Cheap Full Coverage Auto Insurance

Full coverage insurance isn’t a specific type of policy, but a combination of coverage types that typically includes liability, comprehensive and collision insurance. If you have a loan or lease, your lender might require you to have full coverage insurance, so finding cheap options could save you money on something you already need.

Because it combines several types of coverage, full coverage auto insurance will cover your vehicle in a lot of situations. However, it can also cost more than double the price of minimum-required coverage. That’s why it pays to shop around.

But finding a company with the cheapest full coverage insurance will depend on multiple factors, like your age, location and driving record. To help narrow down your options, NerdWallet looked at average rates among the country’s largest insurers, using a variety of driver profiles.

State Farm has the cheapest full coverage car insurance among the country’s largest insurers, with an average annual rate of $1,431, or $119 a month, according to NerdWallet’s analysis.

Cheap full coverage auto insurance companies

Full coverage auto insurance can be pricey. If you’re looking for the cheapest car insurance, period, check out NerdWallet's analysis of cheap car insurance for state-mandated minimum coverage. But if you’re interested in cheap full coverage car insurance, here are average annual prices for full coverage insurance from six of the seven largest car insurance companies, nationwide:

1. State Farm: $1,431 per year.

2. Geico: $2,009 per year.

3. Progressive: $2,075 per year.

4. Farmers: $2,807 per year.

5. Allstate: $3,110 per year.

USAA*: $1,120 per year.

*USAA isn’t ranked because it is available only to active military, veterans and their families.

On average, you can save close to $1,700 a year by picking the cheapest company available instead of the most expensive — and that’s only considering six of the biggest auto insurers in the nation.

Going with a smaller, regional insurer can often save you even more. While state availability can be limited, smaller companies can often be cheaper than a large insurer. For example, the average rate for full coverage insurance from American National is $892 per year, while Vermont Mutual has an average rate of $1,207 a year.

Although it’s one of the largest insurers in the country, Liberty Mutual is not included in our analysis because it does not provide rate data.

» MORE: NerdWallet’s auto insurance reviews for 2023

Cheap full coverage car insurance companies by state

Your location can have a big effect on how much you pay for full coverage auto insurance. For example, our average car insurance cost analysis showed that drivers in Florida pay almost three times more for full coverage insurance than those in Maine.

Looking for the most affordable full coverage insurance in your state? Here are the cheapest insurers, on average, in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Cheap full coverage auto insurance for accidents and DUIs

Among large insurers, State Farm has the cheapest full coverage insurance rates, on average, for non-military drivers who caused an accident or have a DUI.

Here are average full coverage rates from some of the largest insurers in the nation for drivers with one at-fault accident or a DUI.

It pays to shop around and compare full coverage auto insurance quotes from multiple companies, including smaller insurers. Sometimes a lesser-known company may be able to save you even more. As an example, American National’s average full coverage rate for drivers with one at-fault accident is $1,190, while drivers with a DUI have an average rate of $1,265.

» MORE: The best cheap car insurance

Cheap full coverage car insurance for drivers with poor credit

You may not realize that your credit history can affect car insurance costs, sometimes drastically. Insurers use credit-based insurance scores to determine how likely you are to file a claim. A credit-based insurance score takes into account a driver’s credit history when pricing rates.

It doesn’t matter if you have a minimum-required policy or full coverage car insurance — if you have poor credit, you’ll often be charged higher insurance rates. California, Hawaii and Massachusetts don't allow insurers to use credit when determining car insurance rates.

However, finding cheap full coverage car insurance is still possible even with poor credit. You’ll just want to compare car insurance rates to find the most affordable policy.

Drivers with poor credit who prefer a large insurer may want to consider Geico. The company has the most affordable average rates for good drivers with poor credit.

Here are average full coverage rates from some of the largest auto insurance companies for drivers with poor credit.

If you have poor credit, be sure to shop around and compare quotes from multiple insurers, including lesser-known companies. Sometimes a smaller company will offer a cheaper rate than a larger insurer. For example, drivers with poor credit may be able to get full coverage from Secura for as low as $1,381 per year, on average. That’s about $1,500 cheaper than Geico.

The best full coverage car insurance

Price is likely a major factor when deciding which insurance company to choose, but it shouldn’t be the only one. In fact, the best full coverage insurance providers may not be the cheapest.

If you want cheap full coverage auto insurance without sacrificing customer service, take a look at NerdWallet’s best car insurance companies below, ranked by average car insurance rate. Keep in mind that not all companies will offer policies in every state.

How full coverage insurance works

“Full coverage” is a term used to describe an auto insurance policy that covers damage that can happen to your vehicle. It’s typically a combination of three different coverage types: liability, comprehensive and collision insurance.

While most states require a minimum amount of car insurance to drive legally, those minimums won’t cover any damage to your car. If someone else hits your car, the other driver’s insurance will pay for the damage. But in any other situation — including if you cause an accident — you’ll probably need full coverage insurance to pay for damage to your vehicle.

For example, let’s say a tree falls on your car during a storm. You would need an auto policy with comprehensive insurance to cover the repair costs. If your deductible is $1,000 but the fallen tree caused $5,000 worth of damage to your car, you’ll pay the $1,000 deductible and your insurance will cover the rest.

Without full coverage insurance, you’d be responsible for the full $5,000.

Comparing full coverage car insurance quotes

When you shop for car insurance from different carriers, it’s important to compare car insurance quotes for the same coverage. Otherwise, you might think you got a good price from one provider, only to discover that you don’t have enough coverage when you need to actually file a claim.

When comparing full coverage auto insurance quotes, be sure to:

• Use the same deductibles and liability limits across quotes to compare prices for the same coverage.

• When selecting collision and comprehensive coverage, choose a deductible amount you could afford after a crash.

• Compare add-on coverage details. Options like gap insurance, accident forgiveness and pet injury coverage vary from one insurer to the next. Be sure to check each company’s website for details and restrictions about add-ons that matter to you.

• Provide the same information every time. If you’re using multiple tools to get full coverage car insurance quotes, make sure the drivers, cars, address and driving history all match.