Best Cheap Car Insurance With a Bad Driving Record (2026)
Auto-Owners, State Farm and Progressive are the cheapest major car insurance companies for people with bad driving records.
Cheapest major car insurance companies for bad drivers
To help you find the best auto insurance for a bad driving record, ValuePenguin collected rates from ZIP codes across the U.S. Our experts also considered how much insurance companies raise rates after a ticket, an accident or a DUI.
ValuePenguin scores insurance companies after a review of rates, coverage, discounts, customer service and unique features. Our team includes licensed insurance agents with real-world experience in the insurance industry.
See the full breakdown of how we pick top companies.
Best cheap insurance for bad drivers
State Farm, Progressive and USAA are some of the major insurance companies that have cheap rates for bad drivers.
But you may be able to get an even cheaper rate with a regional company. For example, Erie and Auto-Owners typically have the cheapest auto insurance after a speeding ticket, compared to other national companies, while NJM and Erie have the best rates after a DUI.
The cheapest company also depends on where you live. For example, Erie is often cheap, but it's only available in 12 states and Washington, D.C.
If you have multiple tickets or accidents, you may need to choose a company that specializes in insurance for bad drivers, such as The General and and Direct Auto. However, these companies tend to be more expensive.
Cheap car insurance with a speeding ticket
Auto-Owners has the cheapest car insurance rates for many people with a speeding ticket.
But you may be able to get cheaper rates from Erie if you live in a state where it sells policies. If you can't get Erie or Auto-Owners, get quotes from State Farm or see if you can get American Family.
- USAA also has cheap rates for drivers with speeding tickets. But you can only get USAA if you're affiliated with the military.
- State Farm is the cheapest national company if you have a speeding ticket. State Farm's average rate of $210 per month is about 19% cheaper than the national average.
Cheap car insurance companies if you have a ticket
Company |
Value Penguin score
| Speeding ticket rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | $153 | |
| Erie | $168 | |
| Auto-Owners | $182 | |
| American Family | $189 | |
| State Farm | $210 | |
Average monthly rate for full coverage after one speeding ticket. USAA is only available to military members, veterans and some family members.
Cheap car insurance with accidents
State Farm is the cheapest company for most drivers with an at-fault accident on their records.
- State Farm is the cheapest major car insurance company if you have an accident on your record, at $218 per month for full coverage. That's $92 per month less than the national average after an accident. If you live in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio or Pennsylvania, get quotes from NJM.
- Erie is also a cheap option, but it's only in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
- If you're part of the military, USAA is a cheap choice.
Cheap car insurance companies if you've caused an accident
Company |
Value Penguin score
| Accident rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
| USAA | $174 | |
| NJM | $183 | |
|
| Erie | $218 | |
|
| State Farm | $218 | |
|
| Auto-Owners | $234 | |
Average monthly rate for full coverage after one at-fault accident. USAA is only available to military members, veterans and some family members.
Low-cost auto insurance with a DUI
For most people, Progressive has the cheapest car insurance after a DUI.
- At $268 per month, full coverage from Progressive costs $123 per month less than average after a DUI.
- NJM is often a cheaper option, but it's only available in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
- Erie might also be cheaper, but it's only in 12 states and Washington, D.C.
Cheap car insurance if you have a DUI
Company |
Value Penguin score
| DUI rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
| NJM | $223 | |
|
| USAA | $248 | |
|
| Erie | $256 | |
| Progressive | $268 | |
| Shelter | $279 | |
Average monthly rate for full coverage after one DUI. USAA is only available to military members, veterans and some family members.
How does a bad driving record affect car insurance?
Typically, the more serious the ticket or accident, the more your car insurance rates go up.
Minor issues usually cause a small rate increase. The average cost of full coverage car insurance increases by 23% after a ticket for texting while driving.
However, car insurance rates go up by more than 60% after a serious ticket, such as a DUI or racing. That's an average increase of more than $100 per month.
Full coverage rates by driving incident
Violation | Monthly cost |
% increase
|
|---|---|---|
| None | $181 | - |
| Texting while driving | $222 | 23% |
| Failure to stop at a stop sign | $224 | 24% |
| Speeding | $225 | 24% |
| Failure to stop for a school bus | $228 | 26% |
Rates are for a 30-year-old man who lives in Pennsylvania and has a good credit score.
Insurance companies believe people with bad driving records are more likely to cause accidents in the future. So they raise your rates to help pay for potential claims.
Incidents that happened more than three years ago usually won't affect your rates.
However, DUIs could affect your car insurance rates for up to five years because they're a more serious violation.
How to get car insurance with a bad driving record
The best way for drivers with bad records to find affordable car insurance rates is to compare quotes from multiple companies.
- Start by comparing rates from several companies. If you have a bad driving record, you may have to spend more time shopping around to find affordable car insurance. Some insurance companies give bad drivers very high rates, so compare online quotes from multiple companies to find the best deal for you.
-
If you need to file an SR-22 certificate, you might need to use a specialized company. If your bad driving record means you need a form to show the state you have car insurance in, called an SR-22 or FR-44, you may not be able to get insurance from some major companies.
Instead, you may have to consider what are called nonstandard auto insurance companies that specialize in bad-driver car insurance. Two good nonstandard car insurance companies are The General and Direct Auto.
-
Look for car insurance discounts. Try to find as many discounts as possible to make insurance more affordable. Many companies offer discounts that are easy to get.
You can usually save the most money by bundling your car and home or renters insurance policies. Many companies also offer discounts for buying a policy online, setting up automatic payments or paying in full.
-
Earn a discount for good driving habits, like driving under the speed limit. If your poor driving record is because of bad luck or you're committed to driving more safely, you could lower your rates by as much as 30% or 40% by letting your insurance track your driving habits. This is called a telematics or usage-based discount program.
Using a phone app or a device that plugs into your car, insurance companies use your actual driving habits when setting rates, rather than relying only on your driving record. The details of these programs vary, but most companies are looking for issues such as speeding and hard braking.
The best usage-based car insurance programs, like State Farm Drive Safe & Save, won't raise your rates for bad driving habits.
- Shop around at each policy renewal. Be sure to shop around for insurance regularly to make sure you're getting the most affordable rates. The impact of a bad driving record on your car insurance rates changes over time, so the cheapest company for you may also change over time.
When to shop again after a ticket, an accident or a DUI
If you have a bad driving record, you can still shop for insurance at any point.
Having a bad record doesn't mean you're stuck with one insurance company. You can shop and change companies right away. You may be more limited in which companies will sell you a policy, but you probably have at least a few options to compare.
However, your rates will usually stay high for three to five years, depending on your situation. Speeding tickets might not cause much of an issue for you after three years, for example, but a DUI is more likely to affect your rates for longer.
If your rate went up because of a ticket, an accident or a DUI, switching to a new company won't help you "escape" the increased price. Your driving record still shows up with the new company. If you shop immediately after an incident, your driving record might appear to be clean, but you are still responsible for letting the insurance company know about your history. If you don't, that could be considered insurance fraud.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an auto insurance company that doesn't check your driving record?
No, it's unlikely you'll find a reputable insurance company that doesn't consider your driving record when setting insurance rates. However, some companies are more forgiving than others when it comes to driving history, like State Farm, NJM and Erie.
What is the cheapest car insurance after an accident?
State Farm is the cheapest major insurance company after an at-fault accident. At $218 per month, its full coverage rates are 30% cheaper than average. You can also typically find cheaper rates at midsize companies like NJM or Erie.
What is the best car insurance for a bad driving record?
The best company depends on your specific driving record. Auto-Owners and State Farm are the cheapest major companies after a ticket or accident, but Progressive is cheapest after a DUI. Small or midsize companies like Erie, NJM and American Family tend to have affordable rates after a ticket or an accident, but you can only get these companies in certain areas of the country.
How does a bad driving record affect my insurance rates?
A bad driving record almost always causes your insurance rates to go up. That's because companies believe you're more likely to cause an accident in the future. Rates typically increase by 20% to 60%, depending on the type of ticket or severity of your accident. However, the worse your driving record is, the more that insurance companies will raise your rates.
Methodology
To find the best cheap car insurance for bad drivers, ValuePenguin gathered thousands of quotes from ZIP codes across the country. Quotes are for a 30-year-old man with good credit who owns a 2018 Honda Civic EX.
All rates are for a full coverage policy, which includes comprehensive and collision coverage, along with the following limits:
- Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $50,000 per accident
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist liability: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident
- Comprehensive and collision: $500 deductible
To determine the impact of different driving incidents, ValuePenguin collected full coverage car insurance rates from eight major insurance companies across all residential ZIP codes in Pennsylvania.
Rates were provided by Quadrant Information Services and sourced from public insurance company filings. Your rates will differ, as these are for comparison purposes only.
About the Author
Senior Writer
Licensed Insurance Agent
Cate Deventer is a Senior Writer who specializes in health insurance, Medicare, auto and home insurance. She's been a licensed insurance agent since 2011.
She started her insurance career working as a customer service agent for State Farm. She later moved to an independent agency, where she worked with several insurance companies and hundreds of clients. She quoted policies, filed claims and answered insurance questions. In 2021, she pivoted her career and began writing about insurance for Bankrate. She moved to ValuePenguin in 2023 and began writing about health insurance and Medicare.
Cate has a passion for helping readers choose insurance to fit their needs. She enjoys knowing that her research and knowledge help people choose insurance products that make a positive difference in their lives.
How insurance helped Cate
Cate used her health insurance knowledge to navigate a surgery in 2023. Understanding how her policy worked let her focus on recovery instead of worrying about bills.
Expertise
- Health insurance
- Medicare & Medicaid
- Auto insurance
- Home insurance
- Life insurance
Credentials
- Licensed Life, Accident & Health Insurance Agent
- Licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Agent
Referenced by
- CBS
- NBC
- Wall Street Journal
Education
- BA, Theatre, Purdue University
- BA, English, Indiana University
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.
