Gainsco
- Provides coverage for high-risk drivers who may not be able to get sufficient insurance elsewhere.
- Can provide an SR22 form if needed.
- Online quotes available.
- Far more than the expected number of complaints to state regulators for auto insurance.
- Website gives no coverage details.
NerdWallet's take on Gainsco auto insurance
Gainsco earned 3.3 stars out of 5, which is a comparable score to similar insurers, because of its bare-bones website and a high rate of customer complaints.
Best for: Drivers who have a hard time getting coverage from other insurance companies.
Not ideal for: Drivers who can get coverage from insurers like those on our list of the best car insurance companies.
Where Gainsco car insurance stands out
Focus on high-risk drivers. Some companies refuse to sell policies to drivers with certain violations on their record, such as a DUI. Gainsco helps these drivers — sometimes called “high-risk drivers” — get coverage so they can legally drive.
Insurance companies use terms like “nonstandard” or "high-risk" to refer to drivers who usually pay more for insurance. You might be in this category if you have had multiple car accidents or speeding tickets, a lapse in coverage or a serious offense like a DUI.
Affordable after a DUI. Gainsco’s average rates for drivers with a DUI tend to be slightly cheaper than the national average, according to our analysis.
Where Gainsco car insurance falls short
Lack of policy information. Gainsco’s website doesn’t provide much information about coverage types, which can be important things to know when shopping for a new insurer.
Customer complaints. Gainsco received far more complaints from customers than expected, compared to similar-sized companies. (We based this on our analysis of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.) This usually indicates that drivers are unhappy with the support and service they receive from an insurer.
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.
How much does Gainsco car insurance cost?
Gainsco car insurance costs an average of $309 per month or $3,706 per year for a full coverage policy, according to our November 2025 analysis. The national average is $192 per month, or $2,300 per year.
For minimum coverage, Gainsco car insurance costs an average $124 per month or $1,484 per year, our November 2025 analysis found. That's compared to the national average of $52 per month, or $627 per year.
» MORE: Compare car insurance rates
Gainsco auto insurance rates by age
Your location and vehicle both affect your car insurance rate, but so does your age. Insurance companies draw a connection between age and experience, which means they think young drivers are more likely to get in an accident and file a claim. So younger drivers are among the most expensive drivers to insure.
Here are Gainsco's average car insurance rates for drivers of different ages:
Young drivers. The average cost of Gainsco car insurance for 20-year-old drivers is $6,504 per year, or $542 per month. By comparison, the national average for this age group is $4,684 per year, or $390 per month.
Adult drivers. The average cost of Gainsco car insurance for 40-year-old drivers is $3,505 per year, or $292 per month. That's compared to the national average for this age group, which is $2,232 per year, or $186 per month.
Senior drivers. The average cost of Gainsco car insurance for 60-year-old drivers is $3,425 per year, or $285 per month. That's compared to the national average for this age group, which is $1,988 per year, or $166 per month.
- More Gainsco auto rates by age
Age Company median rate National median rate 20 $6,504 $4,684 30 $3,947 $2,375 35 $3,706 $2,300 40 $3,505 $2,232 50 $3,257 $2,074 60 $3,425 $1,988 70 $3,910 $2,125
Gainsco auto insurance rates by driver profile
Your driving history plays a big part in what you can expect to pay for car insurance. While Gainsco does offer policies to drivers that insurers might consider high-risk, that doesn’t mean their prices will be cheaper than the national average.
Below are Gainsco's average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers:
Poor credit. The average cost of Gainsco car insurance for drivers with poor credit is $4,387 per year, or $366 per month. That's compared to the national average, which is $3,850 per year, or $321 per month. (California, Hawaii and Massachusetts don't allow insurers to use credit when determining car insurance rates.)
Speeding ticket. The average cost of Gainsco car insurance for a driver with a speeding ticket is $4,053 per year, or $338 per month. That's compared to the national average, which is $2,931 per year, or $244 per month.
At-fault crash. The average cost of Gainsco car insurance for a driver with an at-fault crash is $4,532 per year, or $378 per month. That's compared to the national average, which is $3,405 per year, or $284 per month.
DUI. The average cost of Gainsco car insurance for a driver with a DUI is $4,137 per year, or $345 per month. That's compared to the national average, which is $4,265 per year, or $355 per month.
Gainsco auto insurance discounts
Depending on your state, you may be able to save on auto insurance by:
Setting up automatic payments.
Paying your auto policy in full.
Owning a home, condo, townhouse or mobile home.
Having had continuous coverage for at least four months, with no lapses in coverage of more than 60 days, before purchasing a Gainsco policy.
Buying a policy from three to 30 days before it goes into effect.
If you’re looking for the cheapest auto insurance rates possible, you can buy the minimum car insurance needed to drive in your state, although this may leave you without enough coverage after an accident. Read our cheap car insurance article to see average minimum car insurance rates by company and state.
Gainsco car insurance coverage
Gainsco’s full coverage car insurance includes the standard types of coverage offered by most insurers:
- Liability insurance
Liability car insurance pays for others’ injuries or property damage you cause in a car accident, up to your auto policy limits. There are two types:
Bodily injury liability covers others’ medical expenses after an accident where you are at fault.
Property damage liability covers the repair costs to other vehicles, fences, mailboxes or buildings from an accident.
Is it required? Yes. Every state, except for Virginia and remote parts of Alaska, requires drivers to have a minimum amount of liability car insurance in order to drive legally.
- Personal injury protection
Also known as "no-fault insurance," PIP covers your own injuries and medical expenses after a crash, regardless of who's at fault, up to your policy limits. Depending on your state, PIP could also help pay for:
Lost wages if you're unable to work due to your injuries from a car accident.
Services you can't perform because of an accident, such as house cleaning or child care.
Funeral costs if an injury from an accident leads to death.
A small death benefit as a cash payout.
Is it required? Personal injury protection is required in the following states: Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon and Utah.
- Medical payments coverage
Medical payments coverage, or MedPay, helps pay for your medical expenses or funeral costs after a car accident, no matter who's at fault, up to your policy limits. It also pays for medical bills if you or one of your family members is hit by a car while on foot, riding a bike or traveling as a passenger in someone else’s car.
Is it required? MedPay is required in Maine and New Hampshire, and can be purchased as an optional add-on in most other states. In a few states, MedPay can't be purchased because personal injury protection is required.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays out if you're in an accident where the at-fault driver has no liability car insurance, or not enough to cover your injuries or property damage. It can also be used to pay for your passengers’ and household family members’ injuries.
Is it required? Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is required in Washington, D.C., and the following states: Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
- Collision insurance
Collision insurance reimburses you to fix or replace your car if you crash into another car or object. It can also pay for hit-and-runs, rollovers and damage caused by uninsured or underinsured drivers.
Collision insurance becomes less useful the older your car is. That's because it reimburses you for repairs only up to the actual cash value of your car, minus your deductible.
Is it required? Collision insurance isn't mandatory in any state, but most lenders require it if you finance or lease your car. And when you buy collision insurance, you'll likely have to also get comprehensive insurance, which pays for damage to your car from non-traffic-related causes.
- Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance reimburses you to fix or replace your car after non-traffic-related causes, such as:
Weather events, like hail, floods or tornadoes.
Falling objects, such as tree limbs.
Fire or explosions.
Hitting an animal.
Car theft and broken windows.
Earthquakes.
Vandalism or civil disobedience, such as a riot.
Comprehensive insurance becomes less useful the older your car is. That's because it reimburses you for repairs only up to the actual cash value of your car, minus your deductible.
Is it required? Comprehensive insurance isn't mandatory in any state, but most lenders require it if you finance or lease your car. And when you buy comprehensive insurance, you'll likely have to also get collision insurance, which pays for damage to your car from traffic-related causes.
Optional coverage
Gainsco does not offer the types of optional coverages we would normally talk about, like rideshare insurance or rental car reimbursement. However, it does offer a few other benefits that can help people who could have a hard time finding coverage from other insurers.
Bilingual service. Gainsco provides customer service in both English and Spanish, helping drivers and families manage and understand their insurance policy.
Non-owner policies. Car insurance policies typically follow the car, which means they cover anyone who drives that vehicle. But some states and insurers have different rules about who exactly will be covered, and how much coverage they’ll receive. If you drive other people’s cars often, non-owner car insurance makes sure you’ll be covered in an accident.
SR22 assistance. You may need an SR22 if you’ve had a serious driving offense, such as a DUI. Some insurers may refuse to sell you a policy, or your quoted price might be too expensive to accept. Gainsco works with drivers who need an SR22.
When shopping for car insurance, it's important to understand what coverage you want and what you’re required to buy. Most states require a minimum amount of car insurance to drive a vehicle, but if you can afford it, we recommend full coverage insurance for most drivers.
Is Gainsco a good insurance company?
State insurance regulators received far more than the expected number of customer complaints about Gainsco’s auto insurance, compared to similar-sized companies. This is based on our analysis of three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Complaint scores often indicate how drivers feel about insurance companies. However, Gainsco works with drivers who may have a hard time getting coverage. These drivers might not have many options to choose from, but we still recommend trying to get quotes from multiple companies if possible.
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.
More information about Gainsco car insurance
Customer service: Call 866-424-6726.
Website: While Gainsco’s site has minimal coverage details, it does have a handy FAQ section and a glossary of insurance terms. As a policyholder, you can log in to make payments and report a claim, or click to contact customer service and start a call from your device. However, if you need to make additional changes to your policy, you’ll need to contact your agent.
Mobile app: Gainsco has a “quick estimate” app for Apple and Android users to help with claims. You can’t manage your policy or make any payments in the app, however.
How we review auto insurance companies
Our editorial team considers these factors when reviewing auto insurance companies:
- Financial strength
We use AM Best ratings to confirm an insurer’s long-term financial stability and ability to pay claims. NerdWallet does not recommend companies with a rating lower than a B.
- Complaints
These ratings are based on complaints to state regulators relative to a company’s size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The best auto insurance companies have fewer than the expected number of complaints.
- Ease of use
This category looks at how easily consumers can interact with an insurer through its mobile app and website. This includes how much coverage information is offered online, whether a user can start and track a claim online and get a quote and mobile app scores based on the Apple and Google Play store ratings.
- Discounts
We look at the kind of discounts a company offers and the total number of discounts available.
Read our full auto insurance methodology.
We nerd out on car insurance
Our goal is to give you what you need to make smart decisions about your car insurance.
Here’s why you can trust NerdWallet:
We do our homework. We regularly evaluate and review many of the insurance companies we write about. And all of our content is fact-checked before publication. This means the star ratings you see on our reviews are accurate and up-to-date.
We analyze the data. We update our average car insurance rates every month. To do that, we analyze more than 500 million rates from across the country. These rates are provided by Quadrant Information Services.
We are unbiased. NerdWallet’s content is never influenced by our business partners and advertisers. Learn more about how we write in our editorial guidelines.
Frequently asked questions
In what states does Gainsco sell auto insurance?
In what states does Gainsco sell auto insurance?
Gainsco sells car insurance in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.
How can I file an insurance claim with Gainsco?
How can I file an insurance claim with Gainsco?
You can file a claim by logging into your Gainsco account or by calling the claims department at 866-424-6726. You’ll be asked for your policy number and the name of the agent who sold you the policy, among other things.
Is Gainsco auto insurance legitimate?
Is Gainsco auto insurance legitimate?
Yes, Gainsco is a legitimate car insurance company. It specializes in providing coverage to drivers who may struggle getting a policy from other insurers. (They’re typically called “high-risk drivers.”) However, Gainsco did receive far more customer complaints than expected, based on the company size, according to data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Methodology
Insurer complaints methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2022-2024. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.
Auto insurance ratings methodology
NerdWallet’s auto insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints and discounts. Our “ease of use” category looks at factors such as website transparency and how easy it is to file a claim. Using our editorial discretion, we also consider customer satisfaction surveys. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines and full ratings methodology for auto insurance.
