Cheap High-Risk Auto Insurance
State Farm, Progressive and Geico all offer cheap car insurance rates for high-risk drivers. This is important because you’ll usually pay more for car insurance with a traffic ticket, accident or DUI on your record.
Not all auto insurance companies treat these risks equally, though. You can use this to your advantage as you shop for the cheapest high-risk auto insurance.
Best cheap high-risk car insurance quotes
Cheap high-risk car insurance after a speeding ticket
At $1,755 a year, State Farm has the cheapest average car insurance rate after a speeding ticket.
USAA is even cheaper, but to qualify you need to be an active or former member of the military or related to someone who is.
High-risk car insurance after a speeding ticket
| Company | Average rate with clean record | Average rate with one ticket | % difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | State Farm | $1,604 | $1,755 | 9% |
 | Progressive | $2,078 | $2,728 | 31% |
 | Geico | $2,109 | $2,763 | 31% |
 | Nationwide | $2,402 | $3,178 | 32% |
 | Allstate | $2,960 | $3,513 | 19% |
 | Farmers | $3,462 | $4,589 | 33% |
 | USAA* | $1,322 | $1,603 | 21% |
*USAA is only available to current and retired military and their families.
A first-time speeding ticket usually has the smallest impact on your insurance rate of the bad-driving factors companies look at, but it still makes you a high-risk driver.
We found that drivers with a speeding ticket on their records pay an average of 11% more for their car insurance than those with clean records.
A speeding ticket stays on your record for three to five years. You’ll typically pay higher car insurance rates during this time. Some ways to get a ticket off your record include:
- Contesting it in court
- Passing a certified safety driving course
- Asking for deferral
Cheapest auto insurance with an accident on your record
State Farm also has the cheapest car insurance for most drivers after an accident, with rates that average $1,846 a year.
After an accident, you can expect to pay about 40% more for car insurance. State Farm’s rate only goes up 15% after an accident, on average.
An accident usually stays on your record for three to five years. The same is true of your rate increase.
Cheapest car insurance companies after an accident
| Company | Average rate with clean record | Average rate with one accident | % difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,604 | $1,846 | 15% |
| Progressive | $2,078 | $3,102 | 49% |
| Geico | $2,109 | $3,634 | 72% |
| Nationwide | $2,402 | $3,853 | 60% |
| Allstate | $2,960 | $4,709 | 59% |
| Farmers | $3,462 | $5,535 | 60% |
| USAA* | $1,322 | $1,809 | 37% |
How a DUI affects your car insurance
Among widely available car insurance companies, Progressive has the lowest car insurance rate of $2,656 a year after a DUI conviction.
State Farm is next for most drivers with a DUI. Its average DUI car insurance rate is $3,901 a year, though, which is 47% higher than what Progressive charges.
Cheapest car insurance companies after a DUI
| Company | Average rate with clean record | Average rate with one DUI | % difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $2,078 | $2,656 | 28% |
| State Farm | $1,604 | $3,901 | 143% |
| Allstate | $2,960 | $4,680 | 58% |
| Geico | $2,109 | $5,067 | 140% |
| Farmers | $3,462 | $5,307 | 53% |
| Nationwide | $2,402 | $5,332 | 122% |
| USAA* | $1,322 | $2,576 | 95% |
Car insurance companies consider drivers with a DUI (driving under the influence) conviction to be very high risk. It’s not uncommon for companies to decline or cancel coverage after a DUI.
Also, a DUI can stay on your record for five to 10 years, depending on where you live. You will pay higher rates for car insurance during this time, if you can find coverage.
On top of higher rates, a DUI can result in fines, jail time and license suspension. You may have to file an SR-22 to get your license back, too.
High-risk auto insurance for young drivers
Teen drivers pay the cheapest car insurance rates with State Farm, at an average of $4,577 a year. Geico comes in second at $5,590 a year. This is 22% more than State Farm’s average teen car insurance rate.
Teen drivers with military ties should definitely get a quote from USAA, as its average rate is 30% cheaper than State Farm’s.
Cheapest car insurance companies for teen drivers
| Company | 30-year-old driver | 18-year-old driver | % difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,604 | $4,577 | 185% |
| Geico | $2,109 | $5,590 | 165% |
| Nationwide | $2,402 | $8,214 | 242% |
| Progressive | $2,078 | $8,434 | 306% |
| Allstate | $2,960 | $8,547 | 189% |
| Farmers | $3,462 | $11,931 | 245% |
| USAA* | $1,322 | $3,188 | 141% |
Teen drivers pay the highest car insurance rates of any age group because of their lack of driving experience. Your rate will go down as you get older if you keep a clean driving record.
Cheap auto insurance with poor credit
Drivers with poor credit can find the cheapest car insurance from Geico, where rates average $3,409 a year.
Both Nationwide and Progressive are close behind for bad-credit car insurance. Nationwide’s average rate is $3,533 a year, while Progressive’s is $3,621.
Cheapest car insurance companies for poor credit
| Company | Average rate with good credit | Average rate with poor credit | % difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geico | $2,109 | $3,409 | 62% |
| Nationwide | $2,402 | $3,533 | 47% |
| Progressive | $2,078 | $3,621 | 74% |
| Allstate | $2,960 | $4,855 | 64% |
| Farmers | $3,462 | $6,003 | 73% |
| State Farm | $1,604 | $6,484 | 304% |
| USAA* | $1,322 | $2,418 | 83% |
Some companies tie bad credit to having a higher chance of filing a claim. This is why drivers with bad credit often pay higher car insurance rates.
These states either restrict or prohibit companies from using your credit history to set your car insurance rate:
- California
- Hawaii
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Oregon
- Utah
- Washington
Who is a high-risk driver?
Companies often see these drivers as being more likely to file a car insurance claim:
- Drivers with speeding tickets on their records
- Drivers who’ve been involved in an accident
- Drivers with DUIs
- Drivers with poor credit
- Teen drivers
If you fall into any of these categories, car insurance companies may consider you a high-risk driver and charge you a higher rate. How much more you pay varies based on factors like the type and severity of the risk.
In many cases, your risk to an insurer will go down with time. This means that you could see cheaper car insurance rates again in the future.
What if I can’t get high-risk car insurance?
If you can’t get a high-risk car insurance policy, you have a few other options. These include:
Contact your state’s insurance commission
Many states have programs to make sure drivers have at least the minimum amount of liability car insurance state law requires. You can find out about your state’s program and the criteria for approval through your state insurance commission.
These programs usually only provide liability car insurance. It can also be much more expensive than a standard liability coverage policy.
Get on a family member’s policy
See if a family member will add you to their current auto insurance policy. Insurance companies usually allow this, though you might need to live with the policyholder.
This will raise the family member’s car insurance rate. Also, if either of you files a claim down the road, it will affect both of your insurance histories.
How to keep high-risk auto insurance cheap
Finding cheap car insurance as a high-risk driver can be difficult, but there are steps you can take to make it more affordable.
Compare quotes
What you pay for car insurance depends on many different factors, like the car you drive, where you live and your driving and insurance histories.
Companies don’t all look at these factors the same way when coming up with your car insurance quote. One insurer may think a speeding ticket on your record is a bigger deal than another one, for instance.
This is why it’s so important to compare car insurance quotes from several companies before you buy or renew a policy. It helps you see which company will offer you the cheapest rates for your needs.
Raise your deductible
The higher you set your car insurance deductible, the lower your premium will be. This can be a good way to lower your car insurance costs. Just make sure you can afford to pay the deductible if you need to file a claim.
Use discounts
One of the best ways to save money as any type of driver is to look for car insurance discounts. Different companies offer different discounts, so shopping around and seeing what’s available is often worth the effort.
If you can’t tell which discounts you qualify for with a company, talk with an agent. They will be able to help.
Take a defensive driving course
Some car insurance companies will give you a discount for completing a qualified defensive driving course.
On top of saving you money, taking the course can help you spot bad driving habits and avoid driving incidents in the future.