Shopping for car insurance and getting a good deal can seem confusing, if not impossible. Lots of of car insurance companies sell the same basic thing — but quoted prices can vary by hundreds of dollars a year from one insurer to the next.
One way to get a sense of a “normal rate” for someone like you is by estimating your car insurance costs with a calculator. Enter your ZIP code below and NerdWallet’s cost estimator can show you what drivers in your area may expect to pay.
NerdWallet's car insurance calculator
Enter your ZIP code to find the average monthly car insurance rate for your area. Rates are for policies that include full coverage for a 35-year-old driver with good credit and a clean driving record.
Average monthly car insurance rate in your ZIP code:
$0What do you need to estimate your car insurance costs?
NerdWallet’s car insurance calculator is pretty simple: All you need to share is your ZIP code. But to get a car insurance quote — a more personalized estimate of what you could pay — you’ll also need to know:
Driver information. Insurers will want to know the name, birthday and even license numbers of every driver in your house. You’ll also need to know details about their driving histories.
Vehicle details. Be prepared to give the make, model and year for every car you need to cover. Insurers often ask for a VIN number (your car’s unique ID). You can probably find the VIN on your car’s windshield or door jamb, or on its title.
Insurance history. Insurers will want to know how long you’ve been insured for and whether you have a current insurance company.
Desired coverage. You’ll probably have to select the amount of insurance you want to buy, and sometimes the amount you currently have, before you get an estimate. An insurer will also want to know whether you need to buy homeowners, renters or another type of policy too. You may get a discount for bundling multiple insurance policies with the same company.
How is car insurance calculated?
The cost of car insurance is different for every driver because of how companies calculate rates. Insurers set rates based on lots of very specific details, including things like where you park your car and the number of miles you drive in a day.
Each of these small details play a part in shaping your individual rate. This makes calculating rates difficult without getting your own car insurance quote.
Here are a few important factors that influence your car insurance estimates:
Your age and driving experience
A young, newly licensed driver almost always pays more for car insurance than someone who’s spent decades behind the wheel.
Your coverage
Insurers calculate rates based on the amount of car insurance a driver gets. A strong policy has more coverage, but costs more.
Your driving record
A recent accident or ticket usually means a driver’s rates will be more expensive than average.
Where you live
State, city and even neighborhood can all affect how car insurance companies calculate rates.
Your insurance history
A lapse or gap in someone’s insurance history, the amount of time they’ve had insurance and their claims history all differently affect their rates.
Your credit score
In most states, car insurance companies calculate rates using credit-based insurance scores. Drivers with poor credit often see the highest rates.
How much should you pay for car insurance?
A driver’s best and cheapest car insurance rate is different for everyone. While a car insurance estimate is one good way to know what you might pay for a policy, there are other ways to begin to plan for what car insurance should cost a driver like you.
You can estimate insurance costs by checking what drivers like you pay
Credit history Full coverage Minimum coverage Good $2,320 $624 Poor $3,924 $1,011 These are average rates according to NerdWallet’s June 2026 rates analysis. Rates are for a 35-year-old driver with good credit and a clean driving record.
Driver profile Full coverage rate Minimum coverage rate Clean driving record, good credit $2,320 $624 One speeding ticket, good credit $2,963 $796 One at-fault crash, good credit $3,449 $909 One DUI, good credit $4,379 $1,202 Clean driving record, poor credit $3,924 $1,011 These are average rates according to NerdWallet’s June 2026 rates analysis. Rates are for a 35-year-old driver with good credit and a clean driving record.
State Median full coverage rate Median minimum coverage rate Alabama $2,196 $471 Alaska $1,856 $403 Arizona $2,940 $908 Arkansas $2,638 $524 California $1,898 $600 Colorado $3,197 $728 Connecticut $2,714 $998 Delaware $2,579 $994 Florida $4,037 $1,014 Georgia $3,246 $1,055 Hawaii $1,998 $603 Idaho $1,832 $398 Illinois $2,436 $700 Indiana $1,985 $516 Iowa $2,179 $390 Kansas $2,554 $583 Kentucky $3,119 $752 Louisiana $4,484 $1,206 Maine $1,598 $476 Maryland $2,788 $1,063 Massachusetts $1,851 $613 Michigan $3,068 $715 Minnesota $2,478 $605 Mississippi $2,485 $588 Missouri $2,794 $746 Montana $2,776 $507 Nebraska $1,993 $392 Nevada $2,846 $899 New Hampshire $1,555 $455 New Jersey $3,835 $1,485 New Mexico $2,258 $473 New York $2,701 $936 North Carolina $1,793 $640 North Dakota $2,160 $440 Ohio $1,749 $475 Oklahoma $2,528 $464 Oregon $2,132 $976 Pennsylvania $2,256 $443 Rhode Island $2,670 $769 South Carolina $2,508 $734 South Dakota $2,166 $337 Tennessee $2,130 $510 Texas $3,276 $999 Utah $2,297 $867 Vermont $1,484 $413 Virginia $2,071 $775 Washington $2,357 $677 Washington, D.C. $2,533 $1,082 West Virginia $2,074 $566 Wisconsin $2,248 $511 Wyoming $1,148 $192 These are average rates according to NerdWallet’s June 2026 rates analysis. Rates are for a 35-year-old driver with good credit and a clean driving record.
More Nerdy Perspective
Part of estimating what you’ll pay for car insurance involves thinking about the coverage you want, not just what you need. My wife and I share a leased vehicle, and both of us are in our 30s with clean driving records. We should be able to get some of the cheapest car insurance rates in our state. But I still decided to increase our coverage limits and pay an extra $20 a month to make sure my family (and specifically my kids) wouldn’t have to worry about our finances if we were in a serious accident. For me, that added cost is worth being able to drive with a sense of confidence in our financial security.
Part of estimating what you’ll pay for car insurance involves thinking about the coverage you want, not just what you need. My wife and I share a leased vehicle, and both of us are in our 30s with clean driving records. We should be able to get some of the cheapest car insurance rates in our state. But I still decided to increase our coverage limits and pay an extra $20 a month to make sure my family (and specifically my kids) wouldn’t have to worry about our finances if we were in a serious accident. For me, that added cost is worth being able to drive with a sense of confidence in our financial security.
Drew Gula
Part of estimating what you’ll pay for car insurance involves thinking about the coverage you want, not just what you need. My wife and I share a leased vehicle, and both of us are in our 30s with clean driving records. We should be able to get some of the cheapest car insurance rates in our state. But I still decided to increase our coverage limits and pay an extra $20 a month to make sure my family (and specifically my kids) wouldn’t have to worry about our finances if we were in a serious accident. For me, that added cost is worth being able to drive with a sense of confidence in our financial security.
Tips to lower your car insurance estimate
A car insurance calculator may show you an estimate that’s higher than you expected. While no one likes high prices, the good news is that you might be able to lower your estimate and get cheaper quotes with a few tricks.
Shop for car insurance regularly. Shopping around for coverage can help you avoid paying more than you need to. We recommend getting quotes at least once a year before you renew your policy. That way, you can continue to get a good deal.
Choose the right amount of coverage. This is a great tip if you drive an older car. Newly financed or leased cars usually need more coverage because of lenders' requirements. But if you’ve had your car for a while, you might be paying for coverage you don’t need anymore. If that’s true, then you might be able to adjust your policy and lower your rates.
Consider usage-based car insurance. Many insurers offer usage-based car insurance as an alternative to regular plans. In these programs, you’d agree to share details about your driving with your insurer, usually through a mobile app. Good driving habits could lead to better rates, but it’s worth noting that your insurance could get more expensive depending on how well you drive.
Change the deductibles on your estimate. In car insurance, a deductible is the amount that you promise to pay in the event of a future claim. Increasing your insurance deductible (or dropping the coverage that requires a deductible) will make your estimate go down — but increase your deductible too much and it could get tough to make claims.
Take advantage of bundling discounts. You can usually get a cheaper insurance estimate if you bundle your auto insurance with a home, renters or even life insurance policy from the same company. Most insurers ask if you’re interested in multiple policies when you start the quote process.
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.
Frequently asked questions
We recommend comparing quotes at least once a year from a handful of car insurance companies. Because insurance companies calculate costs differently, rates can vary from driver to driver. In fact, your insurer might not be the best deal anymore, even if details about you and your vehicle haven’t changed since your last policy renewal.
The company that offers you the cheapest car insurance will depend on your vehicle, driving history, age, location and many more details. We regularly analyze average rates for common driver profiles, but there’s never one specific company that's always the cheapest for everyone.
Each state sets its own insurance requirements, including a minimum amount of coverage drivers must have to legally drive. Your state’s requirements will affect the amount of insurance you need, but that’s not the only factor. If you have a loan or lease agreement on your car, you may need to get even more coverage than what your state requires.
If you drive a newer car, we also recommend comprehensive and collision coverage. They are often referred to as full coverage when grouped with liability coverage. Having all three coverages would pay for damage to your own car in most situations.
Methodology
NerdWallet averaged rates based on public filings obtained by pricing analytics company Quadrant Information Services. We examined rates for 35-year-old men and women for all ZIP codes in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Unless otherwise stated, our analysis was based on our base driver profile, which has the following characteristics and coverage levels:
35 years old
Single. Male or female.
2023 Toyota Camry LE
12,000 annual miles driven.
Good driving record and credit
No moving violations.
"Good driving" discount applied.
Good credit-based insurance score.
Bodily injury liability coverage
$100,000 per person. $300,000 per crash.
Property damage liability coverage
$50,000 per crash.
Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage
$100,000 per person. $300,000 per crash.
Collision coverage
With a $1,000 deductible.
Comprehensive coverage
With a $1,000 deductible.
For all other driver profiles, we used the same assumptions, with the following exceptions:
We changed the credit tier from “good” to “poor,” as reported to the insurer, to see rates for drivers with poor credit. These rates are based on credit score approximations and do not account for proprietary scoring criteria used by insurance providers.
For drivers with one at-fault crash, we added a single at-fault crash that happened six months ago, resulting in $10,000 in property damage and no bodily injury claim.
For drivers with a DUI, we added a single drunken driving violation that happened six months ago.
For drivers with a ticket, we added a single speeding violation for driving 16 mph over the speed limit.
For young drivers, we considered 20-year-olds with good credit and no driving violations.
For millennial drivers, we considered 40-year-olds with good credit and no driving violations.
For senior drivers, we considered 70-year-olds with good credit and no driving violations.
These are median rates, and your rate will vary based on your personal details, state and insurance provider. Sample drivers had the minimum required coverage by law in each state. Some policies include additional coverage at the insurer’s discretion.
Although it’s one of the largest insurers in the country, Liberty Mutual is not included in our rates analysis due to a lack of publicly available information.