The best car insurance companies for high-risk drivers are GEICO, USAA, and Travelers, according to WalletHub’s analysis of 16 major auto insurers. Car insurance for high-risk drivers costs an average of $1,653 per year for state-minimum coverage, while drivers with a clean record pay an average of $717 per year.
Best Car Insurance for High-Risk Drivers
- GEICO – $869 per year
- USAA – $859 per year
- Travelers – $1,145 per year
- Auto-Owners – $1,170 per year
- State Farm – $1,519 per year
- Grange – $753 per year
- Progressive – $1,097 per year
- The Hartford – $1,604 per year
- Mercury – $936 per year
- AAA – $1,162 per year
The term “high-risk drivers” generally refers to drivers with major traffic violations on their driving record. As a result, we compared rates for drivers with violations such as DUIs, at-fault accidents, or numerous speeding tickets.
Best Car Insurance for High-Risk Drivers by Type of Violation
- Best for drivers with a speeding ticket: USAA
- Best for drivers with 1 at-fault accident: USAA
- Best for drivers with a license suspension infraction: Kemper
- Best for drivers with a reckless driving infraction: GEICO
- Best for drivers with a DUI: Grange
You can learn more about the best companies below.
Best Car Insurance Companies for High-Risk Drivers
GEICO
- Average premium: $869 per year
- WalletHub editor rating: 4.4/5
- States available: All U.S. states
GEICO is the best car insurance company for high-risk drivers, according to WalletHub’s analysis, due to its low premiums, high customer satisfaction, and many discounts. Additionally, GEICO earned the highest WalletHub editor rating of any company on the list.
In some states, high-risk drivers may be eligible for GEICO’s driver’s-education-course and defensive-driving-course discounts, which can help lower premiums even more. Unfortunately, high-risk drivers in Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Tennessee are not eligible for GEICO’s defensive driving discount.
USAA Insurance
- Average premium: $859 per year
- WalletHub editor rating: 3.5/5
- States available: All U.S. states
USAA provides inexpensive coverage to high-risk drivers. USAA also offers driver-training and defensive-driving discounts for high-risk drivers in some states, and drivers can choose from a variety of coverage options, such as specialty rideshare insurance.
However, USAA has received more customer complaints than the average car insurance company its size. Policyholders must be USAA-eligible, too.
Travelers Insurance
- Average premium: $1,145 per year
- WalletHub editor rating: 4.2/5
- States available: All U.S. states
Travelers ranks third because it has some of the cheapest quotes for high-risk drivers in WalletHub’s analysis, and the company has earned high marks from WalletHub editors for its variety of coverage options and easy-to-navigate website. Travelers also offers multiple discounts for high-risk drivers, including a driver-training discount and their usage-based insurance program, IntelliDrive, which is available in most states.
Auto-Owners
- Average premium: $869 per year
- WalletHub editor rating: 3.6/5
- States available: All U.S. states
Numerous Auto-Owners discounts are available to high-risk drivers. Additionally, the company has earned a good rating from WalletHub’s editors for how well it handles claims, which is especially important for high-risk drivers who are more likely to file claims than other drivers. Auto-Owners also receives very few complaints from customers compared to the average insurance company its size.
State Farm
- Average premium: $1,519 per year
- WalletHub editor rating: 4.1/5
- States available: All U.S. states
As the largest car insurance company in the United States, State Farm is available across the country and offers a variety of specialty coverage types, such as rideshare car insurance. State Farm also allows high-risk drivers to sign up for its Drive Safe & Save program in order to get a discount of up to 30%, depending on their driving habits.
To lower their premiums even more, high-risk drivers in some states can save up to 15% with State Farm’s defensive driving discount. However, Alaska, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, South Carolina, South Dakota and Tennessee do not allow certain high-risk drivers to qualify for this discount. For example, drivers in South Carolina with an SR-22 requirement are not eligible.
Grange
- Average premium: $753 per year
- WalletHub editor rating: 4.1/5
- States available: All U.S. states
Grange Insurance offers the lowest rates for high-risk drivers out of the insurance companies that WalletHub analyzed, with high-risk drivers paying an average of $753 per year for state-minimum coverage. Grange is also highly rated for its claims handling. Grange is only lower on our list because it receives slightly more complaints from customers than the average insurance company its size.
Progressive
- Average premium: $1,097 per year
- WalletHub editor rating: 3.9/5
- States available: All U.S. states
Progressive received a WalletHub editor’s rating of 3.9/5, given its low prices, many discounts, and variety of coverage options. High-risk drivers can qualify for many of Progressive’s discounts that are not based on driving history, such as its paperless discount, pay-in-full discount, and automatic-payment discount.
The Hartford
- Average premium: $1,604 per year
- WalletHub editor rating: 3.1/5
- States available: All U.S. states
The Hartford offers cheap car insurance for high-risk drivers, and high-risk drivers can qualify for the company’s driver-training and defensive-driving discounts. The Hartford is also known for its discounted AARP auto insurance program, meaning that high-risk drivers who are AARP members or share a policy with an AARP member have more options to save. However, the company’s customer service ratings are lower than average.
Mercury Insurance
- Average premium: $936 per year
- WalletHub editor rating: 3.7/5
- States available: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia
Mercury provides low rates for high-risk drivers in the 11 states where it is available, including California, Florida, New York, and Texas. WalletHub editors note that Mercury offers average coverage options and customer service, so it’s best for high-risk drivers looking for basic, affordable car insurance.
AAA Insurance
- Average premium: $1,162 per year
- WalletHub editor rating: 3.4/5
- States available: All U.S. states
AAA offers competitive rates for high-risk drivers looking for car insurance, though drivers must first purchase a AAA membership in order to qualify. AAA is known for its flagship roadside assistance program, which is included with any membership.
High-risk drivers who belong to certain AAA clubs can also take advantage of AAA’s defensive-driving discount as well as a discount of up to 25% for participating in the usage-based insurance program AAADrive.
Car Insurance Discounts for High-Risk Drivers
Car insurance companies offer a variety of discounts that make the cost of high-risk insurance more reasonable, including:
- Usage-based insurance discounts. Most insurers offer a usage-based car insurance program that rewards safe driving with savings. Usage-based insurance programs track your driving behavior and base your rates on factors such as your speed, mileage, braking, and phone usage.
- Defensive-driving discount. Save if you take an approved defensive-driving course. Defensive-driving courses are offered either online or locally and are designed to teach you techniques to drive safer.
- Driver-training discount. While defensive-driving courses are meant to help experienced drivers, driver-training courses are meant to teach new drivers how to drive. New drivers can earn a discount by taking an approved driver-training or driver’s ed course.
Ways for High-Risk Drivers to Save by Company
| Insurer | Usage-Based Insurance Program? | Defensive Driver Discount? | Driver Training Discount? |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEICO | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USAA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Travelers | Yes | No | Yes |
| Auto-Owners | No | No | No |
| State Farm | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Grange | Yes | No | No |
| Progressive | Yes | No | No |
| The Hartford | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mercury | Yes | No | No |
| AAA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Notes: Defensive-driver discounts may not be available to drivers with accidents, DUI, or major traffic violations on their record. State Farm driver-training discounts are only available to drivers under 25 years old. The Hartford driver-training discounts are only available to drivers under 21 years old (under 25 in Georgia). Mercury GO is only available in AZ, FL, GA, IL, NJ, OK, TX, and VA.
Other possible discounts include savings for having certain safety features on your vehicle, such as anti-theft devices, and for paying your premium in full up front.
Cheapest Car Insurance for High-Risk Drivers by State
*Rates are an approximation based on 45-year-old drivers with minimum coverage and “high-risk” violations such as numerous speeding tickets, an at-fault accident, or a DUI on their driving record. Actual rates will vary.
Tips for Finding High-Risk Car Insurance
1. Get multiple quotes.
Shopping around for quotes from multiple insurance companies is always a good way to save, but it’s especially important for high-risk drivers considering their costly premiums.
2. Be honest with your insurance company.
It’s important to be upfront with your insurance company about your driving record and any accidents or tickets you’ve received. If you withhold information and your insurance company finds out later, they could cancel your policy.
3. Opt for a higher deductible.
If you have a full coverage policy, you can save on your premiums by choosing higher collision and comprehensive insurance deductibles, but keep in mind that you’ll have to pay more out of pocket if you file a claim. While opting for state-minimum coverage is more affordable, high-risk drivers should seriously consider purchasing a full coverage policy since they are more likely to file a claim than other drivers.
4. Practice safer driving moving forward.
The longer you go without any accidents or traffic violations, the better your chances of getting affordable car insurance. Additionally, taking a defensive driving course can help you improve your driving skills and may result in a discount.
5. Consider swapping your car out.
Sports cars, luxury vehicles, and cars with high theft rates are especially expensive to insure, so high-risk drivers who own such a car may want to consider trading it in for a cheaper option.
Methodology
WalletHub editors compared 16 car insurance companies to determine the best car insurance for high-risk drivers. The companies were evaluated based on:
- Premiums
- WalletHub editor rating
- Number of high-risk discounts
- NAIC rating
- D. Power rating
Companies earned a maximum of 5 points for each category. WalletHub editors then ranked companies by total points to determine the best car insurance for high-risk drivers. Price was used as a tie-breaker where needed.
The premiums used for this comparison are an average of a series of quotes sourced from Quadrant Information Services for California ZIP codes, based on different 45-year-old driver profiles with a range of traffic violations such as a speeding ticket and a DUI. The following coverage limits were applied:
- $15,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person
- $30,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident
- $5,000 in property damage liability coverage per accident
WalletHub experts are widely quoted. Contact our media team to schedule an interview.