This is a list where you don’t want to rank No. 1.
Unfortunately for residents of Michigan, when it comes to the cost of driving, theirs is the most expensive state to insure a vehicle.
It’s the fifth consecutive year that research by Insure.com ranked Michigan first with an annual premium of $2,239, about 64 percent higher than the national average of $1,365.
The car-insurance comparison website identified 20 states (plus Washington, D.C.) with above average car insurance rates, based on its annual state-by-state calculation of yearly premiums. The average rates are based on the same liability/injury/property coverage and deductible for an unmarried 40-year-old male who commutes 12 miles to work each day, has a clean driving record and good credit. The study used the cheapest-to-insure 2018 models of America’s 20 best-selling vehicles.
Most expensive
The top 10 most expensive states to insure your car are:
- Michigan, $2,239
- Louisiana, $2,126
- Florida, $2,050
- Rhode Island, $1,852
- Connecticut, $1,831
- Washington, D.C., $1,827
- California, $1,731
- Georgia, $1,668
- Delaware, $1,646
- Texas, $1,589
Other expensive states that fall out of the top 10 are Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Arkansas, Nevada, Montana, Maryland, Mississippi, West Virginia and New Jersey.
Least expensive
Following are the least expensive states to insure your car, according to the study:
- Vermont, $932
- Ohio, $944
- Idaho $989
- Virginia, $1,013
- Iowa, $1,025
- New Hampshire, $1,039
- Wisconsin, $1,084
- North Dakota, $1,086
- Indiana, $1,091
- North Carolina, $1,104
Other states that fall below the national average premium are Pennsylvania, Utah, Massachusetts, Maine, Alaska, Tennessee, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, Hawaii, Alabama, Oregon, Missouri, Washington, South Carolina, Kansas, New Mexico, Arizona and New York.
“Car insurance rates are based on a variety of risk factors,” said Insure.com. “Some factors you can’t control, such as your age, but many you can, such as your driving record, claims history and credit score. You can also control the car you purchase and where you live. Location, location, location … [is] normally a big rating factor for auto insurance companies.”
Weather-related claims, state laws, local court systems, crime, traffic, crash rates and the percentage of uninsured drivers also affect insurance rates, as well as how much competition there is among insurers, according to Insure.com, which noted that “typically, having more auto insurance providers in your state will provide you with a better opportunity to obtain cheaper rates.”
Michigan’s “unique” no-fault car insurance system – which provides significantly higher personal injury protection than other states – is the culprit for the high annual rates there, reports Insure.com.
Insure.com commissioned the study by Quadrant Information Services of insurance rates from six large carriers (Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, Nationwide, Progressive and State Farm).
More details about car insurance rates by state are available at Insure.com.
