Best Car Insurance Companies for High-Risk Drivers (2024)

If you’re a driver with recent tickets, traffic violations, or at-fault accidents or are a new driver, insurers may consider you high-risk. This typically means you’ll pay higher car insurance rates since you may be more likely to file a claim. Some insurers might even deny you coverage.

Non-standard car insurance policies cater to high-risk drivers, giving you the coverage you need. Not all insurers offer non-standard coverage, while some specialize in it. Since rates can vary significantly between companies, it’s a good idea to compare car insurance quotes from multiple insurers that offer non-standard coverage.

Keep reading to discover the best high-risk insurers and how to reduce your risk over time.

Best car insurance for high-risk drivers

Auto coverage can be downright tricky for high-risk drivers. Some insurers might not sell non-standard policies in your state or could deny you coverage. Non-standard insurance is for drivers in your situation, although you’ll likely pay more than drivers with lower risk profiles.

While 14% of drivers in the U.S. didn’t have insurance in 2022, according to the Insurance Research Council, going without coverage isn’t an option in most states. In every state but New Hampshire, drivers must have at least a minimum amount of liability coverage. And if you lease or finance your vehicle, your leasing or lending company will require you to have full coverage.

Here are your best bets for high-risk insurance.

Best for very high-risk drivers: The General

Best for low rates: State Farm

Best for the military community: USAA

How to get car insurance if you’ve been denied coverage

If standard auto insurers deny you coverage, you might qualify for coverage with a high-risk insurance company. You can look at The General, Mercury, SafeAuto, and Alpha Insurance. Remember that non-standard auto policies typically come with a higher price tag and that not all companies offer coverage in every state.

While non-standard insurance can be a lifeline if you’re a greater risk to insure, it’s not your only option. Here are a few steps to try if an insurance company won’t offer you a policy:

• Shop around and apply for coverage with another standard insurance company. You might look at State Farm and others to find one that will insure you.

• Consider asking a family member to add you to their car insurance policy. It can help you get the protection you need but can drive up their premiums.

• Get quotes from non-standard auto insurance companies. If standard insurers won’t cover you, compare non-standard prices and coverage options to find the most affordable car insurance.

• Take steps to lower your risk. Improve your driving record to increase your odds of a company approving you for standard car insurance in the future.

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What makes someone a high-risk driver?

High-risk drivers are generally more likely to file auto insurance claims. An insurance company might give you this label if you have a history of at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, or DUIs on your driving record. But insurers can label someone with a clean record as high-risk based on non-driving factors, like being a teen driver or having poor credit.

Driving factors

Having one or more driving-related incidents on your record can put you solidly in the high-risk driver category. These incidents include tickets (like speeding or running a red light), at-fault accidents, and certain driving-related convictions (such as DUIs or reckless driving). The more severe the violation, the riskier you appear to insurers.

The table below shows average full-coverage rates for drivers with different incidents on their records so you can see how driving history affects your cost.

The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Saturday, June 1 at 12:00 PM PDT. 

Data reviewed by Konstantin Halachev

Konstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science

• 7+ years experience in data analysis

• Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

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Insurance Company	Clean Driving Record	Speeding Ticket	At-Fault Accident	DUI
COUNTRY Financial	$19	$23	$25	$32
NJM	$34	$48	$51	$46
Auto-Owners	$37	$43	$46	$62
USAA	$46	$53	$57	$78
Hugo	$51	$67	$59	$86
State Farm	$54	$62	$66	$91
GEICO	$55	$64	$69	$93
Erie	$55	$67	$71	$93
Mile Auto	$60	$81	$89	$82
Allstate	$62	$72	$77	$105
Safeco	$72	$87	$83	$121
Metromile	$74	$95	$101	$125
American Family	$76	$88	$93	$128
National General	$77	$85	$95	$130
Progressive	$79	$92	$101	$133
Mercury	$83	$112	$117	$113
Dairyland	$84	$99	$104	$142
Nationwide	$84	$100	$106	$142
Clearcover	$87	$104	$123	$147
Root	$87	$115	$122	$147
CSAA	$88	$109	$120	$148
Travelers	$89	$105	$112	$150
State Auto	$94	$130	$142	$159
Direct Auto	$99	$117	$128	$167
Elephant	$100	$143	$119	$169
Anchor	$101	$117	$150	$170
Liberty Mutual	$103	$147	$153	$174
Shelter	$107	$136	$144	$180
Farmers	$111	$127	$136	$187
The Hartford	$111	$157	$166	$149
The General	$114	$136	$147	$192
Chubb	$114	$137	$143	$192
Commonwealth Casualty	$119	$170	$142	$201
21st Century	$120	$149	$155	$202
GAINSCO	$124	$177	$142	$209
AssuranceAmerica	$125	$153	$156	$211
Bristol West	$128	$147	$153	$216
Foremost	$137	$196	$204	$231
Amica	$169	$232	$245	$224
Infinity	$186	$236	$224	$314

Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

Non-driving factors

It’s not just your driving record that can make you a greater risk to insurers. Companies also consider non-driving factors:

• 

  Age

  Teen drivers with little driving experience fall into the high-risk group. Older adults can, too — drivers 70 and older are more likely to have a fatal accident than middle-aged drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.^[2]

• 

  Location

  Living in an area with high vehicle crime rates or a high number of auto accidents can make you more likely to file a claim, increasing your insurance risk.

• 

  Coverage lapse

  A gap in your insurance history could suggest you’ve driven without adequate coverage (which insurers view as risky behavior).

• 

  Poor credit

  Poor credit is linked to a higher probability that you’ll file a claim, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).^[3] This increases your risk rating in the eyes of insurers.

4 ways to lower your risk

Just because you’re high-risk now doesn’t mean you’ll be high-risk forever. The good news is you can lower your risk level — and your insurance premiums. Some actions might lower your risk right away, while others can take some time to have an effect.

Take an approved driving course

A defensive driving course or driver improvement course might be one of the quickest ways to slide into more affordable auto insurance. Some insurance companies offer discounts for taking a course like this, so you could see savings quickly.

It can also reduce the number of points on your license (if you live in a state that uses the point system), leading to cheaper premiums. Here’s why: Insurance companies use points to gauge how risky you are as a driver. For example, if you take an approved driver improvement course, New Jersey can take up to three points off your driving record,^[4] while Michigan lets you avoid points after a ticket by taking a course.^[5]

Repair your credit

A good credit history can help you qualify for lower car insurance rates. Check your credit report regularly and correct any errors. Pay off any old debts you may have, and pay all your bills on time every month.

It can take time to improve your credit score, but the long-term effect can be better insurance rates and more coverage options.

Erase your traffic ticket

Depending on where you live, you might be able to get your traffic ticket erased from your record. This is called “expungement.” States have different rules about the types of offenses that you can expunge and how the process works, but it’s worth looking into, especially if you have an otherwise clean record.^[6]

Check with your state’s department of motor vehicles to see if expungement is an option for you. It’s worth the hassle since it can help you qualify for better insurance rates.

Practice safe driving

Driving safely today won’t change how insurers view you tomorrow. But the more time you put between shopping for car insurance and your latest traffic violation, the better. Accidents, tickets, and DUI convictions can affect your car insurance rates for three to seven years.

Consistency is key. Focus on maintaining a clean driving record, and you could see reduced rates over time.

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