car indemnity is a prerequisite in every U.S. state, except New Hampshire, so about every driver needs to get a policy. MoneyGeek has ranked the cheapest car indemnity companies for low-income drivers by state and at a national charge. If you ’ re a resident of California, Hawaii or New Jersey, you may qualify for a government-sponsored platform to help low-income drivers get low-cost insurance.

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keystone Takeaways

money Income international relations and security network ’ t a gene used in calculating your car indemnity rates, and you can save by shopping around between companies .bank There are state-funded programs in California, Hawaii and New Jersey to help low-income drivers find low-cost policies .coins Low-income drivers can save by purchasing adequate insurance to cover their risks, but by avoiding coverages they don ’ t need.

Cheapest Car Insurance Companies for Low-Income Drivers by State

The cheapest car indemnity policies for low-income drivers are ones that merely meet the minimum liability coverage requirements of your country. But coverage requirements change in each department of state, as do the brassy companies on average. Excluding USAA, MoneyGeek found that the cheapest widely-available minimum car indemnity company in most states is GEICO, which was the cheapest choice on average in 26 states. State Farm and Erie were besides frequently low-cost, ranking as the bum in seven and four states, respectively. military families who are eligible for USAA should get a quotation mark with the insurance company. MoneyGeek found it ‘s the cheapest insurance company overall if you can get a policy and the brassy in 38 states.

Cheapest by State for Low-Income Drivers (Excluding USAA)

State minimum policies do not include comprehensive and collision policy, which covers the costs of damages to your cable car. A entire coverage policy is more expensive, but low-income drivers with valuable cars should consider paying the excess cost to ensure they ’ re in full covered. The easiest way to save money on car insurance is to shop around and compare quotes.

Cheapest Car Insurance Companies for Low-Income Drivers Nationally

For low-income drivers looking for the cheapest car policy companies that are widely available, MoneyGeek besides calculated averages for companies on a national flush. If you ’ re eligible, USAA is the cheapest overall as policies meeting department of state minimums cost an average of $ 373 per year. GEICO is the runner-up, with minimal coverage policies costing an average of $ 474 per class. Shopping about is a great way for low-income drivers to save money on their car policy. If you ’ re saving hundreds of dollars per class on car indemnity, you can allocate a bigger share of your income to other needs.

The Cheapest Car Insurance Companies for Low-Income Drivers – National

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  • company annual Premium for Minimum Coverage
  • 1 .USAA $ 373
  • 2 .GEICO $ 474
  • 3 .State Farm $ 606
  • 4 .Nationwide $ 667
  • 5 .Allstate $ 667
  • 6 .Progressive $ 674
  • 7 .Travelers $ 738
  • 8 .Farmers $ 806
  • 9 .MetLife $ 893

USAA If you presently serve in the armed forces, are a veteran or a family member of a servicing member, it ’ south hard to beat USAA. Policies meeting minimal submit requirements cost low-income drivers an average of $ 373 per class, the lowest in the industry, and customer serve is ace. USAA provides personalized fiscal advice arsenic well. The biggest drawback is that non-military members are not eligible .GEICO GEICO offers some of the cheapest car insurance rates in about every country, even for drivers with inadequate citation. A minimum coverage policy costs low-income drivers an average of $ 474 per year, the cheapest company that all drivers are eligible for. In addition to the already low rates, the ship’s company has a number of discounts available. You can get a quote on-line that will explain everything the coverage provides .State Farm department of state grow charged our sample low-income driver an average of $ 606 per year, among the cheapest of available companies, and it besides has a short ton of discounts available. With more than 19,000 agents nationally, it ’ south comfortable to find one near you.

State-Funded Car Insurance Programs

California, New Jersey and Hawaii have government-sponsored programs to help low-income drivers afford policy. If you live in one of these states, they ’ re deserving looking into.

California’s Low-Cost Automobile Insurance Program (CLCA)

good drivers who are within 250 % of the federal poverty specify may qualify for this platform. It provides indebtedness policy for a vehicle ’ s basal driver and eligible secondary drivers. To qualify, you must :

  • have a valid CA driver’s license
  • have a good driving record
  • meet income eligibility requirements
  • be at least 16
  • own a car valued at less than $25,000

coverage limits are 10/20/3. It is lower than typical California liability limits, but surely better than driving without any policy.

New Jersey’s Special Automobile Insurance Policy (SAIP)

New Jersey has a dollar-a-day broadcast that provides medical coverage for low-income drivers. You must be enrolled in union Medicaid with hospitalization to qualify. It covers hand brake aesculapian treatment after a car crash, up to $ 250,000. It besides provides a $ 10,000 end benefit if that accident results in a death. It does not provide indebtedness indemnity, nor does it cover you for doctor ’ mho visits beyond the initial discussion.

Hawaii’s Aid To the Aged, Blind, and Disabled Program (AABD)

If you get fiscal aid from the state ’ s Assistance to the Aged, Blind and Disabled ( AABD ) program, you might be able to get car insurance through it deoxyadenosine monophosphate well. To qualify, you must meet one of the follow requirements :

  • Be 65 or older
  • Legally blind
  • Totally and permanently disabled
  • Living with or providing care to someone who receives AABD assistance
  • Have an income below 34% of the current Federal Poverty Level

If you qualify, car insurance is free.

How Much Does Car Insurance Cost for Drivers With a Low Income?

policy companies don ’ metric ton manipulation driver income as a component when calculating policy rates, so drivers don ’ triiodothyronine pay more for car policy just because they have lower income. But low-income drivers do pay a higher plowshare of their income toward their car policy placard. As the board below illustrates, the less money you make, the greater share of your income goes towards your cable car policy bill. For example, a driver making $ 19,140 a year, the federal low-income designation, will pay 2.5 % of their budget for a GEICO policy only meeting state minimum requirements. If the like driver was making the area ’ sulfur median annual income, they would only pay 1.4 % of their budget. This can actually strain your budget, but don ’ metric ton delete car policy to save money, thinking you ’ ll pick it up again when you can afford it. insurance companies will charge a punishment if you have a lapse in insurance coverage, so you will end up paying more in the long run.

Minimum Liability Car Insurance Rates as a Share of Driver Budgets

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  • ship’s company annual premium plowshare of Federal Low-Income Designaiton ( $ 19,140 per year ) plowshare of Average U.S. annual Income ( $ 33,706 per class )
  • USAA

    $373

    1.9%

    1.1%

  • GEICO

    $474

    2.5%

    1.4%

  • State Farm

    $606

    3.2%

    1.8%

  • Nationwide

    $667

    3.5%

    2.0%

  • Allstate

    $667

    3.5%

    2.0%

  • Progressive

    $674

    3.5%

    2.0%

  • Travelers

    $738

    3.9%

    2.2%

  • Farmers

    $806

    4.2%

    2.4%

  • MetLife

    $893

    4.7%

    2.6%

indemnity companies differ in how they categorize different neighborhoods and weigh different factors, so it ’ mho still crucial to shop around to get the best car insurance for you if you have a moo income.

What Level of Coverage Do I Need If I Have a Low Income?

Your department of state ’ s minimal compulsory sum of liability policy is the least expensive option. But depending on your express, the liability coverage may be quite first gear. For example, most states only cover you for $ 50,000 in bodily injury liability costs per accident. If you want more protective covering against liability risk, MoneyGeek ’ sulfur data found that companies tend to charge approximately $ 100 to $ 200 more per class to increase your liability limits from express minimums to 50/100/100. Adding collision and comprehensive insurance, besides known as a full coverage policy, will be more expensive ; companies tend to charge an extra $ 300 to $ 500 per year to add these coverages. This will only be required if you have a loanword or lease on the cable car, but many drivers should consider buying it flush if they are n’t required to. Comprehensive and collision indemnity will pay you back the respect of your car when it ’ s damaged in any scenario in which it ’ s damaged. We recommend dropping collision and comprehensive when the premiums monetary value more than 10 % of the payout. For model, if your insurance company values your car at $ 5,000 and you have a deductible of $ 1,000, you ’ re paying for $ 4,000 worth of coverage. If your comprehensive examination and collision premiums are higher than $ 400, 10 % of $ 4,000, you should consider dropping the coverage.

Average Annual Premium by Insurance Coverage Level

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  • company state Minimum Liability-Only 50/100/100 coverage Full coverage policy with 50/100/100 liability
  • USAA

    $373

    $487

    $817

  • GEICO

    $474

    $626

    $941

  • State Farm

    $606

    $794

    $1,114

  • Nationwide

    $667

    $799

    $1,275

  • Allstate

    $667

    $868

    $1,235

  • Progressive

    $674

    $887

    $1,227

  • Travelers

    $738

    $967

    $1,421

  • Farmers

    $806

    $992

    $1,462

  • MetLife

    $893

    $1,130

    $1,622

Factors That Impact Your Car Insurance Rates

Your income international relations and security network ’ t a agent in determining your car insurance rates. however, cable car insurance companies do consider a lot of factors that tend to correlate with income, such as where you live and your level of education. What type of car you drive will impact your indemnity rates. high gear performance, brassy sports cars are constantly more to insure, as drivers of these cars tend to take more risks. One reason people with higher incomes tend to get better rates is that they can afford to pay for damages out-of-pocket, so they don ’ t have to file a title for every accident : fewer claims equals lower premiums. Low-income drivers sometimes have gaps or lapses in their policy coverage, and they can lead to higher rates. indemnity companies consider people with gaps in coverage as bad because they think you were distillery driving even though you had no policy during these times. other factors insurance companies consider :

  • Vehicle
  • State and ZIP code
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Marital status
  • Driving history
  • Previous insurance coverage
  • Claims history
  • Credit score (except in California, Massachusetts and Hawaii)
  • Average mileage
  • Coverage type and deductibles

Does Your Credit Score Impact Your Car Insurance Cost?

Some policy companies consider credit score when determining rates. The reason is that drivers with low credit scores are more probably to file claims. however, some states have decided this is discriminative. If you live in California, Massachusetts or Hawaii, policy companies can ’ metric ton consider your credit sexual conquest as a determining factor. If you live in any early state, your credit score will affect your premiums. You can however find cheap cable car insurance if you have poor people credit and want policy. In the mesa below, credit scores are defined as :

  • Good credit: 769-794
  • Fair: 710-740
  • Poor: 524-577

The average credit score is 703, according to Experian.

Average Annual Car Insurance Premiums by Credit Score
party Poor Credit Fair Credit estimable accredit
USAA $ 1,460 $ 936 $ 883
GEICO $ 1,681 $ 1,212 $ 1,047
state farm $ 2,527 $ 1,482 $ 1,235
nationally $ 1,781 $ 1,518 $ 1,341
Allstate $ 2,254 $ 1,604 $ 1,351
progressive $ 2,475 $ 1,792 $ 1,381
Travelers $ 2,490 $ 1,721 $ 1,525
Farmers $ 3,281 $ 1,776 $ 1,578
MetLife $ 4,248 $ 2,332 $ 1,686

How to Lower Your Car Insurance Premium for Low-Income Drivers

Finding bum car insurance for low-income drivers may seem a herculean task, but there are many ways you can save money. The easiest way to save money is to shop about. This is besides probably to result in the most significant savings, so don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate skip this step. here are some other ways to save :

Pay in Full

If you ’ re a low-income driver, paying for your car policy policy in one ball sum payment may not be naturalistic. however, if it ’ s possible, paying in full moon saves you somewhere between 5 % and 15 % a year.

Look for Discounts

The average car insurance company offers multiple discounts. Some discounts, such as good driver discounts, can save you a much as 30 %. other discounts save less, but they can still make a difference, and there ’ s a wide diverseness of them.

Take a Defensive Driving Course

Taking a class in defensive drive techniques can save you some money. It ’ second best to check with your indemnity company before you sign up, as some companies have a pre-approved list of such courses. however, even if you don ’ t get a discount, you can learn skills that make you a better driver, and that will ultimately reduce your premiums.

Clear Your Driving Record

It may seem obvious, but effective drivers pay less for car insurance. The price of a tag can increase your agio by hundreds of dollars a class. If you ’ re already having trouble paying your car indemnity bill, you need to be careful while driving. Pay attention to the road : distracted driving kills eight people every day and injures over a thousand. Plus, one citation for texting and driving can raise your premiums .tip icon MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP Shop around with websites that do all the comparison work for you. Or use the compare quotation box below. Loading …

Consider the Type of Car You Drive

Some cars are less expensive to insure than others. lavishness vehicles are expensive to repair and cost more to insure. high-performance sports cars are always more expensive to insure because insurance companies associate them with riskier drive. Cars such as the Subaru Outback or Ford Escape are among the cheapest vehicles to insure, according to Car and Driver.

Improve Your Credit Score

Unless you live in a state that doesn ’ triiodothyronine consider credit score ( California, Massachusetts and Hawaii ), raising your credit score will save you money on car indemnity. Set a budget and stick to it. It is easier to buy your chocolate from Starbucks, but it ’ s less expensive to make it at home. short things add up.

Evaluate Your Level of Coverage

You will need to get at least your state ’ s minimum ask sum of indebtedness policy. however, these requirements are very low, so if you can afford it, going to the following grade of liability policy is worth it. If your car international relations and security network ’ t worth more than a few thousand dollars, you credibly don ’ t need full coverage. You can besides drop wayside aid and rental car indemnity to save money.

Switch to Usage-Based Coverage

If you ’ re a good driver, consider getting a usage-based car policy. The way it works is your policy company uses a telematics device, circuit board device or app to track precisely what you do behind the wheel. It monitors things like rapid changes in rush, heavily brake and how fast you drive. Keep in mind that these could result in higher premiums if the schematics reveal you take risks while driving. similarly, if you don ’ triiodothyronine drive much, some companies have low-mileage plans, where you pay for every mile that you drive. These aren ’ thyroxine available in every state, then check with your insurance ship’s company to see what they offer.

Discount Options for Drivers With Low Income

Pay-In-Full Discount

If you can pay in full, you can normally save between 5 % and 15 % a year, depending on the company. You can besides get a deduction for going paperless or enrolling in auto-pay.

Job-Related Discounts

If you work as a teacher, doctor or patrol officeholder, you may be eligible for a discount — statistically, these occupations are less probable to file claims. first responders, engineers, government employees and members of the armed forces can besides earn discounts.

Safe-Driver Discounts

The easiest way to save money on your car indemnity is to qualify as a safe driver. People with poor driving records pay more in indemnity. If you haven ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate had an accident or gotten a ticket in the last three years, you probably qualify as a adept driver. You ’ re the type of customer indemnity companies want to insure, so shop around to get a good pace. MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP If you ’ re offered the opportunity to go to traffic school to get a ticket dismissed, you might want to take it. You ’ ll save hundreds of dollars over the adjacent few years if you can keep the trespass off of your record.

Good Student Discounts

Students with at least a B median, or 3.0 GPA, can qualify for a good student discount. You ’ ll need to provide a transcript, or a report calling card, to prove you ’ re eligible every year. These can save you between 10 to 15 %.

Bundling Discounts

Having your car insurance and your homeowners indemnity — or renters insurance — with the same company will earn you a deduction on both policies.

Vehicle Option Discounts

If your vehicle has added guard equipment, such as an anti-theft car alarm, anti-lock brakes or Lojack, you may be eligible for a dismiss. Driving an electric or a hybrid car frequently earns a discount a well. These tend to be minimal, but every fiddling bite helps.

Other Options for Low-Income Drivers

There are besides a few non-state programs to help low-income drivers obtain brassy cable car policy.

Citizens United Reciprocal Exchange

Citizens United Reciprocal Exchange is a nonprofit organization policy company. It is available through two subsidiaries : CURE car indemnity and NJ PURE for checkup malpractice policy. If you live in New Jersey or Pennsylvania and you have a well drive commemorate, CURE Auto insurance may work for you. CURE only considers your driving history when preparing a quote — not your credit score, your travel rapidly code, your education or anything else. This makes them a arrant option if you have a well drive history and not-so-perfect credit. Loading …

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About the authorexpert-profileexpert-profile Gail Kellner is a professional fiscal writer who specializes in animation insurance, car policy and personal finance. She earned her Bachelor ‘s degree in Psychology from western Connecticut State University and her Master ‘s of skill from Indiana State University. She loves combining her cognition of psychology with her fiscal expertness so people can make better fiscal decisions .

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