Best Cheap Car Insurance in Colorado for 2019

Car insurance rates can fluctuate greatly from one insurance company to the next and depending on personal factors such as your age, ZIP code, driving record and credit history.

To help you narrow the field and find the cheapest car insurance in Colorado, we researched rates from the nine largest insurers in the state and found the most affordable options for several driver types.

» FIND YOUR MATCH: Who’s the cheapest carrier for you?

Cheapest for good drivers

State Farm was the cheapest carrier we found for Colorado drivers with clean records, at $118 per month, on average. Allstate and American Family come in second and third, respectively.

For this calculation, NerdWallet averaged rates for 40-year-old men and women with a clean driving record and good credit. With the exception of age, a large portion of drivers are closest to this profile, which carries standard "full coverage" insurance, including state-required coverage.

Cheapest for drivers with poor credit

For Coloradans with spotty credit, State Farm was the cheapest auto insurer we found, with an average price of $219 per month. American Family was a close second at a buck more per month, followed by Esurance.

Poor credit can have a bigger effect on car insurance premiums than even a DUI conviction or a recent accident. To calculate these figures, NerdWallet averaged rates for 40-year-olds with a clean driving record, poor credit as reported to their insurer, and standard "full coverage" insurance.

Cheapest for drivers with one at-fault crash

Colorado drivers with a recent at-fault accident on record might want to look into State Farm, which had an average rate of $138 per month for this group. American Family and Allstate, with average prices of more than $200 per month,  round out the list.

To get these figures, we averaged rates for 40-year-olds with one recent at-fault crash and the typical "full coverage" insurance. Your rates will remain high for three to five years after you cause an accident or have a moving violation. If you fall into this category, be sure to shop for new insurance rates just after the three-year and five-year anniversaries of your infraction.

Cheapest for low-mileage drivers

Low-mileage drivers in Colorado can get a little price break from State Farm, which had an average quote of $107 per month for this group. That’s also true for second-placed American Family, but not for Allstate, which comes in third and charges the same average rate for this group as for regular-mileage drivers.

Whether you're retired, work at home or often use public transportation, you may be able to get cheaper car insurance simply because you drive less. The rates above are for 40-year-olds with typical "full coverage" insurance and a clean driving record who drive 5,000 miles per year instead of the standard 12,000.

Cheapest for minimum coverage

Safeco was the cheapest carrier we found for minimum coverage in Colorado, at about $39 per month, on average. State Farm and Progressive round out the cheapest three, showing you can get minimal auto insurance in the Centennial State for roughly $50 per month or less.

We calculated these numbers by averaging rates for 40-year-old good drivers who have only the minimum mandatory insurance in their state. Such light coverage isn't typically recommended, since it might not cover all the bills resulting from a car accident, but it's better than nothing — especially if you can't afford much more.

Cheap for military families

If you’re an active member of the military or a veteran, or if you have an immediate family member who is, you can get a relatively low rate with USAA insurance, which isn’t available to the general public. USAA was the cheapest option overall for every category listed above, sometimes by a significant amount.

Minimum auto insurance limits required in Colorado

Colorado drivers are required to carry liability insurance, which helps pay for others’ injuries or property damage if you’re responsible for a crash.

The minimum coverage levels you must buy in Colorado are:

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person.
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident.
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident.

But it’s often best to buy more than the bare minimum to avoid being left vulnerable to lawsuits or major accident bills. You also want to consider other coverage types such as collision and comprehensive, which pay for damage to or theft of your own car.

Check out NerdWallet’s guide to state car insurance requirements.

Alternative car insurance in Colorado

Colorado drivers who can’t get coverage on the open market because of past crashes or other factors can apply for coverage through the Colorado Motor Vehicle Plan.

For more help finding Colorado car insurance at the most competitive price, try NerdWallet’s comparison shopping tool.

Here’s a summary of where you’ll find the cheapest car insurance in Colorado, by category:

Cheapest car insurance in Colorado