Best Cheap Auto Insurance in Columbia, Maryland (2023)

Whether you’re commuting to Baltimore or Washington, D.C., running errands in Town Center, or driving over to Lake Kittamaqundi for a weekend nature walk, it’s important to have car insurance coverage to protect you and your vehicle when you’re on the road.

Maryland requires a minimum level of liability insurance, and you can choose additional types of policies or higher coverage amounts based on your needs.^[1] On average, car insurance in Columbia costs $288 a month, but you can find lower rates if you know where to look. Here’s what you need to know about securing reliable and affordable coverage in Columbia, Maryland.

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Best car insurance companies in Columbia

The best car insurance company depends on your financial situation and coverage needs. Before you compare insurers, consider how you use your car — how often you drive, how many miles you drive, and any other drivers you need to list on your policy. All these factors can affect which features and coverage types are best for you.

The following are three of the best insurers that sell auto policies in Columbia, Maryland. Each insurer is best for certain drivers.

Best insurer for cheap rates: GEICO

Best insurer for teen drivers: State Farm

Best insurer for high-mileage drivers: Erie

Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Columbia

Liability-only car insurance protects you after a car accident. If you must pay for damage to someone else’s car or their medical treatment, a liability policy can help cover some of what you owe. Liability coverage doesn’t help pay to repair your vehicle if it’s damaged and doesn’t help with your own medical costs if you’re injured.^[2]

The following insurers offer some of the most affordable liability policies in Columbia, Maryland.

Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Columbia

Full-coverage car insurance includes liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage, providing broader protection than a liability-only policy. Collision coverage reimburses you if you hit another vehicle or object and sustain damage. Comprehensive coverage protects you in case some event other than a collision damages your car and in case of theft.^[2]

If you have a new vehicle, you might need a full-coverage policy to lessen the financial effect if anything happens to it. Below are some of the cheapest full-coverage options for Columbia drivers.

Car insurance requirements in Maryland

Maryland requires drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance and to show proof of insurance when registering a vehicle. You can face fines of up to $2,500 per vehicle per year if you drive without insurance in this state.^[1]

Below is the minimum amount of coverage needed to comply with Maryland law.

Maryland also requires insurers to offer you $2,500 of personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. This pays for medical bills and some lost income if you’re in an accident. You can decline it, which could make sense if your health insurance already provides sufficient coverage and you aren’t interested in protection against lost earnings.^[3]

The state insurance requirements are just the minimum amounts you must carry. You may want to buy higher levels of coverage or some of these optional coverage types:

Comprehensive coverage

This compensates you if your car is damaged, stolen, or destroyed by events other than crashes, and most lenders require it if you have an auto loan.

Collision coverage

If you’re in an accident, this coverage pays to repair the damage or pays your car’s value if it’s destroyed. Lenders also typically require it.

Medical payments coverage

This pays healthcare costs if you or your passengers are injured in an accident.

Rental reimbursement coverage

This pays for a rental car while you repair your car after an event covered by your comprehensive insurance.

Transportation expense coverage

This compensates you for other costs of going from one place to another, like bus fares, if you need to repair your car after an event covered by your comprehensive policy.

Towing and labor coverage

This add-on pays to tow your car if you need to take it to an auto body shop.

Mechanical breakdown coverage

This offsets the cost of repairs if you experience a mechanical problem.

Cheapest car insurance for Columbia drivers with an incident

Insurers will quote you higher rates if you have an incident on your driving record. Incidents include at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, DUIs, and other moving violations, and they can lead to higher premiums because insurance companies view you as a riskier driver.

How much an incident affects rates depends on the specific violation and how the insurer calculates rates. You can generally expect to pay higher premiums for three to five years following an incident.^[4]

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Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket

Speeding is a risk for insurers because it can cause crashes. Keep in mind that speeding affects your rates even if you got the ticket in another state. If you were cited for speeding in Delaware, for example, that could show up on your Maryland driving record and result in higher quotes.

Below are some of the most affordable monthly quotes for drivers in Columbia with a speeding ticket.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident

How much an accident raises your rates depends on how serious it is. A small fender bender may not have a large effect, but a crash that totals a car could lead to dramatically higher premiums.

The following are average monthly quotes for drivers in Columbia with an at-fault accident on their record.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI

A DUI is a very serious driving offense, and having this incident on your record can raise your car insurance rates by hundreds of dollars a month.

If you have a DUI on your record, you may find a more affordable rate if you look for discounts that don’t depend on your driving record. Consider bundling your auto coverage with homeowners insurance to get a multi-policy discount, or check for discounts on safety features in your car.

These are some of the lowest average monthly quotes for Columbia drivers with a DUI.

Cheapest car insurance for seniors

Average car insurance rates are typically high for young adults and decrease around when drivers turn 35. Drivers generally start to see rising rates again around age 75. Seniors are often safer drivers than their younger counterparts, but they typically have slower reflexes, increasing risk, so insurers charge higher rates to account for this increased risk.

Below are average monthly quotes for senior drivers in Columbia.

Cheapest car insurance for teens

Car insurance rates for teens are generally much higher than for adults. Teens have less driving experience than older motorists and are more likely to be involved in an accident. Teens can save on car insurance rates if they can stay on their parents’ insurance policy and drive a relatively cheap car to insure.

It can help to look for discounts for good grades or passing a safe driving course. Teens might also want to look into a high-deductible insurance policy to keep premiums lower until they can establish a responsible driving record and qualify for better rates.^[5]

Below are the average rates per month for teen drivers in Columbia.

How to get the cheapest car insurance in Columbia

The rates insurance companies quote you for car insurance depend on many factors, including your car’s safety record and cost to repair, your credit history, age, gender, ZIP code, and whether you have any incidents on your driving record.

While some variables might be out of your control, you can still take steps to find a low rate, including:

• Sign up for usage-based insurance. Some insurers offer telematics programs that track your driving habits and may give you a discount if you demonstrate safe habits on the road.

• Buy only the coverage you need. Ensure you aren’t paying twice for coverage you already have through another policy, like your health insurance.

• Bundle policies. Many insurers offer discounts to drivers who buy both their auto and home insurance with them.

• Look for up-front premium discounts. Some insurers charge a lower rate if you pay your entire premium in a lump sum instead of making multiple payments during the term.

• See if you’re eligible for a group plan. Your premium could be lower if you buy a policy through a professional association or your employer.

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  Check quotes from 70+ top insurance companies

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Columbia car insurance quotes by credit tier

Insurers in Maryland can use your credit score when determining your car insurance premium.^[6] Insurance companies consider drivers with excellent or good credit scores less likely to file claims as drivers with poor credit scores, so they tend to quote lower rates to those with better scores. Keeping your credit report spotless could save you money on premiums.

The following are average monthly quotes for full-coverage car insurance in Columbia by credit tier.

Is car insurance more expensive in Columbia?

On average, a full-coverage policy in Columbia costs $326 a month, which is more affordable than the Maryland average of $389 a month but well above the national average of $172 a month.

Rates differ by city in part because some locations experience more claims than others. For example, drivers might get into more accidents or have their cars stolen more often in a bustling city than in a quiet suburb or small town.^[7] That might help explain why car insurance is cheaper in Columbia than in nearby Baltimore.

More cities in Maryland

Below are average monthly quotes for other major cities in Maryland. Rates in most of these cities are higher than in Columbia.

Columbia, Maryland, car insurance FAQs