5+ years writing insurance and personal finance topics
Auto, home, health, and life insurance expertise
Elizabeth has extensive insurance industry experience, having written for Insureon, Rate Retriever, and Insurify. She’s also finance and insurance editor for Car and Driver.
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Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga and crocheting.
Updated September 19, 2024
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Table of contents
Table of contents
The average cost of car insurance for an 18-year-old in Texas is $329 per month. But the actual amount you pay for car insurance depends on various personal factors, including your location, driving record, and vehicle type. You might pay more or less than the statewide average based on your unique profile and insurance coverage needs.
Keep reading to explore the biggest factors that affect car insurance costs for 18-year-olds and some tips for saving money on car insurance in Texas.
What’s the average cost of insurance for 18-year-olds in Texas?
In Texas, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of $329 per month for auto insurance, but some insurance companies have lower rates. State Farm is the cheapest car insurance company in Texas for teen drivers, with an average monthly liability premium of $64.
The following table shows the cheapest companies for minimum-coverage car insurance for teen drivers in Texas.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Liability-Only Rate for Teens ▲▼ |
---|---|
State Farm | $64 |
GEICO | $65 |
Allstate | $93 |
Mile Auto | $108 |
USAA | $112 |
Nationwide | $146 |
Mercury | $157 |
Dairyland | $176 |
Progressive | $179 |
Safeco | $193 |
Chubb | $214 |
The General | $216 |
Clearcover | $220 |
21st Century | $221 |
Elephant | $228 |
Bristol West | $241 |
Commonwealth Casualty | $242 |
National General | $242 |
Direct Auto | $244 |
GAINSCO | $289 |
Liberty Mutual | $301 |
AssuranceAmerica | $319 |
Infinity | $351 |
State Auto | $354 |
Foremost | $405 |
Hugo | $478 |
Cost of adding a teen to a parents’ policy vs. their own policy
Teen drivers have two options for getting car insurance — purchasing their own policy or getting insurance through a parents’ policy. It’s typically cheaper for 18-year-olds to stay insured on a parent’s existing insurance policy.[1]
Parents who add a teenager to their existing car insurance might be eligible for additional discounts, like a good student discount, a student away at school discount, and a multi-vehicle discount.
Here’s a snapshot of the average car insurance rates for teens on their own policy, two parents on a single policy, and two parents plus a teen driver on a single policy.
Drivers ▲▼ | Liability Only ▲▼ | Full Coverage ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
Two parents + a teen driver | $296 | $599 |
Two parents | $157 | $316 |
Teen driver on their own policy | $184 | $372 |
Factors affecting insurance rates for 18-year-olds in Texas
A number of factors determine the cost of car insurance for 18-year-old Texas drivers: [2] [3]
Age and gender: Young drivers pay much higher rates for car insurance than adults. For most people, premiums go down steadily over time. Gender can also affect car insurance premiums. Female drivers often pay slightly less for car insurance than male drivers because data shows that women get into fewer accidents than men. An 18-year-old male driver will have some of the highest premiums.
Driving experience: Driving experience is a rating factor for car insurance in Texas. The main reason 18-year-olds pay high car insurance rates is because they lack driving experience and are more likely to cause accidents. Because inexperienced drivers are high-risk, insurers assign them higher premiums. As drivers gain experience, insurance rates typically come down.
Vehicle type: Insuring a brand-new vehicle is almost always more expensive than insuring a used car. Additionally, insuring a car with a high value and high repair costs often leads to more expensive insurance premiums.
Geographic location: Your city and ZIP code can also affect the cost of your auto insurance premium in Texas. Some location-specific factors affecting premiums include the number of uninsured drivers, crime rates, weather risks, and car repair costs in the area.
Driving record: When 18-year-olds have a clean driving record, they usually pay lower rates for car insurance, and they may qualify for safe driver discounts. People with a history of speeding tickets, accidents, and other traffic violations pay more expensive rates.
Coverage type: The type and amount of coverage you purchase have a big effect on the cost of auto insurance in Texas. A state minimum-coverage policy is the cheapest car insurance you can have. A full-coverage car insurance policy is more expensive, and adding endorsements will also cause your premium to go up.
Discounts and bundles: Most car insurance companies offer discounts that can help reduce your premium. If you qualify for any car insurance discounts, or if you bundle two or more policies together, you might be able to lower your insurance.
How Texas teen car insurance rates compare to nearby states
Teen drivers in the Lone Star State pay higher car insurance rates than young adults in some neighboring states. Louisiana is one of the only nearby states that have a higher premium than Texas. For reference, the U.S. national average rate for 18-year-olds is $286 per month.
The following table shows the average cost of liability-only insurance for teen drivers in several states close to Texas.
State ▲▼ | Average Liability-Only Rate for Teens ▲▼ |
---|---|
Arkansas | $208 |
Louisiana | $287 |
New Mexico | $136 |
Oklahoma | $175 |
Comparing teen driver rates in Texas with other age groups
Age is one of the biggest factors that affect car insurance premiums. Insurers consider teenage drivers to be high-risk drivers, so they charge them higher rates than older drivers.
Car insurance rates are the highest for 16-year-olds, starting to decrease at 25 and continuing to decline as drivers age and gain more experience. This assumes they maintain a clean driving record. Around age 70, Texas car insurance rates start to increase again.
Below, you can see the average liability insurance rate in Texas for drivers in various age groups.
Average Liability-Only Quotes by Age Group
How to reduce insurance costs for 18-year-olds
Although 18-year-olds pay high car insurance premiums, they have ways to reduce the cost. Here are some strategies for getting cheap car insurance for 18-year-olds:
Ask about good student discounts
Car insurance companies often offer discounts to high school and college students who get good grades or maintain a certain minimum GPA.
Take a defensive driving course
Some insurers offer savings for young drivers who complete an approved defensive driving course.
Choose a higher deductible
Selecting a higher deductible for collision and comprehensive insurance policies will reduce your car insurance premium. On the other hand, policies with lower deductibles will have a higher premium.
Choose the right car
Certain vehicles are more expensive to insure than others. To keep car insurance costs low, consider insuring a used vehicle with affordable repair costs. Vehicles with safety features, like anti-lock brakes and an anti-theft system, may also qualify for discounts.
Bundle policies
You can typically earn a discount for bundling multiple insurance policies together. For example, if you purchase car insurance and renters insurance from the same company, you can often save money on one or both premiums.
Join your parents’ policy
Young drivers in Texas can get the most affordable insurance by joining a family policy instead of purchasing their own coverage.
Cost of insurance for an 18-year-old in Texas FAQs
Texas legally requires car insurance for all drivers, but the premiums can be expensive. Check out the additional information below to help you find affordable coverage.
How does the cost of car insurance for an 18-year-old in Texas compare to other states?
The cost of car insurance for 18-year-olds in Texas is higher than that of some nearby states. For example, Texas has higher average insurance premiums than Arkansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. But 18-year-old drivers in Louisiana pay much higher rates than drivers in Texas.
What factors influence the insurance premiums for an 18-year-old driver in Texas?
Car insurance premiums for 18-year-olds depend on many different factors. Some of the biggest factors are location, gender, vehicle type, coverage levels, and deductibles. In addition, car insurance premiums will vary depending on your insurance company and which discounts you qualify for.
Are there discounts available for 18-year-old drivers in Texas to lower their insurance costs?
Yes. The best car insurance companies in Texas offer discounts for 18-year-olds. The most common young driver discounts are for good grades and students who attend school away from home without their vehicle. Plus, 18-year-old drivers may qualify for policy bundling discounts and defensive driving discounts.
How can an 18-year-old in Texas find the most affordable car insurance options?
An 18-year-old driver in Texas can use several strategies to get the most affordable insurance. Comparing car insurance quotes from several different companies is the best way to find the cheapest car insurance for your situation. Additionally, teens can get affordable car insurance by staying insured on a parent’s policy, bundling their policies, and choosing higher deductibles.
Does the type of car an 18-year-old drives affect the insurance cost in Texas?
Yes. The type of vehicle an 18-year-old insures can affect the cost of an auto insurance policy significantly. Brand-new cars, luxury cars, and cars with a high value are often the most expensive to insure. In comparison, insuring a used car that has already depreciated and costs less to repair is usually cheaper.
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 50+ 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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Sources
- III. "Auto insurance for teen drivers."
- III. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?."
- Teen Drivers. "Risk Factors for Teen Drivers."
Elizabeth Rivelli is a freelance writer covering insurance and personal finance. She has extensive knowledge of various insurance lines, including property and casualty, health, and life insurance. Her byline has been featured in dozens of publications, including Investopedia, Forbes, Bankrate, NextAdvisor, and Insurance.com.
Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga and crocheting.