Find cheapest Auto insurance

If you are an active member of the military or a veteran — or have an immediate family member who is — chances are good you’ll get a cheaper-than-average rate with USAA, an option that isn’t available to the general public. USAA had the cheapest average rate for every driver category listed below.

Cheapest for good drivers

For drivers with no DUIs, at-fault crashes or moving violations; range of average prices from the four largest insurers: $797 to $1, 773 per year.

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The overall average price for good drivers was $1, 126 per year. USAA, which is open only to military members and their families, had the cheapest annual rate at just $797. Geico was the next-cheapest option, followed by State Farm and Progressive.

Many insurers offer discounts to help safe drivers lower their rates if they’ve avoided accidents and claims. With USAA and Geico, for instance, you can save if you’ve gone five years without a crash; with State Farm, it’s only three years.

Cheapest for young drivers

For drivers in their early 20s; range of average prices from the four largest insurers: $327 to $1, 114 per year.

Drivers in their early 20s can often select less coverage than older motorists since they generally don’t have as much savings at risk should they cause a large accident. We reflected this lower coverage in our test and found fairly affordable rates as a result.

USAA led the field with an average price of $327 per year, which translates to roughly $27 per month. For drivers without a military connection, Geico notched the lowest quote at $477 a year.

Cheapest for drivers with one at-fault crash

Range of average prices from the four largest insurers: $982 to $2, 532 per year.

While causing a crash usually results in higher car insurance costs, the amount of the rate hike depends on the company. USAA, for instance, returned an average quote for this group of $982, which was $185 higher than its rate for drivers with no crashes. By comparison, Geico’s rates went up by $429 on average.

When shopping, it may help to look for companies that offer accident forgiveness. This perk, which costs extra, can keep your rates from skyrocketing after your first at-fault crash with an insurer, or your first in a while.

Cheapest for drivers with poor credit

For drivers placed in the “Poor Credit” tier using Quadrant Information Services data; range of average prices from the four largest insurers: $797 to $2, 612 per year.

Insurers in many states, including Alaska, use applicants’ credit-based insurance score to help determine the likelihood of future crashes and claims, and tend to charge higher rates for drivers with poor credit.

That said, USAA — which had the cheapest cost at $797 per year — did not raise its average rate for this group; the company returned the same quote as it did for our sample good drivers, who have no credit issues. However, this wasn’t the case with the other insurers we tested. Geico’s rate of $1, 239 per year, for instance, was $328 higher than its price for drivers with good credit.

Cheapest for retired drivers

For drivers in their mid- to late 60s who no longer use their car for commuting; range of average prices from the four largest insurers: $669 to $1, 659 per year.