The cheapest car insurance companies in Ohio are Erie, State Farm, and GEICO. Ohio drivers can save up to $1,343 per year on car insurance just by shopping around and comparing quotes.
Ohio ranked 7th in our cheap car insurance study—just a bit cheaper than the national average. About 22% of Ohio residents live in rural areas, which helps offset more densely populated urban cities like Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. Drivers in more densely populated areas tend to pay more for insurance because roads are more crowded and accidents happen more frequently. But Ohio’s large rural population helps to keep costs lower in the state overall.
The car insurance market in Ohio is saturated, too, with lots of regional and national providers. Many Ohio drivers can save as much as $1,343 per year, or even more, just by shopping around and going with one of the cheapest quoted rates. To make the job easier, WalletHub analyzed quotes from all major insurance companies using multiple driver profiles and ZIP codes across Ohio. You can check out our recommendations below, as well as compare the cheapest options to the best overall car insurance companies in Ohio to make sure you find the right fit for your particular needs.
Cheapest Insurance Rates by Category
Cheap for Good Drivers
Cheap for Full Coverage
Cheap for Speeding Ticket
Cheap for One At-Fault Accident
Cheap for Poor Credit
Cheap for Young Drivers
Cheap for Old Drivers
Cheap for Drivers with a DUI
Cheap for Married Drivers
Cheapest for Full Coverage: Hastings Mutual
Full coverage refers to a policy that goes beyond the minimum state requirements. Because full coverage protects you in more situations, it costs more than minimum coverage.
Erie has the cheapest car insurance for most good drivers in Ohio. Drivers who have never had an accident or received a citation are considered good drivers by insurers and pay less for insurance than drivers with bad records. In addition to low rates, good drivers can often qualify for additional discounts from their insurance company.
After a speeding ticket, most drivers will see their insurance rates go up for 3-5 years. But each insurance company calculates rates differently, so you should always get multiple quotes to make sure you get the best deal.
Cheapest for Drivers with One At-Fault Accident: Hastings Mutual
One at-fault accident will usually affect your insurance negatively for 3-5 years as insurers will consider you high-risk. Because of your higher rates, it is even more important to comparison shop.
A low credit score often flags drivers as higher risk, so insurers will usually charge them more for coverage. However, since insurers use different formulas to calculate premiums, poor credit might affect your rates more with one company than another. Because each insurance company treats credit differently, it pays to compare quotes.
Young, inexperienced drivers pay more for car insurance because they have yet to prove themselves responsible behind the wheel. Young drivers are also statistically more likely to get into an accident than middle-aged drivers. As a result, most drivers will see their rates drop as they age.
Although mature drivers pay less for car insurance than teens, older drivers start to see their rates go up as they enter their senior years. Comparing car insurance rates can save older drivers hundreds of dollars a year.
Drivers who have a DUI on their record typically experience much higher rates than drivers with a clean driving record or people with a history of less severe violations. A DUI usually affects your insurance rates for 3-10 years, but the violation itself may stay on your driving record for much longer than that.
To identify the cheapest post-DUI insurance companies, WalletHub compared rates for a 45-year-old, single man, with minimum coverage, one DUI, and good credit across major insurers.
Married drivers typically enjoy cheaper car insurance rates than drivers who are single. Auto insurance companies generally view drivers who are married as more responsible and less of a risk to insure. To help married drivers further reduce their insurance costs, WalletHub compared major insurance companies’ rates for a 45-year-old, married man with minimum coverage, a clean driving record, and good credit.
The table above reflects the average annual cost of car insurance in Ohio’s largest cities and towns.
Factors That Affect Car Insurance Premiums in Ohio
Recap: Cheapest Auto Insurance Companies in Ohio
The cheapest car insurance company in Ohio is Erie, which charges an average of $46 per month for state-minimum coverage. In addition to being the cheapest auto insurer for Ohioans overall, it is the cheapest option for a number of specific categories, such as good drivers and drivers with poor credit.
For your convenience, we’ve summarized the cheapest companies overall below.
1. Compare quotes from both national and regional insurers
Don’t forget to include local insurance companies in your search for cheap car insurance. In Ohio, regional insurers like Westfield, Indiana Farm Bureau, and Erie Insurance might have lower rates than national companies like State Farm and GEICO and have comparable customer satisfaction ratings.
2. Know the factors affecting insurance in Ohio
Everyone knows that your driving habits and claims history affect how much you pay for car insurance. But in Ohio, companies can also consider your age, gender, credit history, marital status, and more when setting premiums. The car you drive, your annual mileage, and even some factors beyond your control all impact the price of insurance.
3. Choose coverage that is right for you
You need liability insurance to pay for the other driver’s damages if you’re at fault in an accident in Ohio. Collision and comprehensive coverage, on the other hand, are optional and may be unnecessary if you own an older car. Usage-based insurance might be a better fit than a standard policy for low-mileage drivers, and going with a higher deductible or lower coverage limits costs less, too.
Don’t skimp on the coverage you need, but do make informed choices. That way, you won’t end up paying for more car insurance than you need.
4. Search for discounts
Top car insurance companies in Ohio have a variety of discounts, so almost anyone can find ways to save. You may be able to get a discount if you’re a student, veteran, good driver, homeowner, willing to go paperless, and more.
5. Stay in less expensive ZIP codes
Car insurance prices can vary a lot based on ZIP code in Ohio. On average, drivers in the most expensive parts of Ohio spend over $500 more per year on car insurance than those living in the least expensive areas.
6. Maintain coverage
You’ll see higher rates if you let your insurance lapse, even if you don’t own a car. Ohio drivers who don’t maintain continuous coverage pay an average of 9% more than those with five or more years of insurance history.
Video: Cheap Auto Insurance in Ohio
Methodology for Selecting the Cheapest Auto Insurance in OH
WalletHub's analysis of cheap car insurance companies in Ohio is based on data from the Ohio DMV and Quadrant Information Services. Together with that data, WalletHub used the characteristics listed below to create 40 different driver profiles designed to identify the cheapest car insurance companies for Ohio drivers in a collection of key categories. For each profile, WalletHub compared quotes among top Ohio car insurance companies by averaging premiums from 45 ZIP codes that represent at least 20% of Ohio's population. Military-specific companies like USAA were only considered for the military-specific category, due to their eligibility restrictions. In some cases, they may still be the best option overall for eligible drivers.
In the table below, you can see all of the profile characteristics that were used in WalletHub’s analysis, in addition to the specific subset of characteristics that make up our Good Driver profile.
Clean, One Speeding Ticket, One At-Fault Accident, One DUI, Suspended License, Open Container, Red Light Infraction, Reckless Driving, One Not At-Fault Accident
Clean
Miles Driven Per Year
7,500 Miles, 15,000 Miles, 20,000 Miles
15,000 Miles
Coverage Level
Minimum, Standard, Full
Minimum
Discounts
None, Multi-Policy, Homeowner, Student
None
Credit Level
Poor, Good
Good
Filings
None, SR22, FR44
None
Car
Sedan, Minivan, SUV, Coupe, Truck
Sedan
Below are additional details regarding the terminology and specific characteristics of the variables in the above table:
Minimum Coverage: Coverage requirements of $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 in bodily injury liability per accident, and $25,000 in property damage liability, as required by Ohio's minimum coverage requirements.
Standard Coverage: Coverage levels of 50k/100k/25k of liability coverage and 50k/100k/25k of uninsured motorist coverage.
Full Coverage: Coverage levels of 100k/300k/50k of liability coverage, 100k/300k/50k of uninsured motorist coverage, and collision and comprehensive coverage with a $500 deductible.
Sedan: 2018 Toyota Camry.
Minivan: 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan.
SUV: 2018 Toyota RAV4.
Coupe: 2018 Ford Mustang.
Truck: 2018 Ford F-150.
Where driver profiles are not specified, WalletHub averaged Ohio insurance quotes across 40 different driver profiles, using the above variables. Quote information is from Quadrant Information Services and is representative only. Individual rates will be different.
Questions & Answers
Finding the cheapest car insurance in Ohio can be tough. But you’ve got the knowledgeable WalletHub community on your side. Other consumers have a wealth of knowledge to share, and we encourage everyone to do so while respecting our content guidelines.
Car Insurance is a necessary expense if you’re a driver, but trying to find the cheapest rates can be a time-consuming process. To gain more insight about getting cheap car insurance while still having quality coverage, WalletHub posed the following questions to a panel of experts in Ohio. Click on the experts below to view their bios and answers.
What does it say about car insurance companies that so many have celebrity endorsers?
Do you think it’s fair to say that car insurance companies try to mislead customers or is it just marketing?
Is it fair for car insurance companies to consider gender or age when setting premiums?
Is it fair for car insurance companies to consider a driver’s occupation when setting premiums?
Do you think car insurance companies are fair to college students?
What advice do you have for new drivers when it comes to car insurance?
How do you think increased adoption of electric vehicles will change the car insurance landscape?
To what extent has technology disrupted the car insurance industry relative to others?
John Kagel Ph.D., University Chaired Professor of Applied Economics, Department of Economics, College of Arts and Sciences – Ohio State University Read More
Mark R. Lyberger Ph.D., Professor and Director, School of Foundation, Leadership and Administration, Kent State University Read More
Greg-Victor C. Obi Ph.D., ACUE., Associate Professor of Management, Department of Management, College of Business, Ohio University Read More
Richard Petty Ph.D., Distinguished University Professor of Social Psychology, Department of Psychology – Ohio State University Read More
Arthur Frazier Associate Professor of Business, Heidelberg University Read More
Lucas Engelhardt Associate Professor of Economics, Kent State University, Stark Campus Read More