability | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $59 | $153 |
| Alaska | $48 | $135 |
| Arizona | $82 | $201 |
| Arkansas | $59 | $197 |
| California | $69 | $182 |
| Colorado | $78 | $238 |
| Connecticut | $128 | $265 |
| Delaware | $116 | $256 |
| Florida | $87 | $264 |
| Georgia | $68 | $155 |
| Hawaii | $46 | $126 |
| Idaho | $45 | $127 |
| Illinois | $61 | $154 |
| Indiana | $53 | $144 |
| Iowa | $36 | $149 |
| Kansas | $64 | $199 |
| Kentucky | $84 | $176 |
| Louisiana | $94 | $277 |
| Maine | $43 | $107 |
| Maryland | $84 | $172 |
| Massachusetts | $70 | $152 |
| Michigan | $78 | $218 |
| Minnesota | $68 | $194 |
| Mississippi | $59 | $176 |
| Missouri | $70 | $198 |
| Montana | $46 | $183 |
| Nebraska | $48 | $171 |
| Nevada | $147 | $280 |
| New Hampshire | $50 | $113 |
| New Jersey | $119 | $209 |
| New Mexico | $66 | $188 |
| New York | $92 | $192 |
| North Carolina | $60 | $124 |
| North Dakota | $43 | $158 |
| Ohio | $48 | $124 |
| Oklahoma | $55 | $193 |
| Oregon | $86 | $172 |
| Pennsylvania | $56 | $166 |
| Rhode Island | $94 | $224 |
| South Carolina | $66 | $152 |
| South Dakota | $31 | $177 |
| Tennessee | $53 | $150 |
| Texas | $79 | $199 |
| Utah | $90 | $193 |
| Vermont | $35 | $101 |
| Virginia | $67 | $132 |
| Washington | $71 | $188 |
| Washington, D.C. | $95 | $218 |
| West Virginia | $56 | $150 |
| Wisconsin | $41 | $146 |
| Wyoming | $27 | $111 |
How to get cheaper liability-only car insurance
Comparing quotes from several companies and asking about car insurance discounts are good ways to get cheaper liability car insurance.
Why you should compare quotes
Comparing car insurance quotes from a few different companies helps you find the cheapest current rates. Insurance companies often change the way they set your rate. A company that offered you a higher rate a few years ago may be a cheaper option today.
Your own rate qualifications can also change from time to time. You may get better rates now than you did before if:
- Your credit score has recently improved
- Two or three years have passed since your last ticket or accident
Best discounts for liability car insurance
The many discounts car insurance companies offer can add up to big savings. You can usually save the most by:
- Bundling policies: Most companies give you a generous discount for bundling auto and home or renters insurance policies.
- Joining a safe driver program: Several companies give you a discount for using their safe-driving app that tracks your driving. The safer you drive, the more you save.
- Getting good grades: Several companies give young drivers a good student discount for getting a B average or better. Allstate only requires a B- average.
- Taking a driving course: A driver training program often gets young drivers a discount. Older drivers often get a discount for taking a defensive driving course.
Frequently asked questions
Liability coverage is required by law in almost every state. Although each state has its own requirements, they usually include about:
- $20,000 to $30,000 in bodily injury liability per injured person
- $50,000 to $60,000 in bodily injury liability per accident
- $10,000 to $25,000 in property damage liability
You can find your state’s specific auto insurance requirements on your DMV’s website.
Liability car insurance costs $68 per month, on average.
What you pay for liability insurance depends on many factors, though, including where you buy it and where you live, as well as your age, gender, vehicle and more.
USAA has the cheapest liability car insurance, with an average rate of $39 per month, but only members of the military community qualify.
American Family has the cheapest liability insurance rates among companies available to everyone, at $51 per month.
If you have access to Erie, it’s even cheaper, with rates that average $44 per month, while Auto-Owners averages $51.
Liability-only car insurance is a policy that only covers injuries and damage you cause to others. In most states, this is all you need to drive legally.
Some states also require other coverages, like uninsured motorist and personal injury protection. These coverages are automatically included in your policy in states where they are required.
Liability-only car insurance may be all you need if your car is paid off and not worth much. It doesn’t provide much financial protection, but it lets you drive legally.
If you have a car loan, your lender will require you to get full coverage.
How we selected the cheapest car insurance companies
LendingTree uses insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services using publicly sourced insurance company filings. Rates are based on an analysis of hundreds of thousands of car insurance quotes for a typical driver. Prices are shown for comparative purposes only. Your own rates may be different.
Unless noted otherwise, quotes are for a full-coverage policy for a 30-year-old man with good credit and a clean driving record who drives a 2018 Honda CR-V EX.
Coverage limits
Minimum-liability policies provide liability coverage with the state’s required minimum limits.
Full-coverage policies include collision, comprehensive and liability coverage:
- Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $50,000
- Uninsured / underinsured motorist bodily injury: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident
- Collision: $500 deductible
- Comprehensive: $500 deductible
How we evaluated car insurance companies
Our team of insurance experts rated insurance companies based on several categories. These categories include average rates, discounts, coverage options, third-party customer service ratings and app/website experience. We weighted these categories based on what customers value in an insurance company.
For third-party customer service ratings, we included Complaint Index scores from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and financial strength ratings from A.M. Best. NAIC Complaint Index scores are used to determine how satisfied customers are with their claims, while financial strength ratings from A.M. Best reflect the ability to pay out claims.
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*USAA is only available to current and former members of the military as well as certain family members.