Auto insurance is legally required in almost every state, but the range of what you might pay — from $600 to $6,000 or more per year — is enormous. Your premium depends on dozens of factors, from your age and driving history to your ZIP code and credit score. This estimator helps you understand which factors matter most and gives you a baseline for what to expect before you shop for quotes.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter your vehicle's current market value — not what you paid for it, but what it's worth today. You can check your vehicle's value on sites like Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds. This matters primarily for full coverage; if you're only carrying liability, your vehicle value has less impact on premium.
Enter the age of the primary driver on the policy. If multiple drivers are insured, use the primary driver's age for this estimate. Younger drivers under 25 and seniors over 65 both typically face higher premiums than adults in the middle age range.
Select your driving record for the past three to five years. A clean record with no violations or at-fault accidents earns the best rates. Even a single speeding ticket can raise your premium noticeably; multiple violations can increase costs dramatically.
Enter your annual mileage. Drivers who cover more miles are statistically more likely to be involved in an accident simply due to increased exposure. Higher annual mileage means higher risk to insurers.
Finally, select your coverage level. Liability-only coverage pays for damage and injuries you cause to others but doesn't cover your own vehicle. Full coverage adds comprehensive (theft, weather, animal collisions) and collision (damage from accidents regardless of fault) to the liability base.
Understanding Your Coverage Options
Liability coverage is the foundation of any auto policy and is legally required. It has two parts: bodily injury liability (pays for injuries you cause to others) and property damage liability (pays for damage you cause to others' vehicles and property). Limits are expressed as three numbers, like 100/300/100, meaning $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident for injuries/$100,000 for property damage.
State minimum liability limits are often dangerously low. A single serious accident can easily result in medical bills exceeding $100,000 per person. If your liability limits are exhausted, your personal assets — savings, home equity, future wages — can be at risk. Carrying at least 100/300/100 is strongly recommended for most drivers.
Collision coverage pays to repair or replace your vehicle if it's damaged in an accident, regardless of who was at fault. This includes hitting another vehicle, a guardrail, or a pothole.
Comprehensive coverage covers non-collision damage: theft, vandalism, weather events (hail, flooding, wind), fire, falling objects, and collisions with animals. Comprehensive and collision are almost always sold together as "full coverage."
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage pays for your injuries and vehicle damage if you're hit by a driver who has no insurance or insufficient coverage. With roughly 13% of U.S. drivers uninsured, this coverage is highly valuable and relatively inexpensive.
Medical payments (MedPay) or personal injury protection (PIP) covers medical expenses for you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of fault. PIP is required in no-fault states.