The Full State-by-State Breakdown for 2026
Car insurance cost varies enormously by state, from about $1,148 a year in Wyoming up to about $4,296 a year in Louisiana for full coverage, a nearly fourfold difference for otherwise comparable drivers. The table below shows median monthly and annual rates for full coverage and minimum coverage in every state, based on a standardized 35-year-old driver profile with a clean record and good credit, so every row reflects the same comparison rather than mixing different assumptions.
Table of Contents
| State | Full Coverage / Month | Full Coverage / Year | Minimum / Month | Minimum / Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $181 | $2,177 | $41 | $489 |
| Alaska | $137 | $1,648 | $32 | $383 |
| Arizona | $243 | $2,921 | $77 | $922 |
| Arkansas | $220 | $2,641 | $46 | $546 |
| California | $161 | $1,931 | $51 | $608 |
| Colorado | $268 | $3,210 | $62 | $748 |
| Connecticut | $232 | $2,789 | $84 | $1,008 |
| Delaware | $221 | $2,647 | $90 | $1,076 |
| Florida | $300 | $3,600 | $76 | $913 |
| Georgia | $261 | $3,136 | $87 | $1,043 |
| Hawaii | $166 | $1,998 | $50 | $603 |
| Idaho | $166 | $1,998 | $36 | $434 |
| Illinois | $215 | $2,578 | $64 | $764 |
| Indiana | $163 | $1,951 | $44 | $523 |
| Iowa | $186 | $2,228 | $33 | $397 |
| Kansas | $208 | $2,502 | $51 | $612 |
| Kentucky | $264 | $3,168 | $72 | $860 |
| Louisiana | $358 | $4,296 | $104 | $1,250 |
| Maine | $142 | $1,701 | $44 | $530 |
| Maryland | $251 | $3,016 | $92 | $1,105 |
| Massachusetts | $154 | $1,851 | $51 | $613 |
| Michigan | $253 | $3,034 | $57 | $688 |
| Minnesota | $212 | $2,549 | $54 | $650 |
| Mississippi | $208 | $2,499 | $49 | $591 |
| Missouri | $197 | $2,365 | $56 | $671 |
| Montana | $231 | $2,774 | $36 | $428 |
| Nebraska | $162 | $1,950 | $36 | $433 |
| Nevada | $286 | $3,428 | $85 | $1,019 |
| New Hampshire | $131 | $1,575 | $38 | $455 |
| New Jersey | $305 | $3,661 | $132 | $1,587 |
| New Mexico | $178 | $2,131 | $42 | $505 |
| New York | $223 | $2,676 | $86 | $1,027 |
| North Carolina | $149 | $1,789 | $50 | $598 |
| North Dakota | $202 | $2,423 | $37 | $448 |
| Ohio | $150 | $1,799 | $42 | $498 |
| Oklahoma | $183 | $2,191 | $40 | $477 |
| Oregon | $182 | $2,184 | $80 | $956 |
| Pennsylvania | $191 | $2,287 | $38 | $454 |
| Rhode Island | $259 | $3,107 | $69 | $825 |
| South Carolina | $191 | $2,288 | $54 | $649 |
| South Dakota | $184 | $2,212 | $32 | $383 |
| Tennessee | $178 | $2,130 | $43 | $521 |
| Texas | $297 | $3,560 | $90 | $1,078 |
| Utah | $193 | $2,317 | $75 | $896 |
| Vermont | $122 | $1,464 | $36 | $429 |
| Virginia | $180 | $2,165 | $66 | $786 |
| Washington | $193 | $2,321 | $56 | $667 |
| Washington, D.C. | $221 | $2,655 | $74 | $892 |
| West Virginia | $179 | $2,149 | $56 | $672 |
| Wisconsin | $193 | $2,315 | $46 | $553 |
| Wyoming | $96 | $1,148 | $16 | $192 |
National average: $2,356 a year for full coverage, $646 a year for minimum coverage, based on this same dataset. Your actual premium will differ from these medians based on your age, driving history, vehicle, ZIP code, coverage limits, and insurer, use our Auto Insurance Calculator for a personalized estimate rather than relying on the state median alone. Looking for a national breakdown rather than state-by-state rates? See how much car insurance costs per month.
Industry analysts commonly point to shared risk factors across these states: dense urban traffic, higher litigation costs, elevated uninsured motorist rates, or significant weather exposure, often several factors together. These are widely cited explanations rather than conclusions this specific cost dataset independently establishes.
These states are commonly associated with the opposite pattern: lower population density, lower accident frequency, and a less litigation-heavy claims environment.
Two separate factors drive the difference: the minimum coverage a state legally requires, and the actual risk factors present there, including weather, litigation environment, population density, and accident frequency. A state with low minimum requirements doesn't automatically mean low real premiums, and a state with high minimums doesn't automatically mean expensive coverage, the two interact but aren't the same thing.
Industry sources commonly attribute the Gulf Coast and Southeastern states' consistently high rankings, particularly Louisiana and Florida, to hurricane and flood exposure affecting comprehensive claims, a more litigation-heavy claims environment, and higher uninsured driver rates. Rural New England and Mountain West states, particularly Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, and Wyoming, are commonly associated with the opposite pattern, reflecting lower population density and lower accident frequency.
Beyond the cost table above, what you're legally required to carry also varies by state. Here are the examples with the clearest documentation and strongest current verification.
| State | Requirement | What Makes It Notable |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | $10,000 PIP, $10,000 property damage, no bodily injury required | Most unusual structure in the country, changing entirely January 1, 2027 |
| Texas | 30/60/25, PIP optional | Higher bodily injury minimum than all four neighboring states, unchanged since 2011 |
| Virginia | 50/100/25 (raised from 30/60/20, effective for policies on or after January 1, 2025) | Eliminated its uninsured motor vehicle fee option effective July 1, 2024; all registered vehicles now require insurance |
| New Hampshire | No blanket mandatory insurance law | Still requires proof of financial responsibility. A 2026 bill, HB1558, would require proof of insurance at vehicle registration starting January 1, 2027, if enacted; as of current sources, this remains a pending bill, not current law |
| Louisiana | 15/30/25 | Among the lowest bodily injury minimums of any state with traditional liability requirements |
| Alaska, Maine | 50/100 bodily injury | Roughly double what most states require |
| Michigan | 50/100 plus tiered PIP starting at $50,000 | One of the more comprehensive no-fault minimum structures |
| Hawaii | 40/80/20 (raised from 20/40/10 in 2026) | One of several states that increased minimums in 2026 |
| New Jersey | 35/70/25 (raised from 25/50/25 in 2026) | Another 2026 increase, alongside corresponding UM/UIM limit changes |
For your specific state's current exact requirements, verify directly with your state's Department of Insurance or DMV. Requirements change through state legislation, and several states have adjusted their minimums within the past year alone.
This is worth understanding now if you drive in Florida. Florida has long operated under an unusual no-fault structure: ten thousand dollars in personal injury protection and ten thousand dollars in property damage liability, with no bodily injury liability required at all.
Starting January 1, 2027, Florida is scheduled to transition away from its no-fault system entirely, moving to an at-fault structure with new bodily injury and property damage requirements. This is a structural change to how the entire state handles claims, not a minor limit adjustment, and it will likely affect how premiums are calculated going forward. Florida drivers should watch for updated official requirements as this date approaches, and this specific transition is worth verifying again closer to publish date and periodically afterward, since the exact enacted requirements were not yet finalized in all published sources as of this writing.
Relocating can shift your premium significantly even with an identical driving record. A driver moving from Vermont ($1,464/year median) to Louisiana ($4,296/year median) would see their premium roughly triple for comparable coverage, purely from the change in location. Moving between states can also change the minimum coverage you're legally required to carry, so your insurer will generally need to rewrite or update your policy after you establish residency in the new state.
The full state table above is sourced from a single, consistent methodology (NerdWallet's August 2026 analysis, based on median rates from Quadrant Information Services across all 50 states and Washington D.C., using a standardized 35-year-old driver profile with good credit, a clean driving record, and consistent coverage limits) rather than combined from multiple sources with different assumptions, so every row is directly comparable to every other row.
Other reputable sources, including Insurify, ValuePenguin, and Experian, publish their own 2026 estimates using different driver profiles and data collection periods, and their specific dollar figures differ somewhat from the table above as a result. What's consistent across nearly every source, regardless of exact methodology, is the directional pattern: Louisiana, Florida, and New Jersey or Maryland appear among the most expensive states, while Vermont, Maine, and Wyoming appear among the cheapest, that convergence across independently-run analyses is a genuinely reliable signal even where the precise dollar amounts vary.
Cost data last reviewed: August 2026. State insurance requirement data last reviewed: August 2026. Both cost figures and state requirements change periodically, this page should be revisited and reverified on a 6 to 12 month cycle.
A combination of legal minimum requirements, regional risk factors like weather and accident frequency, the local litigation environment, and the rate of uninsured drivers all contribute. No single factor explains the full difference.
Wyoming, Vermont, New Hampshire, Alaska, and Maine currently have the lowest median full coverage rates, according to this data, generally reflecting lower population density and lower accident frequency in these largely rural states.
Louisiana, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, and Nevada currently have the highest median full coverage rates, according to this data, though the exact ranking order shifts somewhat depending on the specific source and year.
The table on this page reflects median rates compiled by NerdWallet using data from Quadrant Information Services, based on a standardized driver profile applied consistently across all 50 states and Washington D.C. This approach keeps every state’s figure directly comparable, rather than mixing figures calculated under different assumptions.
Car insurance cost by state comes down to two related questions: what your state legally requires, and what your state's real risk factors actually cost to insure against. The nearly fourfold gap between Wyoming and Louisiana shows how much location alone can move your premium, often more than any personal factor you control. Confirm your specific state's current requirements directly with your Department of Insurance, and use the calculator below for an estimate based on your own profile rather than the state median alone.
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