Affordable High-Risk Auto Insurance
- Expertise: Auto insurance, home insurance and renters insurance
- Education: Sonoma State University (BA in English)
Aaron Besson has worked at LendingTree for more than seven years and has been a staff writer for the last five years. He specializes in producing research-backed content about auto, home and renters insurance. Aaron enjoys the deep dig into insurance data to get the right answers to hard questions. His work has been cited by CBS, iHeart Radio, the Sacramento Bee and Yahoo.
Chloe Della Costa is a freelance copy editor and writer with a degree from Bard College. She specializes in copy editing and fact-checking content related to personal finance, insurance, and business.
Your premium will generally be higher if you have a traffic ticket, accident or DUI (driving under the influence) on your record. And it’s not just about “bad driving” either — teens are also considered high-risk, even if they have a completely clean driving history.
However, not all auto insurance companies weigh these factors equally, and you can use this to your advantage as you shop for the cheapest high-risk auto insurance for you.
High-risk car insurance after a speeding ticket
Looking at the top car insurance companies available to most drivers in the country, State Farm has the cheapest average rate after a ticket of $1,625 a year.
Actually, USAA has a lower average rate, but in order to qualify, you will need to be an active or former member of the military or an immediate relative.
Cheapest car insurance companies after a ticket
| Company | Average rate with clean record | Average rate with one ticket | % difference in cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,496 | $1,625 | 9% |
| Geico | $1,936 | $2,488 | 29% |
| Progressive | $2,028 | $2,602 | 28% |
| Allstate | $2,605 | $3,072 | 18% |
| USAA* | $1,207 | $1,461 | 21% |
*USAA is only available to current and retired military and their families.
A first-time speeding ticket has the least influence on your insurance of the bad driving factors providers look at, but it still puts you in the high-risk driver category.
We found that drivers with a speeding ticket on their record pay an average of 20% more for their car insurance than those with a clean record.
A speeding ticket stays on your record for three to five years. You’ll see higher rates during this time. Possible 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
Of the car insurance companies available to most high-risk drivers, State Farm has the cheapest average rate of $1,853 after an accident.
Cheapest car insurance companies after an accident
| Company | Average rate with clean record | Average rate with one accident | % difference in cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,496 | $1,853 | 24% |
| Progressive | $2,028 | $3,018 | 49% |
| Geico | $1,936 | $3,341 | 73% |
| Allstate | $2,605 | $4,116 | 58% |
| USAA* | $1,207 | $1,664 | 38% |
After an accident, you can expect to pay an average of 40% more for your car insurance.
An accident stays on your record for three to five years, along with the rate increase. If a car insurer sees you as more likely to make a claim, then expect to pay extra with high-risk insurance rates.
How a DUI affects your car insurance
Among the major car insurance companies, Progressive has the lowest rate of $2,545 a year after a conviction for driving under the influence.
Cheapest car insurance companies after a DUI
| Company | Average rate with clean record | Average rate with one DUI | % difference in cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $2,028 | $2,545 | 25% |
| Allstate | $2,605 | $3,870 | 49% |
| State Farm | $1,496 | $4,306 | 188% |
| Geico | $1,936 | $4,584 | 137% |
| USAA* | $1,207 | $2,259 | 87% |
Other than teens, drivers with a DUI see the highest car insurance rates of any subgroup. After a DUI, you see an average 97% increase in your auto insurance premiums.
Car insurance companies consider drivers with a DUI very high risk. It’s not uncommon to see coverage declined or canceled after a DUI.
A DUI can stay on your record for five to 10 years, depending on your home state. During this time you will pay higher rates for car insurance if you can find coverage.
On top of higher rates, a DUI can result in penalties such as fines, jail time and license suspension. Depending on your state, you may have to file an SR-22 to get your license back.
High-risk auto insurance for young drivers
Teen drivers pay the cheapest rate for car insurance with State Farm, with an average annual rate of $4,078.
Cheapest car insurance companies for teen drivers
| Company | 30-year-old driver | 18-year-old driver | % difference in cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,496 | $4,078 | 173% |
| Geico | $1,936 | $4,866 | 151% |
| Allstate | $2,605 | $7,405 | 184% |
| Progressive | $2,028 | $8,187 | 304% |
| USAA* | $1,207 | $2,753 | 128% |
Due to their lack of experience driving, increasing the chances of a claim, teen drivers pay the highest car insurance rates of any age group. Rates will decrease as you get older and keep a clean driving record.
Cheap auto insurance with poor credit
For drivers living in a state that uses credit ratings to calculate car insurance premiums, Geico has the cheapest annual rate of $3,071 if you have poor credit.
Cheapest car insurance companies for poor credit
| Company | Average rate with good credit | Average rate with poor credit | % difference in cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geico | $1,936 | $3,071 | 59% |
| Progressive | $2,028 | $3,435 | 69% |
| Allstate | $2,605 | $4,179 | 60% |
| State Farm | $1,496 | $5,529 | 270% |
| USAA* | $1,207 | $2,167 | 80% |
Some companies correlate a poor credit score with a higher chance of filing a claim. This results in higher car insurance rates.
This practice is controversial, and some states have either prohibited the practice or restricted its use. These states include:
- California
- Hawaii
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Oregon
- Utah
- Washington
How to keep high-risk auto insurance cheap
While finding car insurance if you’re a high-risk driver can be difficult, there are some steps you can take to make it more affordable.
class=”h3-underline”Compare quotes
Providers put different risk weights on different parts of your driving history when calculating your car insurance quote.
One company may think that a speeding ticket on your record is more serious than another one. By comparing quotes from several providers, you can find the cheapest company for your needs.
Raise your deductible
The higher you set your deductible, the lower your annual premium is. This is an excellent way to reduce your car insurance costs if you can keep a clean record.
If you can afford to pay a high deductible in the event of filing a claim, it can save you money over the years.
Use discounts
Car insurance policy offerings between providers don’t usually vary much. This results in car insurance companies offering cost-saving discounts to compete.
When looking at a car insurance company, make sure to see all the discounts it offers for you to take advantage of.
Take a defensive driving course
Some car insurance companies offer discounts for completing a qualified defensive driving course.
On top of saving you money, taking the driving course can help you spot negative driving habits and avoid driving mishaps in the future.
Methodology
Unless stated otherwise, we looked at thousands of car insurance quotes from across the country for a 30-year-old man with good credit and no tickets, accidents or convictions for driving under the influence, using a 2015 Honda Civic EX.
The following coverage limits were used:
- Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $25,000
- Uninsured motorist: $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident, where required by law
- Personal injury protection: Minimum limits, where required by law
- Collision: $500 deductible
- Comprehensive: $500 deductible