120+ more){kind=small}
8+ years writing about insurance, taxes, and personal finance
Certified public accountant
Janet applies her experience in personal finance, taxes, and accounting to make complex financial topics accessible. Her byline has appeared on numerous web media.
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15+ years editing experience
7+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 6642281
Becky has worked as an editor at Insurify since 2024. In addition to her years of editing experience, Becky is a licensed property and casualty insurance agent.
){kind=small}
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 20461358
John is Insurify’s Chief Copy Editor, helping ensure the accuracy and readability of Insurify’s content. He’s a licensed agent specializing in home and car insurance topics.
Updated
“Zero-down” or “no-deposit” car insurance, which means getting coverage without paying any money up front, doesn’t exist in Arkansas. Insurance companies typically require at least a small payment or deposit before starting coverage.
Instead of searching for no-deposit coverage, look for companies that collect a low deposit. Even the cheapest car insurance in Arkansas typically requires at least two months’ premium up front to start a policy, but some will allow as little as your first month’s premium.
The insurance companies in the table below are among the cheapest options for Arkansas drivers. They’re a good place to start when comparing auto insurance quotes.
Insurance Company | Monthly Liability-Only Rate | Estimated First Payment | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $34 | $34 | Low-cost coverage and service from a local agent |
| USAA | $41 | $41 | Low rates for military members, veterans, and their families |
| Allstate | $42 | $42 | Bundling auto with home or renters insurance |
| Trexis | $55 | $55 | Non-standard coverage through an independent agent |
| GEICO | $57 | $57 | Buying and managing a policy online |
| User Reviews | 4.2 |
|---|---|
| IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 9.3 /10 |
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $34/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $69/mo |
State Farm's score | Industry average | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage options | 4.2 | 3.2 |
| Customer service | 4.4 | 3.6 |
| Discounts | 4.0 | 2.9 |
| Policy transparency | 4.0 | 3.1 |
| Value | 3.9 | 2.9 |
Customers appreciate the insurer’s excellent customer service and personal attention but dislike the high prices and frequent rate increases. They also express frustration with the claims process.
State Farm offers some of the lowest car insurance rates in Arkansas for both state-minimum and full coverage, according to Insurify data. If you choose to pay your premium monthly, this means your initial deposit will be lower. The company also has local agents across Arkansas who can explain your payment options in person.
Cheap premiums in Arkansas
Extensive network of local agents
Many customizable coverage options
Doesn’t offer accident forgiveness
Low Trustpilot score
Only eight discounts available in Arkansas
Arkansas drivers pay an average of $149 per month for full coverage and $73 per month for liability insurance. That’s less than neighboring Mississippi’s average monthly rates of $186 for full coverage and $89 for liability-only coverage, and Missouri’s average monthly rates of $180 for full coverage and $93 for liability-only coverage.
In comparison, the national average cost of insurance is $187 per month for full coverage, with liability-only insurance averaging $99 per month.
Your insurance company determines your deposit, not your location. Insurers typically require at least your first month’s premium to start your policy.
A history of speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, or driving while intoxicated (DWI) convictions increases your rates. This is because insurance companies view you as a high-risk driver.
The table below shows average monthly quotes and estimated first payments for various driver profiles.
Driver Profile | Average Monthly Rate | Estimated First Payment |
|---|---|---|
| Clean driving record | $73 | $73 |
| One speeding ticket | $95 | $95 |
| One at-fault accident | $98 | $98 |
| One DWI | $108 | $108 |
| Teen driver | $133 | $133 |
| Senior driver | $66 | $66 |
| Driver with an SR-22 | $114 | $114 |
Let us do the work of getting quotes from 120+ companies. You sit back and save!
Three decisions can lower your up-front insurance cost: your coverage, payment frequency, and insurance company. Here are a few tips to help you keep payments low:
Match your coverage to your situation. Arkansas requires coverage limits of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury liability, plus $25,000 for property damage liability.[1] If you drive an older, low-value vehicle that you own outright, you can drop collision and comprehensive coverage to save money.
Pay monthly. Monthly billing splits your six-month premium into cheaper payments. But some insurance companies charge installment fees.
Check for membership requirements. Some insurance companies require membership, which adds to your up-front cost. For example, Arkansas Farm Bureau charges a $40 annual membership fee.
Compare quotes. Arkansas doesn’t have a state-sponsored low-cost car insurance program. Comparing quotes from several insurers can help you find the best car insurance company for your needs.
Discounts. Many companies offer car insurance discounts for bundling auto insurance with home insurance. Safe drivers and people who drive fewer miles each year typically pay lower rates. Young drivers in the household can also help you save money by maintaining good grades.
Arkansas is an at-fault state, meaning the driver who causes an accident is responsible for the damages. The following table shows Arkansas’s minimum-coverage requirements.
Coverage Type | Arkansas Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
Arkansas doesn’t require you to buy personal injury protection (PIP) or uninsured motorist coverage, but your insurance company has to offer them with your auto insurance policy. If you don’t want these coverages, you must reject them in writing.
Insurify partners with 120+ top insurers for real-time quotes
Average car insurance rates in Arkansas are lower than the national average. Residents pay an average of $1,788 per year for full coverage, compared to the national average of $2,243 per year, according to Insurify data.
One reason Arkansas has lower-than-average rates may be the rules governing the use of credit history. Insurance companies may use a customer’s credit history when setting policy rates. But Arkansas state law prohibits insurers from factoring medical debt into their decision.[2]
If your down payment is high, it might be due to:
Your driving record: On average, full-coverage car insurance rates in Arkansas increase by more than 30% when a driver has an at-fault car accident on their record, according to Insurify data.
ZIP code: Your location plays a big part in your insurance quotes. For example, drivers in Little Rock pay an average of $185 per month for full-coverage car insurance, compared to drivers in Paragould, who pay an average of $128 per month.
Coverages: Full-coverage policies cost more than liability-only policies. Higher liability limits or add-ons, like glass coverage, gap insurance, and rental car coverage, can raise your annual premium.
Deductibles: Choosing higher deductibles for comprehensive coverage and collision coverage can lower your full-coverage premium.
See the answers to frequently asked questions below to learn more about car insurance deposits and required coverages in Arkansas.
No. Insurance companies require at least a small down payment to start your coverage. Some insurers require only your first month’s premium, which can keep up-front costs low.
If the state catches you driving without insurance in Arkansas, you face fines and possibly jail time. Fines range from $100 to $250 for a first offense, and between $250 and $500 for a second offense. For a third and subsequent offenses, fines range from $500 to $1,000, and the state may sentence you to up to one year in jail.[3]
Yes. Arkansas doesn’t require PIP, but insurance companies must offer it. You can decline it in writing. Rejecting PIP lowers your premiums, but it also means you have less protection if a car accident injures you or your passengers.
No. Arkansas doesn’t require uninsured motorist coverage. Insurance companies must offer it with the same limits as your bodily injury liability coverage, but you can reject it in writing.
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 250 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 500+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
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8+ years writing about insurance, taxes, and personal finance
Certified public accountant
Janet applies her experience in personal finance, taxes, and accounting to make complex financial topics accessible. Her byline has appeared on numerous web media.
15+ years editing experience
7+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 6642281
Becky has worked as an editor at Insurify since 2024. In addition to her years of editing experience, Becky is a licensed property and casualty insurance agent.
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 20461358
John is Insurify’s Chief Copy Editor, helping ensure the accuracy and readability of Insurify’s content. He’s a licensed agent specializing in home and car insurance topics.
At Insurify, our goal is to help customers compare insurance products and find the best policy for them. We strive to provide open, honest, and unbiased information about the insurance products and services we review. Our hard-working team of data analysts, insurance experts, insurance agents, editors and writers, has put in thousands of hours of research to create the content found on our site.
We do receive compensation when a sale or referral occurs from many of the insurance providers and marketing partners on our site. That may impact which products we display and where they appear on our site. But it does not influence our meticulously researched editorial content, what we write about, or any reviews or recommendations we may make. We do not guarantee favorable reviews or any coverage at all in exchange for compensation.
