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Table of contents
COUNTRY Financial offers the cheapest liability-only car insurance, at an average of $44 per month, Insurify data shows. This is lower than the nationwide liability-only average of $99 per month.
Liability-only car insurance is the cheapest type of coverage you can buy. It covers costs from injuries or damages you or another person causes while driving your car. Every state except New Hampshire has a minimum required liability coverage amount you’ll need to have before you can register a vehicle.
Regional insurers may offer you a better quote than national companies, so it’s worth comparing quotes a few times per year to find the best deal.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance by driver type
Liability-only car insurance rates vary based on many factors, including your age and driving record.
The table below shows the cheapest insurance company for drivers in different categories, along with their average monthly liability-only rates.
Driver Type | Cheapest Insurer | Cheapest Liability-Only Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | COUNTRY Financial | $44 |
| Teens | COUNTRY Financial | $61 |
| Seniors | COUNTRY Financial | $33 |
| Drivers with a speeding ticket | COUNTRY Financial | $65 |
| Drivers with an at-fault accident | COUNTRY Financial | $62 |
| Drivers with a DUI | COUNTRY Financial | $60 |
| Drivers with excellent credit | COUNTRY Financial | $41 |
| Drivers with poor credit | COUNTRY Financial | $50 |
In the table below, you can see the cheapest liability-only car insurance companies overall, based on Insurify data.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Monday, January 19 at 11:00 AM PST.Insurance CompanyAverage Monthly Quote: Liability OnlyCOUNTRY Financial $44 Auto-Owners $47 USAA $53 State Farm $55 NJM $58 Mile Auto $70 Allstate $75 Erie $75 American Family $82 Commonwealth Casualty $83 Safeco $87 GEICO $87 Root $91 National General $91 Dairyland $92 The General $93 Progressive $95 Direct Auto $95 Nationwide $96 Mercury $96 Travelers $100 Bristol West $101 GAINSCO $102 Farmers $110 Elephant $111 Anchor $112 Chubb $119 AssuranceAmerica $126 21st Century $133 Plymouth Rock $137 Clearcover $141 CSAA $141 Shelter $142 The Hartford $151 State Auto $152 Liberty Mutual $153 Hugo $193 Amica $269 Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.Teen drivers pay the highest insurance premiums, at an average of $190 per month for liability coverage, Insurify data shows.
In the table below, you can see the cheapest liability-only car insurance companies for teen drivers.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Monday, January 19 at 11:00 AM PST.Insurance CompanyAverage Monthly Quote: Liability OnlyCOUNTRY Financial $61 USAA $100 Auto-Owners $103 State Farm $113 NJM $137 Erie $140 Dairyland $142 Root $151 GEICO $155 Commonwealth Casualty $156 The General $157 Mile Auto $160 Allstate $161 American Family $161 Bristol West $177 Mercury $180 Elephant $188 Anchor $188 GAINSCO $192 Safeco $193 Direct Auto $196 Nationwide $201 National General $203 Clearcover $211 CSAA $222 Travelers $232 Farmers $236 21st Century $239 Liberty Mutual $262 Plymouth Rock $263 Chubb $278 AssuranceAmerica $287 Shelter $309 Hugo $333 The Hartford $407 State Auto $465 Amica $509 Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.Senior drivers pay lower car insurance rates because they have more driving experience, with liability-only policies costing an average of $85 per month.
The table below shows the cheapest liability car insurance companies for senior drivers.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Monday, January 19 at 11:00 AM PST.Insurance CompanyAverage Monthly Quote: Liability OnlyNJM $33 COUNTRY Financial $33 Auto-Owners $34 State Farm $39 USAA $41 Mile Auto $50 Erie $50 Allstate $57 American Family $61 Commonwealth Casualty $62 GEICO $63 Nationwide $64 National General $65 Direct Auto $71 Mercury $71 Root $74 Travelers $74 The General $76 Dairyland $77 Safeco $77 Chubb $77 Farmers $80 Bristol West $81 Shelter $81 GAINSCO $85 The Hartford $87 Anchor $87 Elephant $89 AssuranceAmerica $89 21st Century $95 State Auto $101 CSAA $102 Plymouth Rock $117 Liberty Mutual $123 Clearcover $127 Hugo $165 Amica $190 Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.People with a speeding ticket pay an average of $128 per month for a liability-only policy. In the table below, you can see how much insurers charge for coverage for drivers with a speeding ticket on their records.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Monday, January 19 at 11:00 AM PST.Insurance CompanyAverage Monthly Quote: Liability OnlyAuto-Owners $63 COUNTRY Financial $65 USAA $70 State Farm $70 Mile Auto $83 NJM $89 Commonwealth Casualty $92 Allstate $101 Erie $104 American Family $109 National General $112 Dairyland $113 GAINSCO $115 GEICO $118 Direct Auto $119 Safeco $121 Elephant $126 Bristol West $127 Root $128 Nationwide $128 The General $131 Travelers $133 Anchor $138 Farmers $143 Mercury $147 Chubb $153 AssuranceAmerica $162 21st Century $182 Plymouth Rock $187 CSAA $187 Clearcover $192 Liberty Mutual $197 Shelter $199 State Auto $213 The Hartford $228 Hugo $290 Amica $392 Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.Insurers will likely raise your rates if you’ve been in an at-fault accident. People with an accident pay a monthly average of $133 for liability coverage.
The table below shows the cheapest liability car insurance companies for drivers with an accident on their records.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Monday, January 19 at 11:00 AM PST.Insurance CompanyAverage Monthly Quote: Liability OnlyAuto-Owners $61 COUNTRY Financial $62 USAA $71 State Farm $72 NJM $83 Mile Auto $96 Erie $99 Allstate $101 Commonwealth Casualty $109 American Family $110 GEICO $110 Dairyland $120 Root $121 National General $121 GAINSCO $126 Safeco $129 Nationwide $130 Bristol West $132 The General $132 Direct Auto $133 Travelers $135 Elephant $143 Anchor $144 Farmers $146 Chubb $157 Mercury $162 AssuranceAmerica $169 21st Century $183 Plymouth Rock $184 Shelter $193 Liberty Mutual $205 State Auto $212 The Hartford $215 CSAA $217 Clearcover $226 Hugo $259 Amica $370 Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.People who have been convicted of a DUI pay much higher premiums because insurance companies view them as high-risk drivers. Drivers with a DUI pay a monthly average of $145 for liability coverage.
The table below shows how much insurers charge for liability policies for drivers with a DUI on their records.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Monday, January 19 at 11:00 AM PST.Insurance CompanyAverage Monthly Quote: Liability OnlyCOUNTRY Financial $60 Auto-Owners $69 USAA $78 State Farm $81 NJM $94 Mile Auto $103 Erie $109 Allstate $110 American Family $121 Commonwealth Casualty $122 GEICO $125 National General $134 Dairyland $135 Root $135 The General $137 Direct Auto $140 Nationwide $141 Safeco $147 Travelers $147 Bristol West $148 GAINSCO $150 Mercury $154 Farmers $162 Elephant $163 Anchor $165 Chubb $175 AssuranceAmerica $185 21st Century $195 Plymouth Rock $201 Clearcover $207 CSAA $207 Shelter $210 State Auto $223 Liberty Mutual $225 The Hartford $240 Hugo $284 Amica $413 Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.Drivers with high credit scores typically pay the lowest car insurance rates. Liability-only policies average $86 per month for people with good to excellent credit.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Monday, January 19 at 11:00 AM PST.Insurance CompanyAverage Monthly Quote: Liability OnlyAuto-Owners $33 COUNTRY Financial $41 State Farm $44 USAA $46 Erie $50 NJM $51 Mile Auto $57 Allstate $65 GEICO $66 American Family $69 Commonwealth Casualty $72 Mercury $78 Safeco $79 Dairyland $80 Root $80 National General $80 The General $81 Direct Auto $84 Nationwide $85 Travelers $86 GAINSCO $89 Bristol West $91 Farmers $93 Elephant $98 Anchor $98 Chubb $100 AssuranceAmerica $110 Liberty Mutual $114 CSAA $119 Plymouth Rock $121 Clearcover $121 Shelter $122 21st Century $122 State Auto $128 The Hartford $138 Hugo $168 Amica $222 Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.People with bad credit often pay more for coverage because they’re statistically more likely to file a claim. Drivers with poor credit pay a monthly average of $120 for liability-only policies, Insurify data shows.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Monday, January 19 at 11:00 AM PST.Insurance CompanyAverage Monthly Quote: Liability OnlyCOUNTRY Financial $50 USAA $63 NJM $70 Auto-Owners $81 Mile Auto $85 State Farm $89 Allstate $91 American Family $94 Commonwealth Casualty $100 Safeco $105 GEICO $105 Root $110 National General $110 Dairyland $111 The General $113 Direct Auto $115 Nationwide $116 Mercury $116 Travelers $121 Bristol West $122 GAINSCO $123 Erie $126 Farmers $133 Elephant $134 Anchor $136 AssuranceAmerica $152 CSAA $160 21st Century $161 Clearcover $171 Shelter $172 Liberty Mutual $176 Plymouth Rock $177 State Auto $185 The Hartford $200 Chubb $232 Hugo $234 Amica $326 Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance by state
Where you live factors significantly into the cost of your auto insurance premium. Urban drivers tend to pay more than rural drivers due to the higher rates of theft, vandalism, and accidents in cities.
Premiums vary by state but also by ZIP code. Whether you park your car on the street or in a garage could affect your premium, too.
These are the cheapest car insurance companies and monthly liability-only quotes by state.
Cheapest Liability-Only Rates by State
State | Cheapest Liability-Only Quote | Cheapest Insurance Company |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46 | National General |
| Arizona | $66 | Mile Auto |
| Arkansas | $44 | State Farm |
| California | $84 | USAA |
| Colorado | $59 | State Farm |
| Connecticut | $109 | State Farm |
| Delaware | $79 | USAA |
| Florida | $105 | State Farm |
| Georgia | $90 | Auto-Owners |
| Hawaii | $40 | State Farm |
| Idaho | $32 | Auto-Owners |
| Illinois | $48 | Auto-Owners |
| Indiana | $44 | Auto-Owners |
| Iowa | $23 | State Farm |
| Kansas | $53 | State Farm |
| Kentucky | $76 | Progressive |
| Louisiana | $64 | State Farm |
| Maine | $39 | USAA |
| Maryland | $149 | CSAA |
| Massachusetts | $55 | State Farm |
| Michigan | $71 | Auto-Owners |
| Minnesota | $62 | State Farm |
| Mississippi | $43 | State Farm |
| Missouri | $57 | USAA |
| Montana | $49 | Safeco |
| Nebraska | $43 | Auto-Owners |
| Nevada | $56 | COUNTRY Financial |
| New Hampshire | $38 | GEICO |
| New Jersey | $108 | CSAA |
| New Mexico | $56 | Sun Coast |
| New York | $93 | Liberty Mutual |
| North Carolina | $62 | Erie |
| North Dakota | $79 | Bristol West |
| Ohio | $40 | Mile Auto |
| Oklahoma | $37 | State Farm |
| Oregon | $72 | State Farm |
| Pennsylvania | $40 | Hugo |
| Rhode Island | $82 | USAA |
| South Carolina | $69 | USAA |
| South Dakota | $60 | Safeco |
| Tennessee | $45 | Mile Auto |
| Texas | $58 | State Farm |
| Utah | $60 | USAA |
| Vermont | $19 | State Farm |
| Virginia | $62 | Auto-Owners |
| Washington | $58 | State Farm |
| Washington D.C. | $194 | Erie |
| West Virginia | $45 | State Farm |
| Wisconsin | $35 | USAA |
| Wyoming | $49 | Dairyland |
Source: 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. Alaska excluded due to lack of available data.
State | Cheapest Liability-Only Quote | Cheapest Insurance Company |
|---|---|---|
| California | $84 | USAA |
What liability car insurance covers
Liability-only auto insurance covers your liabilities in an accident you cause. It generally includes bodily injury liability coverage, property damage liability coverage, and in some states, medical payments or personal injury protection and uninsured motorist coverage.
Most states have minimum coverage requirements, but the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) recommends purchasing higher limits to protect yourself.
Here’s what a liability-only car insurance policy generally covers:
Bodily injury liability coverage
This helps pay for the other party’s medical bills in an accident you or someone driving your car cause.
Property damage liability coverage
This helps pay for repairing or replacing another person’s property that you or someone driving your car damaged in an accident. It also covers damage to lamp posts, telephone poles, fences, buildings, or other structures your car hits.
Medical payments or personal injury protection (PIP) coverage
These similar coverages help pay for you or your passengers’ medical bills in an accident you cause. Personal injury protection coverage also pays for lost wages and other expenses.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
Some states also require uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which reimburses you if an uninsured or underinsured driver causes an accident or your car is damaged in a hit-and-run.
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Learn More: What Happens if You Drive Without Insurance?
When liability-only insurance doesn’t cover you
To fully protect your investment in your vehicle, you’ll need more than liability-only insurance. Liability insurance doesn’t cover damages to your car in an accident you caused, so consider full-coverage insurance if you want that protection.
These are some common situations liability insurance doesn’t cover, and the optional coverages that would fully insure you.
You damage your car in an at-fault accident. Collision insurance covers damage to your car from a crash with another vehicle or object and from flipping over.
A tree falls on your car. Comprehensive insurance covers damage from non-collision events, like fires, floods, or falling trees. It also reimburses you if someone steals or vandalizes your car.
Your total your newly leased car. Gap insurance covers the difference between what you owe on your car and what your insurance covers if you lease or finance your vehicle. (Collision and comprehensive insurance cover the market value of your car, not necessarily what you paid for it.)
You crack your windshield. Full-coverage policies sometimes include glass coverage, which pays for damage to windshields, sunroofs, and windows.
Though most states only have a minimum liability coverage requirement, if you lease or finance your vehicle, your lender will likely require you to have full-coverage insurance. Even if you purchase a new car outright, full coverage may still be worth the extra monthly cost to cover any damages.
Cost of liability vs. full coverage
Liability-only coverage is less expensive than full-coverage car insurance because you’re not paying to insure damages to your vehicle. The national monthly average liability rate is $99, well below the full-coverage rate of $175. Full coverage typically includes collision, comprehensive, and liability insurance.
Not having enough coverage can cost you in the event of an accident. With liability-only insurance, if you damage your vehicle in an at-fault accident, you’ll have to pay out of pocket to repair or replace it.
Minimum-coverage limits may not be enough to cover damage or injuries. For example, if you purchase $15,000 of property damage liability coverage but cause $20,000 of damage, you’ll have to pay the $5,000 your liability-only policy doesn’t cover.
Insurance Company | Full Coverage | Liability Only |
|---|---|---|
| COUNTRY Financial | $81 | $44 |
| Auto-Owners | $81 | $47 |
| NJM | $93 | $58 |
| USAA | $100 | $53 |
| State Farm | $108 | $55 |
| Mile Auto | $117 | $70 |
| Erie | $121 | $75 |
| Safeco | $140 | $87 |
| GEICO | $141 | $87 |
| Allstate | $142 | $75 |
| Root | $151 | $91 |
| American Family | $151 | $82 |
| Direct Auto | $153 | $95 |
| Mercury | $162 | $96 |
| Progressive | $163 | $95 |
| Elephant | $169 | $111 |
| National General | $173 | $91 |
| Anchor | $176 | $112 |
| The General | $180 | $93 |
| Nationwide | $182 | $96 |
| Travelers | $187 | $100 |
| Clearcover | $195 | $141 |
| CSAA | $195 | $141 |
| Commonwealth Casualty | $195 | $83 |
| Bristol West | $204 | $101 |
| Plymouth Rock | $207 | $137 |
| Liberty Mutual | $209 | $153 |
| Farmers | $211 | $110 |
| Chubb | $216 | $119 |
| GAINSCO | $217 | $102 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $231 | $126 |
| Shelter | $231 | $142 |
| Dairyland | $235 | $92 |
| 21st Century | $239 | $133 |
| The Hartford | $243 | $151 |
| State Auto | $268 | $152 |
| Amica | $431 | $269 |
How to get cheaper liability car insurance
Car insurance companies consider numerous factors when setting premiums. Here are a few ways to secure lower rates:
Compare car insurance quotes. The top two ways to lower premiums are shopping around and comparing car insurance costs before buying a car. Online auto insurance quote-comparison tools make it easy to get multiple quotes.
Maintain a good driving record. Your driving history has a huge effect on your premiums. Drivers with a clean record pay 7% below average, while drivers with a DUI pay 67% above average, according to Insurify data. Practice safe driving habits by staying alert and focused, and avoid risky behaviors like multitasking, speeding, and driving while impaired.
Consider usage-based insurance. Usage-based insurance, or telematics, uses a mobile app or device to track your driving behavior, such as when you drive, how far you drive, and other factors. If you demonstrate safe habits behind the wheel, you could see lower car insurance rates.
Take advantage of discounts. Most insurers offer discounts for bundling policies, installing safety features, taking defensive driving courses, and more. Young drivers can qualify for good student discounts. Ask your insurer what’s available to you.
Increase your deductible. You can often save on monthly premiums by raising your deductible, but make sure you have the savings to cover it if you have to file a claim.
Cheap liability-only car insurance FAQs
If you think full coverage might be a better fit, check out our article on cheap full-coverage car insurance. Here’s some more information about liability-only coverage to help you find the cheapest liability insurance.
The national average monthly premium for liability-only insurance is $99. Premiums vary widely depending on factors like your location, driving record, credit history, and more.
COUNTRY Financial offers the cheapest liability car insurance, with an average monthly rate of $44. If COUNTRY Financial isn’t available in your area, that doesn’t mean you won’t find coverage that cheap. Compare quotes online or speak to an agent to find the best option available to you.
Auto-Owners and USAA also offer affordable liability coverage.
Liability-only car insurance covers your liability in an accident that you cause. It typically includes bodily injury and property damage liability coverage, which pays for injuries or damages you or someone driving your vehicle causes in an incident.
It can also include personal injury protection to cover your medical expenses and uninsured motorist coverage for incidents like a hit-and-run.
Generally, liability insurance can be a good choice for drivers with older, paid-for, and less valuable vehicles. If your full-coverage policy costs more than your car’s value, reducing coverage could make sense unless you plan to keep driving your car following an incident.
Choosing liability-only coverage would also reduce your monthly bills if full coverage is too expensive or you can afford to pay more out of pocket.
State laws in every state except New Hampshire require some minimum liability coverage, but the exact amount varies.
In Texas, the state’s minimum car insurance requirements are $30,000 of liability coverage for each injured person, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage (often written as 30/60/25). California, for example, requires 30/60/15 for minimum liability insurance. Check your state’s DMV website for local requirements.
Probably not. If you finance or lease your car, the lender will most likely require you to have a full-coverage car insurance policy to protect its investment.
If you drive an older car that’s not worth much, or you’ve paid off your loan, you might consider switching to liability-only car insurance to lower your premiums. But full coverage provides more protection for you and your vehicle, even if it’s paid off.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 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:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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