Shopping for car insurance can be confusing. Lots 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 let NerdWallet’s cost estimator figure out what drivers in your area should 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 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 license numbers of every driver in your house. You’ll also need 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) which you can find on your car’s windshield, door jamb or on its title.
Insurance history. Insurers will ask 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. Insurers will also want to know whether you need 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 plays a part in shaping your individual rate. This makes it difficult to calculate rates 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.
Car insurance estimates from different companies
Since nearly every company will show you different estimates for your car insurance rates, you can’t know which one will be your cheapest unless you get an estimate from a few different insurers.
Enter your ZIP code and a few other details about yourself below and let us show you estimates for your monthly cost of car insurance:
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How to estimate the car insurance you need
You’ll have to consider four factors to estimate the amount of car insurance you need. There’s no single amount that’s right for everyone, most online quote tools (including NerdWallet’s) can provide suggestions that may help you settle on a range that works for you.
Your insurance needs depend on:
Your state’s laws. States require drivers to have a certain minimum amount of coverage. NerdWallet almost always recommends getting more than the minimum amount for greater protection.
Your vehicle. A new, expensive vehicle requires more insurance coverage than an old model that you could afford to repair or replace on your own.
Your property. If you own a home or have other valuable assets, you’ll need more insurance coverage to protect your property from potential lawsuits that could come up after a crash.
Your personal risk tolerance. This factor depends on personal preference. Do you want only enough coverage to legally drive? Or would you rather get as much insurance as you can for extra protection? Most people want something in between those two levels.
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 $2,356 $646 Poor $3,936 $1,020 These are average rates according to NerdWallet’s August 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 $2,356 $646 One speeding ticket, good credit $3,033 $834 One at-fault crash, good credit $3,529 $944 One DUI, good credit $4,469 $1,248 Clean driving record, poor credit $3,936 $1,020 These are average rates according to NerdWallet’s August 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 $2,177 $489 Alaska $1,648 $383 Arizona $2,921 $922 Arkansas $2,641 $546 California $1,931 $608 Colorado $3,210 $748 Connecticut $2,789 $1,008 Delaware $2,647 $1,076 Florida $3,600 $913 Georgia $3,136 $1,043 Hawaii $1,998 $603 Idaho $1,998 $434 Illinois $2,578 $764 Indiana $1,951 $523 Iowa $2,228 $397 Kansas $2,502 $612 Kentucky $3,168 $860 Louisiana $4,296 $1,250 Maine $1,701 $530 Maryland $3,016 $1,105 Massachusetts $1,851 $613 Michigan $3,034 $688 Minnesota $2,549 $650 Mississippi $2,499 $591 Missouri $2,365 $671 Montana $2,774 $428 Nebraska $1,950 $433 Nevada $3,428 $1,019 New Hampshire $1,575 $455 New Jersey $3,661 $1,587 New Mexico $2,131 $505 New York $2,676 $1,027 North Carolina $1,789 $598 North Dakota $2,423 $448 Ohio $1,799 $498 Oklahoma $2,191 $477 Oregon $2,184 $956 Pennsylvania $2,287 $454 Rhode Island $3,107 $825 South Carolina $2,288 $649 South Dakota $2,212 $383 Tennessee $2,130 $521 Texas $3,560 $1,078 Utah $2,317 $896 Vermont $1,464 $429 Virginia $2,165 $786 Washington $2,321 $667 Washington, D.C. $2,655 $892 West Virginia $2,149 $672 Wisconsin $2,315 $553 Wyoming $1,148 $192 These are average rates according to NerdWallet’s August 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. Even though my wife and I should be able to get some of the cheapest rates in our state because of our driving record, I still decided to increase our coverage limits. That means paying 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. Even though my wife and I should be able to get some of the cheapest rates in our state because of our driving record, I still decided to increase our coverage limits. That means paying 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 GulaLead Writer & Content Strategist
Part of estimating what you’ll pay for car insurance involves thinking about the coverage you want, not just what you need. Even though my wife and I should be able to get some of the cheapest rates in our state because of our driving record, I still decided to increase our coverage limits. That means paying 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 the best deal available for you.
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.
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.
Change the deductibles on your estimate. In car insurance terms, a deductible is the amount that you promise to pay in the event of a future claim. Increasing your insurance deductible (or removing the type of coverage that requires a deductible) will make your estimate go down. But if you increase your deductible too much, it could get tough to make claims. You can use the tool below to see how raising deductibles affects car insurance costs.
We measured what our sample driver could save by changing nothing except their deductible amount, then tested those savings against other groups by age, credit and driving record. We calculated the national median rate and percentage difference between deductible levels to find average savings.
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.
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.