How much is car insurance?

Age is a significant factor in determining your car insurance rate. On average, car insurance rates are higher when you're younger and decrease (or stabilize) as you age. Rates decrease because younger drivers are generally more likely to have accidents or take risks on the road.

In fact, according to the CDC, teens are almost three times more likely to be in a fatal crash than drivers 20 and older. This kind of risk results in much higher rates compared to experienced drivers. But it's not all bad news for teen drivers. Progressive offers a Good Student Discount if the parents add their eligible teen driver to their policy to lower the cost of insuring new drivers.^**

Learn more about car insurance for students, car insurance for seniors, and how age impacts your car insurance rate.

Your location is also one of the most important factors in determining how likely you are to have a claim or get into an accident. If you live in a highly populated area and you're at a higher risk for car theft, vandalism, and harm to your car, you're likely to pay more for comprehensive car insurance and auto collision coverage. Additionally, different states have different coverage requirements, including how much liability coverage you're required to carry, which could affect your cost.

If you use your vehicle mostly for pleasure or commuting, you'll usually pay less than a driver using their vehicle for other purposes. If you use your vehicle for business or for ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft, some companies may charge you more, or may even require rideshare insurance coverage. How much you drive can also affect your rate — learn about usage-based insurance.

A better driving record, especially a clean driving record, can get you a better rate. Accidents and tickets can increase your insurance premium. New drivers with no record may also pay more.

If it's your first speeding ticket in three years, you may not get an increase. But, if you get two or more tickets in a three-year period, you'll likely notice your car insurance premium go up. The good news is that the increase won't be permanent, and speeding tickets typically fall off your motor vehicle record after a few years.

Similar to speeding tickets, most at-fault accidents will raise your rate, but the increase won't be permanent. Your insurance company will stop charging you for the accident after several years (the length varies by insurer and state).

Keep in mind that accidents don't always raise your rate. For instance, Progressive offers small accident forgiveness for new customers in some states, so your rate won't go up for your first claim totaling $500 or less.

There's no easy answer here, as this varies by state. Your company could increase your rate, depending on your state and insurance company. Insurance companies generally consider all one-car accidents to be "at fault" because no other driver is involved. Learn more about the difference between at-fault and no-fault accidents.

Generally speaking, the more car insurance coverages you have, the higher the premium. State-minimum coverage will always be the cheapest car insurance, while maxing out your coverages will be the most expensive. The good news is that sometimes you can increase your coverage amounts by thousands, and your car insurance rate will only change minimally. Your car insurance deductible amount will also impact your rate.

Learn about car insurance requirements by state, and get a car insurance quote online to see your rate with different coverages.

Your vehicle's make and model can affect your insurance rate. Factors include how much it costs to repair or replace that particular vehicle, if it has a higher theft rate, if it's more likely to be involved in insurance claims than other models, and its safety features.

For example, insuring a sports car or a convertible may cost more than a standard sedan. And a Tesla may cost more to insure than a Nissan electric car, since the Tesla may be more expensive to repair or replace. Learn more about insurance for electric vehicles.

Note: Your car's characteristics affect your insurance rate differently based on the coverages you select. The value of your car will impact your rate more if you have comprehensive and collision, compared to if you only have liability.

Adding your spouse to your car insurance policy may offer some small but favorable benefits, including potentially lower costs and the convenience of being on one policy.

Most insurers offer various car insurance discounts depending on how you pay. At Progressive, we offer discounts in most states for paying in full, receiving and signing your documents online, and electronic bill payment.

Many insurance companies focus on how often you drive and may charge high-volume drivers more. Progressive rewards safe drivers through our Snapshot® program, which personalizes your car insurance rate based on your driving habits.^††

Many insurers use credit-based insurance scores to calculate car insurance rates if permitted in a state. Generally speaking, a better credit-based insurance score means a better rate. And no, getting a quote will not impact your actual credit score.

If you have zero gaps or cancellations in your insurance history, you'll typically get a lower car insurance rate. At Progressive, we offer a Continuous Insurance Discount.^§ That means we'll honor the amount of time you've been with us or your previous insurance company.