4.8out of 3,000+ reviews
Cheapest Car Insurance for College Students (May 2022)
- Personalized quotes in 5 minutes or less
- No signup required
4.8out of 3,000+ reviews
Edited by Jackie Cohen | Reviewed by licensed insurance agent, Amber Benka
Last Updated May 10, 2022
Whether you’re a commuter or a student who leaves their car at home during the semester, students can always find ways to save on car insurance. You’re already paying for tuition, housing, books, and living expenses. The last thing both parents and their kids want to think about is covering an auto insurance policy.
Keeping young drivers safe, even when they’re away at school, doesn’t need to be expensive. Insurify can help compare car insurance rates from America’s top car insurance companies. Just answer a few questions and choose from quotes tailored to your needs.
Most college students see high insurance costs because they are young drivers. However, many insurance providers offer discounts based on grades or distant student discounts to help college students save.
The fear of high costs shouldn’t be a reason why you go uninsured. There are great options for affordable car insurance policies that give you peace of mind while you or your loved one is away studying. To make it easier, we at Insurify put together a list of the top cheapest car insurance policies for college students.
Insurance Company | Cheapest Monthly Quote |
---|---|
Farmers | $87 |
Travelers | $93 |
Kemper | $133 |
National General | $148 |
Dairyland | $182 |
The General | $214 |
Liberty Mutual | $219 |
Safeco | $361 |
Many things can affect the insurance rates a driver pays. For instance, gender and age are two factors that have a significant impact on cost. Even though college students pay less for monthly car insurance premiums than high schoolers of the same age, analysis of car insurance rates by age shows all young drivers pay more on average, regardless of schooling.
Except for states that prohibit the practice (California, Massachusetts, and North Carolina, to name a few), male college students will pay more on average than their female classmates of the same age for car insurance premiums. Insurance companies generally see male drivers as more likely to file claims.
See More: Car Insurance Quotes
The price of an average auto policy for college students is determined by a number of factors, but young female drivers pay around $322 per month, and young male drivers pay around $363 per month. This cost differs if they’re paying for their own policy or being added to their parent’s car insurance policy. In most cases, it’s cheaper to be added to a pre-existing policy.
Showing proof of completing driver training means that young adults and teen drivers took the extra step to make sure they know the rules of the road, the consequences of breaking rules, and what they can do to keep themselves and other motorists safe. College students can also score savings through discounts they may be eligible for.
Kemper specializes in auto insurance for people who have had trouble getting or keeping insurance coverage in the past. Its flexible policies and coverage options range from the very basic to full-coverage car insurance, so you can choose what works best for you. Its standard policies include the ability to lock in a low rate for an entire year, as well as a roadside assistance offering.
A few of the discounts that Kemper offers college student drivers include:
United Security Health & Casualty may not be as well known as bigger insurance companies like GEICO or Progressive, but it’s at the top of the list for cheap car insurance for high-risk student drivers. With a large variety of discounts and coverage options, even college students can get good rates with USH&C.
A few of the discounts that USH&C offers to college student drivers include:
Travelers is a leader in the car insurance space and is one of the largest insurers nationwide, meaning you’ll almost certainly find a quote for your area. It offers many policy options for people with all different driving habits, so you can always find something that works for you and your budget.
A few of the discounts that Travelers offers to college student driver include:
For about 100 years, First Chicago has been providing custom auto insurance policies tailored to the needs of its customers, even college students who may be considered higher-risk than other age groups.
A few of the discounts that First Chicago offers to college student drivers include:
See More: Cheap Car Insurance
Going to college may cost a lot, but getting solid protection on your car insurance policy doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg, too. Insurance companies reward young drivers for safe driving, getting good grades, bundling their car insurance and renters insurance policies, and more. Check with your university if they offer any school discounts, too.
Discounts for College Students | How to Get It | Companies That Offer It |
---|---|---|
Good Student Discount | Usually, a GPA of 3.0 higher qualifies you for good student discounts. | GEICO, Allstate, Progressive, State Farm, USAA |
Distant Student Discount | If you’re starting college and leaving the car behind, you don’t have to pay for insurance that covers you as if you’re driving every day. | State Farm, Progressive, Allstate |
Bundling with Home Insurance | If your parents own a home, ask them to make sure they’re getting auto insurance and home insurance from the same place. | GEICO, Allstate, Progressive, State Farm, USAA |
Driver Training | Ask your auto insurance company for qualifying classes in your area. | GEICO, Allstate, Progressive, State Farm, USAA |
There are still ways to get cheaper car insurance, even if you choose not to shop with the auto insurance companies listed above.
Regardless of age, shopping around for car insurance can often be one of the most effective ways to save money. Each auto insurance company offers different discounts and weighs certain factors differently, making it more important to review multiple quotes before selecting an insurance provider. Free online quote-comparison tools like Insurify can make it easy.
In most cases, it’s much cheaper for parents to add their student driver - whether in high school or college - to their pre-existing auto insurance policy than to get them their own car insurance.
While it might be tempting to roll up to your college dorm in a flashy car, it’s cheaper to go for practicality. Students who drive older cars will be happy to pay less on repairs, and cars with enhanced safety features usually mean lower car insurance premiums.
Lessen costs before getting yourself into a tricky situation. With a high-deductible plan, you pay a lower premium each month, but more when an accident does happen.
Regardless of age or whether you’re a student, keeping a clean driving record always has benefits. Staying free of collisions and claims means paying less on a monthly car insurance premium.
Drivers in college might be too young to accumulate credit. Parents can help their children by showing them the importance of paying their student loans and credit card bills on time, as well as leading by example and teaching them financial literacy. Drivers with good credit benefit from the lowest car insurance rates.
Cash in on all the car insurance discounts you might be eligible for. Some might include:
College student drivers who live in the following states will enjoy the low car insurance rates that come with their location:
State | Insurance Company | Cheapest Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|
North Carolina | Direct Auto | $83 |
Hawaii | Farmers | $87 |
Massachusetts | Travelers | $93 |
Ohio | Travelers | $114 |
Indiana | Travelers | $116 |
Utah | Travelers | $121 |
Illinois | Kemper | $133 |
Oregon | Travelers | $143 |
Tennessee | Travelers | $146 |
Iowa | Midvale | $147 |
Going to college is an exciting new chapter. For many young adults, college is usually the first time that they’ve been away from home and the responsibility of living on their own. It’s exciting for parents, too - college means independence for their teens, watching them learn how to take care of themselves, and sometimes, taking care of their own finances.
Insurify can show you the cheapest car insurance quotes to make sure your young driver stays safe on the road and protects others, too. We can help you look up average monthly costs for an auto insurance policy to make sure you’re getting the best rates on the best car insurance - all for free. Finding great rates and cheap car insurance is possible with Insurify!
This depends on a number of factors, but female college drivers can expect to pay around $322 per month for car insurance, while males pay closer to $363 per month.
Staying safe on the road shouldn’t mean breaking the bank. College students have a better shot at saving on car insurance when they compare quotes from multiple insurance companies. Insurify makes comparing quotes easy it’s easy to use, free comparison tool.
College drivers who keep their driving history free of claims, crashes, and accidents show that they’re good on the road and keep others safe, too. Car insurance companies reward good drivers by reducing their policy costs.
The car insurance quotes displayed are based on an analysis of Insurify’s database of over 40 million quotes from 500 ZIP codes nationwide. To obtain representative rates, Insurify’s data science team performs frequent comprehensive analyses of the factors car insurance providers weigh to calculate rates including driver demographics, driving record, credit score, desired coverage level, and more.
Insurify’s analysis also incorporates the Insurify Composite Score (ICS) assigned to each insurance provider. The ICS is a proprietary rating that weighs multiple factors reflecting the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Ratings used to calculate the ICS include Financial Strength Ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.
With the above insights and ranking methods, Insurify is able to offer car insurance shoppers insight into how various insurance providers compare to one another in terms of both cost and quality. Note, actual quotes will vary based on unique attributes including the policyholder’s driver history and their garaging address.