Cheap Montana Car Insurance Companies (2024)
- Geico has the cheapest liability-only car insurance quotes in Montana. Its rates average $36 a month.
- State Farm has Montana’s cheapest full-coverage car insurance, $141 a month.
- State Farm also has the cheapest car insurance for Montana drivers with a speeding ticket or DUI (driving under the influence).
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Montana
State Farm has the cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Montana, charging an average of $1,697 a year. This works out to $141 a month, which is 22% less than the state average of $181 a month.
USAA has Montana’s cheapest car insurance quotes overall. However, USAA is only available to the military community.
Full-coverage auto insurance rates
| Company | Annual rate | LendingTree score |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,697 |  |
| Geico | $2,046 |  |
| State average | $2,174 | NA |
| Progressive | $2,402 |  |
| Farmers | $3,858 |  |
| USAA* | $867 | |
Cheapest liability car insurance in Montana: Geico
Geico has the cheapest liability insurance quotes in Montana. Its rates average $432 a year, or $36 a month, which is 25% less than the state average.
Geico charges an average of 28% less than its next-cheapest competitor, State Farm.
Liability auto insurance rates
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| Geico | $432 |
| State average | $574 |
| State Farm | $603 |
| Progressive | $637 |
| Farmers | $1,031 |
| USAA* | $167 |
Liability-only auto insurance covers injuries and damage you cause to others in a car accident. It’s required by Montana law.
Full coverage includes collision and comprehensive, which cover damage to your own car. Although neither is required by law, you usually need both for a car loan or lease.
Cheapest rates for young drivers in Montana
Geico has the cheapest liability-only car insurance for teens in Montana. Its rates for 18-year-olds average $1,446 a year, or $121 a month. Progressive has the next-cheapest rates, $138 a month.
State Farm has Montana’s cheapest full-coverage car insurance for teens. These rates average $388 a month. This is 29% less than the next-cheapest rate, $547 a month from Geico.
Auto insurance rates for teen drivers
| Company | Annual rate liability | Annual rate full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Geico | $1,446 | $6,567 |
| Progressive | $1,656 | $6,636 |
| State Farm | $1,723 | $4,661 |
| State average | $1,784 | $6,214 |
| Farmers | $3,531 | $10,775 |
| USAA* | $564 | $2,430 |
Cheapest quotes after a speeding ticket in Montana: State Farm
State Farm has the cheapest car insurance quotes for Montana drivers with a speeding ticket. These rates average $1,871 a year for full coverage, or $156 a month. Geico is next-cheapest, charging an average of $220 a month.
A speeding ticket increases the average cost of auto insurance in Montana by 29% to $2,803 a year.
Cheapest car insurance after a speeding ticket
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,871 |
| Geico | $2,643 |
| State average | $2,803 |
| Progressive | $3,171 |
| Farmers | $5,199 |
| USAA* | $1,131 |
Cheapest Montana car insurance after an accident: State Farm
State Farm has Montana’s cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident. These rates average $2,384 a year for full coverage, or $199 a month. This is 25% less than the state average for drivers with an accident.
An at-fault accident raises car insurance rates in Montana by an average of 47% to $266 a month.
Cheapest car insurance after an accident
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $2,384 |
| State average | $3,189 |
| Geico | $3,506 |
| Progressive | $3,659 |
| Farmers | $5,259 |
| USAA* | $1,139 |
Best rates for Montana drivers with a DUI: State Farm
State Farm has the cheapest car insurance for Montana drivers with a DUI. These rates average $1,888 for full coverage, or $157 a month. This is 47% less than the state average.
Montana drivers with a DUI pay an average of $299 a month for full coverage. This is 65% higher than the state average for drivers with a clean record. You can often save money if you shop around for cheap car insurance with a DUI.
Cheapest car insurance after a DUI
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,888 |
| Progressive | $2,806 |
| State average | $3,588 |
| Farmers | $5,067 |
| Geico | $6,508 |
| USAA* | $1,670 |
Best rates for Montana drivers with bad credit: Geico
Geico has the best car insurance rates for Montana drivers with bad credit. These rates average $2,927 a year, or $244 a month. Thi is 21% less than the state average for drivers with bad credit.
Montana drivers with bad credit pay 71% more for car insurance than drivers with good credit.
Cheapest car insurance for bad credit
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| Geico | $2,927 |
| State average | $3,712 |
| Progressive | $3,759 |
| State Farm | $4,158 |
| Farmers | $5,968 |
| USAA* | $1,749 |
Montana car insurance rates by city
Among Montana’s largest cities, Missoula and Helena Valley West Central have the cheapest car insurance rates. The average price of full-coverage car insurance in both cities is $1,947 a year, or $162 a month. Drivers in Helena pay an average of $163 a month.
Whitefish has the highest insurance rate among large Montana cities, $181 a month. Drivers in Billings pay an average of $180 a month.
Montana car insurance rates by city
| City | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| Anaconda-Deer Lodge County | $1,968 |
| Belgrade | $1,988 |
| Billings | $2,163 |
| Bozeman | $2,007 |
| Butte | $2,019 |
| Evergreen | $2,161 |
| Great Falls | $2,042 |
| Havre | $2,099 |
| Helena | $1,958 |
| Helena Valley Southeast | $1,955 |
| Helena Valley West Central | $1,947 |
| Kalispell | $2,161 |
| Laurel | $2,155 |
| Lewistown | $2,055 |
| Livingston | $2,054 |
| Lockwood | $2,153 |
| Miles City | $2,117 |
| Missoula | $1,947 |
| Sidney | $2,035 |
| Whitefish | $2,171 |
Montana auto insurance laws
Driving without auto insurance is a misdemeanor under Montana law. The penalties for a first offense include a fine of up to $500 and up to 10 days in jail. The penalties for subsequent offenses include a driver’s license suspension, fine and possible jail time.
You have to show proof of insurance to law enforcement during a traffic stop or at an accident scene.
The state also uses an online insurance verification system. Insurance companies share basic customer data with the state’s Motor Vehicles Department (MVD). The MVD’s system triggers an alert if it can’t find a valid insurance policy for your vehicle.
Make sure your name and vehicle identification number (VIN) are listed accurately on your insurance documents and MVD records. Doing so helps you avoid hassles with the insurance verification system.
Minimum Montana car insurance requirements
The minimum amounts of car insurance you need to drive legally in Montana include:
- Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $20,000
The state also requires insurance companies to offer uninsured motorist coverage. Although you can decline this coverage, it’s usually worth keeping.
Uninsured motorist covers you and your passengers for injuries caused by a driver with no insurance. Nearly 9% of Montana drivers don’t have insurance, according to the Insurance Research Council (IRC).
How to get SR-22 insurance in Montana
Most Montana car insurance companies offer SR-22 insurance. An SR-22 is a form that certifies you have insurance. Your insurance company files it for you with the state when you buy your policy.
You usually need an SR-22 to reinstate your license after a violation like DUI, reckless driving or driving without insurance. It’s good to be upfront about an SR-22 requirement with your current insurance company and/or those you contact for quotes.
Some companies don’t offer SR-22 filings. Those that do usually add a filing fee of about $25 to your rate. The actual price you pay for SR-22 insurance depends on your driving record, your vehicle, credit and other factors. You usually need to shop around to get cheap SR-22 insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Car insurance costs an average of $181 a month for and $48 a month for minimum liability. You usually pay more if you have a prior offense on your driving record or bad credit. You may pay less if you have excellent credit.
Yes and no. Full-coverage car insurance in Montana is 10% higher than the national average of $164 a month. However, the state’s liability-only rate is 25% less than the national average of $64 a month.
No. Montana has at-fault car insurance laws. If you cause an accident, you are financially responsible for injuries and property damage you cause to other people. However, the amounts you owe may be reduced if the other driver is partially at fault.