Best Cheap Car Insurance in North Dakota for 2020

Because prices can vary dramatically from one company to the next, shopping around is key to finding cheap car insurance in North Dakota. Rates also depend on personal factors such as your age, accident history and credit.

To help you pinpoint the best deal for your circumstances, NerdWallet analyzed quotes from the 15 largest insurers in the state and found the five most affordable options for several motorist types.

Cheapest for good drivers in North Dakota

Here are the cheapest companies and average rates we found in North Dakota for folks with clean driving and credit histories seeking full coverage policies:

1. Nodak: $574 per year.
2. Geico: $878 per year.
3. American Family: $979 per year.
4. State Farm: $1,092 per year.
5. North Star: $1,102 per year.

Drivers with no recent accidents or violations can get cheaper car insurance rates for having good credit. For this calculation, NerdWallet averaged rates for 40-year-old men and women with a clean driving record and good credit. In terms of driving and credit history, a large portion of drivers are closest to this profile, which carries standard "full coverage" insurance, including comprehensive and collision, along with state-required coverage. Prices shown include a good driver discount, when available from the insurer.

Cheapest for minimum coverage in North Dakota

For North Dakotans with good credit and driving histories, here are the cheapest insurers and average rates for minimum required coverage in the state:

1. Nodak: $201 per year.
2. Geico: $260 per year.
3. North Star: $265 per year.
4. Grinnell: $300 per year.
5. State Farm: $341 per year.

We calculated these numbers by averaging rates for 40-year-old good drivers (earning them a discount if the insurer offers one) 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. If you're looking for the cheapest possible insurance you can get, though, you'll still want to get quotes from at least three auto insurers.

Cheapest for good drivers with poor credit

For North Dakotans with clean driving histories and spotty credit records, here are the cheapest companies and average rates for full coverage car insurance:

1. Nodak: $1,191 per year.
2. Geico: $1,323 per year.
3. American Family: $1,481 per year.
4. Nationwide: $1,650 per year.
5. North Star: $1,830 per year.

If you have a spotty credit history, it's important to shop around to find the cheapest auto insurance rates you can. Poor credit can have a bigger effect on car insurance premiums than even a DUI conviction or a recent at-fault crash, but prices vary by insurer. To calculate these figures, NerdWallet averaged rates for 40-year-olds with a clean driving record and associated good driver discount, if the insurer offered one. They had poor credit as reported to their insurer, and standard "full coverage" car insurance.

Cheapest for drivers with one at-fault crash

For North Dakota drivers with a recent at-fault accident on their records, here are the cheapest auto insurers, ranked by average rate for full coverage policies:

1. Nodak: $749 per year.
2. American Family: $1,020 per year.
3. State Farm: $1,382 per year.
4. Farmers Union: $1,668 per year.
5. Progressive: $1,811 per year.

After a relatively minor crash, some auto insurers will charge a lot more than others for coverage. To get these figures, we averaged rates for 40-year-olds with typical "full coverage" insurance and one recent at-fault crash costing $10,000 in property damage. 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 insurance after a DUI in North Dakota

Here are the cheapest insurers, ranked by average rate for full coverage, for drivers in North Dakota with a recent DUI:

1. Nodak: $896 per year.
2. American Family: $1,020 per year.
3. Grinnell: $1,195 per year.
4. Progressive: $1,348 per year.
5. State Farm: $1,589 per year.

A conviction for driving under the influence, or DUI, generally results in higher auto insurance premiums than before. NerdWallet analyzed rates for 40-year-old drivers and standard “full coverage” car insurance with a recent DUI conviction to see which companies were cheapest. Rates can vary by hundreds between carriers after a DUI, and some penalize for longer than others, so it’s important to shop around for the best price right after you see a price hike and each year after that.

Cheapest insurance after a ticket in North Dakota

These are the cheapest auto insurance companies we found in North Dakota for drivers seeking full coverage insurance after a recent speeding ticket:

1. Nodak: $681 per year.
2. American Family: $1,020 per year.
3. Grinnell: $1,195 per year.
4. State Farm: $1,265 per year.
5. Nationwide: $1,411 per year.

Getting a speeding ticket will result in higher car insurance rates from most companies for three to five years. To see who has the cheapest rates, we calculated average car insurance rates for 40-year-old drivers with “full coverage” insurance and a recent ticket for speeding 16 mph over the limit. Though these larger companies were the cheapest we found on average, others may be cheaper for you, so be sure to get at least three quotes before deciding on a carrier.

Cheapest for couples and families in North Dakota

Combining car insurance policies can result in discounts singles can’t get, but each company figures pricing differently. For this reason, it’s best to shop and compare insurance quotes every time something major happens that could affect your price, such as a big move, new driver on the policy or marriage. To help North Dakota families on their quest for cheap insurance, NerdWallet looked at rates for couples with and without a teen driver on their policy, covering two vehicles instead of one.

Cheapest for a married couple in North Dakota

For a 50-year-old wife and husband with good credit and clean driving records, these are the cheapest auto insurers and average rates for two-vehicle policies with full coverage:

1. Nodak: $662 per year.
2. Geico: $1,057 per year.
3. Progressive: $1,265 per year.
4. American Family: $1,423 per year.
5. North Star: $1,463 per year.

Couples who live together can save on auto insurance by combining policies, whether they are married or not, because they can earn multi-car and multi-driver discounts. Once they tie the knot, rates can dip further, but not because of discounts — insurers see married people as less risky and so charge them lower rates. Our hypothetical 50-year-old couple’s clean driving record also earns them both a good driver discount.

Cheapest for families with a teen in North Dakota

For a 50-year-old married couple with an 18-year-old on a policy with two vehicles, here are the cheapest insurers and average rates for full coverage:

1. Nodak: $1,063 per year.
2. American Family: $2,133 per year.
3. Geico: $2,148 per year.
4. Farmers Union: $2,200 per year.
5. Progressive: $2,351 per year.

Taking that same couple and adding a teen with two years’ driving experience is sure to cause a big jump in rates. Since different insurers tend to see a teen’s inexperience in different ways, we analyzed rates to see which companies had the cheapest car insurance for teens. These rates are averaged for 50-year-old couples with male and female 18-year-old drivers across the state.

Cheapest for young drivers in North Dakota

Young drivers with fewer years of experience on the road can generally expect to pay more for car insurance than older drivers. However, each company considers that lack of experience differently into their rates, so drivers in their 20s would do well to shop and compare insurance quotes regularly. To give you a head start, NerdWallet analyzed rates for 25-year-old North Dakota drivers in a variety of scenarios to see which insurers had the best average rates.

Cheapest full coverage for young good drivers

For young North Dakota drivers with clean driving and credit histories, here are the cheapest insurers and average rates for full coverage auto policies:

1. Nodak: $635 per year.
2. North Star: $1,102 per year.
3. American Family: $1,107 per year.
4. State Farm: $1,300 per year.
5. Nationwide: $1,308 per year.

Drivers in their 20s can have a hard time finding cheap car insurance, and that's even truer when they need full coverage. The rates above are averages for 25-year-old male and female drivers all over the state with comprehensive and collision coverages, which are often required for drivers with active auto loans or leases. These rates reflect a good driver discount, but no others. Young drivers, like all drivers, should check several quotes to find the cheapest for the coverage levels they need.

Cheapest minimum coverage for young good drivers

For young drivers with good credit and no tickets or violations on their records, here are the cheapest companies and average rates we found for minimum required coverage in North Dakota:

1. Nodak: $227 per year.
2. North Star: $265 per year.
3. Grinnell: $349 per year.
4. Geico: $395 per year.
5. State Farm: $397 per year.

Since young people often have fewer assets to protect with liability insurance, they can usually get away with lower coverage limits. For an age group with relatively high insurance rates on average, that's good news, keeping rates as low as possible. For this price set, we averaged rates for 25-year-old male and female drivers living across the state who have clean driving records, good credit and bare-bones insurance coverage.

Poor credit and minimum coverage

For young North Dakotans with good driving records and blemished credit, here are the cheapest insurers and their average rates for minimum coverage policies:

1. North Star: $440 per year.
2. Nodak: $470 per year.
3. Geico: $486 per year.
4. Grinnell: $612 per year.
5. Nationwide: $754 per year.

Poor credit is common for younger folks just starting out, who may still be building their credit files. That can increase rates further, so it's extra important to shop around and compare as many insurance quotes as possible to find the cheapest you can get. For these prices, we averaged rates across the state for 25-year-old male and female drivers with no recent accidents or violations (earning them a good driver discount), minimum coverage car insurance, and credit in the "poor" tier as reported to an insurer.

Cheapest for minimum coverage after a crash

For young drivers with a recent at-fault accident on their records, here are the cheapest car insurance companies and average rates in North Dakota for minimum required coverage:

1. Nodak: $296 per year.
2. North Star: $450 per year.
3. American Family: $466 per year.
4. Grinnell: $523 per year.
5. State Farm: $538 per year.

To get prices for this group, we averaged rates for 25-year-old male and female drivers across the state with good credit and a recent at-fault crash costing $10,000 in property damage. Since car insurance is often pricier after a crash, and especially so for young drivers, we assumed minimum required insurance in the state to contain costs for our hypothetical driver. If you've caused a crash, no matter your age, be sure to check auto insurance quotes just after the third and fifth anniversaries of your incident, when insurers often adjust rates downward.

Cheapest for minimum coverage after a DUI

Here are the lowest average rates and companies providing them in North Dakota for young drivers with a recent DUI on their records:

1. Grinnell: $349 per year.
2. Nodak: $354 per year.
3. American Family: $466 per year.
4. Progressive: $586 per year.
5. Safeco: $640 per year.

Young drivers with a recent DUI on their records will need to be diligent to find the lowest car insurance rates they can get — it's likely that many companies' rates will be quite expensive. But spending the time to shop around for quotes can help you find the lowest. For this analysis, we averaged rates for male and female 25-year-old drivers with a recent on-record DUI. They had good credit and minimum required car insurance, which helps keep rates down.

Cheapest for minimum coverage and a ticket

For young drivers in North Dakota with a recent speeding ticket, here are the cheapest auto insurance companies and average rates for state-mandated minimum coverage:

1. Nodak: $269 per year.
2. Grinnell: $349 per year.
3. North Star: $389 per year.
4. American Family: $466 per year.
5. State Farm: $477 per year.

Getting a speeding ticket is never fun, and neither is the higher car insurance bill you may receive months later. At that point it's time to shop around for better rates, and it wouldn't hurt to repeat on your third and fifth ticket anniversaries, when insurers may adjust rates downward. We analyzed rates for 25-year-old male and female drivers with a recent speeding violation for going 16 mph over the speed limit to see prices for this group.

Cheap for military families

USAA, the company available only to active military, veterans and their families, offers very competitive insurance rates. Because it isn’t available to the general public we don’t rank it against other insurers, but USAA was among the five cheapest options in North Dakota for every driver category above.

» MORE: Best Insurance for Military and Veterans

Recap: Cheapest car insurance in North Dakota

• Good drivers: Nodak
• Minimum coverage: Nodak
• Poor credit: Nodak
• After an at-fault crash: Nodak
• After a DUI: Nodak
• After a speeding ticket: Nodak
• Married couples: Nodak
• Families with a teen: Nodak
• Young good drivers: Nodak
• Minimum coverage for young good drivers: Nodak
• Minimum coverage for young drivers with poor credit: North Star
• Minimum coverage for young drivers after a crash: Nodak
• Minimum coverage for young drivers after a DUI: Grinnell
• Minimum coverage for young drivers after a ticket: Nodak

» MORE: Compare car insurance

Minimum required auto insurance in North Dakota

North Dakota car insurance policies must include liability insurance, uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage and personal injury protection.

Here are the minimum coverage limits you must select for each:

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person.
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per crash.
• $25,000 property damage liability per crash.
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury per person.
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury per crash.
• $30,000 personal injury protection.

Although choosing the bare minimum will allow you drive legally, it may not be enough to pay for damages if you cause an accident. Check out NerdWallet’s guide to minimum car insurance requirements by state for more detail about coverage options for your North Dakota auto policy.

Alternative car insurance for high-risk drivers

If you’ve been denied car insurance because of bad credit, multiple at-fault crashes or other factors, you can apply for coverage through the North Dakota Automobile Insurance Plan.

For more help finding cheap car insurance in North Dakota, try NerdWallet’s car insurance comparison tool.

Methodology

For our “good driver” profile, NerdWallet averaged rates from the largest insurers in the state for 40-year-old men and women in all ZIP codes with 12,000 annual miles driven. The policy includes:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person.
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident.
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident.
• $100,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person.
• $300,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident.
• Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible.
• Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible.

If required, minimum additional coverages were added. Our “young driver” had all the same characteristics, but average rates were for 25-year-old men and women. We used the same assumptions for all other driver profiles, with the following exceptions:

• For drivers with minimum coverage, we adjusted the numbers above to reflect minimum required coverage by law in the state.
• We changed the credit tier from “good” to “poor” as reported to the insurer to see rates for drivers with poor credit.
• For drivers with one at-fault crash, we added a single at-fault crash costing $10,000 in property damage.
• For drivers with a ticket, we added a single speeding violation for driving 16 mph over the speed limit.
• For drivers with a DUI, we added a single drunken driving violation.

We used a 2016 Toyota Camry LE for all single drivers. Couples in our analyses were 50-year-old men and women with good credit and clean driving histories, averaged across all ZIP codes with the same policy outlined above. To see rates for families with a teen, we added an 18-year-old licensed two years ago, averaging rates for male and female teens. For couples and families we added a 2016 Nissan Rogue S to create a two-car household. These are rates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different.