Low rates auto insurance

Finding the cheapest car insurance in Utah can be a challenge. Because insurance costs vary depending on your age, credit history and other factors, shopping around is crucial.

To help Utahans easily compare estimates, NerdWallet researched the average prices from the state’s eight largest insurers and found the three cheapest car insurance options for the following motorist types:

Cheapest for good drivers

For drivers with no at-fault accidents, DUIs or moving violations; range of average prices: $695 to $4, 458

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Among the three cheapest insurers, the average price for drivers with no blemishes on their record was $984 per year. But between just the two cheapest — Bear River Mutual and Geico — the average was only $697 per year. Clearly there’s value in shopping around and not settling for that first quote.

Safe drivers can also usually save even more with discounts. Discounts might be available for years of claim-free driving or for having common safety features on your car, such as anti-lock brakes and airbags. Keep in mind that discounts might be more plentiful at the larger, national insurance companies than at smaller, regional providers.

Cheapest for young drivers

For drivers in their early 20s; range of average prices: 1 to , 222

Young drivers in their 20s aren’t necessarily penalized for a lack of experience and can actually find some of the cheapest car insurance in Utah. Again, Geico and Bear River Mutual ranked as the two cheapest options by far in our test. With sample quotes topping $3, 000 on the high end, shopping around is important.

Cheapest for families with a teen driver

For middle-aged couples with one teen driver; range of average prices: $1, 064 to $10, 872

Teens in the Beehive State are 1.5 times more likely to have a car accident than any other age group, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety. That explains why a family’s car insurance rates can skyrocket when adding a teen driver.

This category had the largest range of any we tested — nearly , 000 between lowest and highest — proving there’s major cash to be saved by comparing rates. Parents can also look for special discounts that can ease the financial sting of adding a teen driver, such as good student or driver training discounts.

Cheapest for drivers with poor credit

For drivers placed in the lowest credit tier as determined by the industry; range of average prices: $709 to $3, 329

Insurers often look at the credit history of drivers because of a correlation between poor credit and the probability of future claims. In Utah, however, drivers with poor credit can still get fairly affordable rates. In fact, Bear River Mutual’s sample quote of $709 came out to only about $1 more per month than the company’s rate for good drivers with no credit issues.

Consider that Bear River is a small insurance company available only in Utah and may not have the same levels of customer service or discount offerings as larger competitors.

Cheapest for drivers with one at-fault accident

Range of average prices: $752 to $5, 398

Utah drivers with a single at-fault accident on their record can get much cheaper coverage from Bear River Mutual than from any competitors, according to NerdWallet research. However, Geico and Farmers both offer an accident forgiveness feature that may prevent policyholders’ rates from climbing after their first at-fault accident (or first in a while). That could at least partly make up for the pricier coverage.

Cheapest for retired drivers

For drivers in their mid-to-late 60s who no longer use their car for commuting; range of average prices: $573 to $3, 970

Retired drivers typically travel fewer miles than their younger, commuting counterparts, which can translate into some of the cheapest car insurance in Utah. Geico’s sample quote was the lowest of the bunch at $573 per year, and the company offers a mature driver discount to trim costs even more.