Best Cheap Car Insurance in Ohio for 2017

Cheap car insurance in Ohio isn’t always easy to find. Prices vary quite a bit depending on the insurance company you get a quote from, as well as personal factors such as your age and credit history.

To help Ohioans navigate the car insurance market quickly, NerdWallet researched rates from the 10 largest insurers in the state and found the three cheapest options for these driver categories:

Good drivers

Young drivers

Drivers with one at-fault crash

Drivers with poor credit

Retired drivers

Also in this article

Minimum car insurance requirements in Ohio

Alternative car insurance in Ohio

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

Cheapest for good drivers

For drivers with no at-fault accidents, DUIs or moving violations.

The average for good drivers among the three cheapest insurers was about $684 per year — the lowest of any state for this type of motorist, according to NerdWallet research. Grange and Erie had the two cheapest prices with almost identical rates, followed by State Farm.

Cheapest for young drivers

For drivers in their early 20s.

Drivers in their early 20s are just starting out and usually don’t need as much coverage as older motorists who have families to protect or significant savings to lose in a crash lawsuit. We gathered rates for young drivers carrying the minimum required coverage and found pretty cheap car insurance in Ohio.

Grange fetched the lowest average price at $258 a year, followed by Erie and State Farm. All three companies had estimates that were cheaper than the best deal we found for 30-year-old good drivers who had full coverage.

Cheapest for drivers with one at-fault crash

Causing a crash almost always results in a price increase when you renew your policy. This is a good time to shop around and see if you can find better quotes elsewhere, since companies often have very different rates for drivers with crashes on their records.

For example, Erie had the best deal for this group at $783 per year. That’s $224 more than the lowest average price we found for drivers of the same age with no crashes. The next cheapest estimate was $1,062 per year from State Farm, which is $503 higher than the best rate for crash-free motorists.

Cheapest for drivers with poor credit

For drivers placed in the “poor credit” tier.

Many insurers consider credit-based insurance scores a useful indicator of how likely customers are to file future claims. This explains why people with poor credit tend to have trouble getting cheap car insurance in Ohio.

Grange had the lowest rate at $890 a year. That’s $331 more than the cheapest price we found for drivers with good credit and $107 higher than the best deal available for those with an at-fault crash. Geico was the next most affordable option for motorists with credit issues, with an average quote about $42 per month more than Grange’s.

Cheapest for retired drivers

For drivers in their mid- to late 60s who no longer use their car for commuting.

Because they spend less time behind the wheel than folks who commute, retirees can find cheaper car insurance than most other motorists, even ones half their age.

We collected rates for retired drivers who use their car 50% less during the year than other groups. The lowest average quote was $477 from Erie, $82 cheaper than the best deal we found for 30-year-old good drivers who commute daily. Grange and State Farm were the next cheapest options, respectively.

Minimum car insurance requirements in Ohio

Ohio car insurance policies must include liability insurance, which covers others’ property damage or injury treatment if you’re responsible for a crash.

The minimum liability limits are:

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

A serious crash could cause damage that easily surpasses these insurance amounts. To avoid having to pay accident bills out of your own pocket, consider buying more than the bare minimum. You may also want common optional coverages such as collision, comprehensive and uninsured motorist protection.

For more help planning your Ohio auto policy, visit NerdWallet’s guide to car insurance requirements by state.

Alternative car insurance in Ohio

Drivers who can’t get car insurance on Ohio’s voluntary market because of a checkered driving record, poor credit or other factors can apply for coverage through the Ohio Automobile Insurance Plan.

For more help scoring cheap car insurance in Ohio, try NerdWallet’s car insurance comparison tool.

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

Alex Glenn is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: aglenn@nerdwallet.com.

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