The cost of auto insurance varies widely depending on where a driver lives and parks their vehicle in Kansas - rates in the Sunflower State differ by as much as 33% based solely on where people reside. We looked at auto insurance quotes across nearly 100 cities for two benchmark drivers to find out who had the best car insurance rates in Kansas. While the average rate for our profiled drivers was $1,132 in Kansas, their costs varied between $661 at the cheapest insurer, and $1,607 at the costliest. Where you get your quotes from can mean a difference of $946 for an annual policy if low costs are important. Enter your zip code above for a list of major insurers to begin your search for the best rates.
- Cheapest Auto Insurance Companies
- Best Car Insurance Rates: by City
- Best Auto Insurance Companies in Kansas
- Average Cost by City in Kansas
Cheapest Auto Insurance in Kansas
Our team obtained quotes for two single sample drivers in 99 cities within Kansas across a selection of national and regional auto insurance companies here. We found the best car insurance quotes in Kansas at Allied, State Farm, and American Family, with USAA as the most affordable insurer for people in the military and their relatives. If you're looking for lower costs on your auto insurance in Kansas, we'd recommend including the companies in the graph in your shortlist of places to get quotes from.
Find the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes in Your Area
For the general population, the three companies with the cheapest rates cost about $891 out of 15 carriers for the two men whose rates we analyzed - that's about 21% cheaper compared to the typical company in the state. USAA alone was 42% lower than the Kansas average for our two drivers, assuming they were in the military. American Family and Auto-Owners rounded out the top five carriers with the best rates.
USAA: This specialty insurer ranked with some of the lowest rates on auto insurance in Kansas, and represented a 42% discount to what the typical provider charged for liability coverage here. In order to be eligible for their insurance, however, motorists have to be active or former officers or personnel of the U.S. military and its various branches, or a spouse or child of someone who is. Anyone stationed at McConell Air Force Base in Wichita, Fort Leavenworth Army Base, or Fort Riley and their vehicles should be eligible for USAA.
Allied: Allied insurance is an affiliate of Nationwide, and sells auto insurance through agents stationed locally. Allied placed as the 2nd most affordable auto insurance company in Kansas, with average rates of $814 for our two male drivers - 28% cheaper than the statewide mean. Within Wichita alone, there are 12 independent agencies that can provide Kansans with auto insurance quotes on the ground. To locate an agent, click here.
State Farm: The country's largest auto insurance company, State Farm had the third cheapest rates for standard liability protection in Kansas. Our two men saw average quotes of about $910 for a year's worth of coverage, which was 20% less than the KS mean. Quotes are available both online and through an agent (locator here), including 23 operating in Overland Park.
Below are all of the 15 Kansas auto insurers surveyed in our study. Based on our sample motorists' quotes from each company, we've displayed them in the order of lowest to highest average annual rate:
| Rank | Auto Insurance Company | Average Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $661 |
| 2 | Allied | 814 |
| 3 | State Farm | 910 |
| 4 | American Family | 948 |
| 5 | Auto-Owners | 957 |
| 6 | Cal Casualty | 1,027 |
| 7 | Farm Bureau Mutual | 1,041 |
| 8 | Farmers | 1,100 |
| 9 | Nationwide | 1,128 |
| 10 | MetLife | 1,273 |
| 11 | Allstate | 1,314 |
| 12 | Electric | 1,360 |
| 13 | Shelter | 1,382 |
| 14 | Safe Auto | 1,463 |
| 15 | Encompass | 1,607 |
Cheapest Car Insurance in Kansas: by City
Our research encompassed rates for two male drivers from 15 providers across 99 cities and towns in the Sunflower State. The table below shows the three cheapest carriers for our two guys living in the 10 biggest cities in our study. USAA actually ranked with the best rates across almost every city in the state, but we did not include them in the table since they only insure a select group of drivers. The rates you get will be different, so to shop around a few companies for the best quotes - even drivers in Garden City, Liberal, or Hugoton, which ranked with the three most expensive auto insurance rates.
| City | Cheapest Insurer #1 | Cheapest Insurer #2 | Cheapest Insurer #3 | |||
| Wichita | Allied | $870 | Auto-Owners | $888 | State Farm | $906 |
| Olathe | Allied | 732 | Auto-Owners | 798 | State Farm | 888 |
| Kansas City | Allied | 888 | Auto-Owners | 936 | State Farm | 1,050 |
| Topeka | Allied | 732 | Auto-Owners | 810 | American Family | 876 |
| Lawrence | Auto-Owners | 804 | State Farm | 816 | Allied | 828 |
| Shawnee | Allied | 726 | Auto-Owners | 798 | Farm Bureau | 858 |
| Manhattan | Allied | 774 | Auto-Owners | 798 | American Family | 846 |
| Salina | Allied | 774 | Auto-Owners | 798 | American Family | 846 |
| Hutchinson | Metlife | 756 | Allied | 822 | State Farm | 828 |
| Leavenworth | Auto-Owners | 876 | Allied | 888 | State Farm | 954 |
Wichita, KS
For cheap car insurance in Wichita, KS, we recommend including Allied, Auto-Owners, and State Farm for the general population, and USAA for people in the military when you're getting quotes. The first three companies had an average rate of about $888 for a year's worth of standard auto insurance coverage, which was $244 less than what the typical provider charged ($1,132), and $678 lower than the most expensive company. USAA had the best rates overall, lower than the state average by 39%, which is great for folks serving at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita and their families.
Wichita has been an entrepreneurial and industrial leader, with companies such as White Castle and Pizza Hut launching here. It's also the birthplace of the Jones Automobile Company, which was once one of the largest vehicle manufacturers in the U.S. There's a model right over at the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum on S Main Street if you're a car buff! From the Sedgwick County Zoo to the Arkansas River Path and the Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita's 387,000 families have access to a number of attractions and outdoor recreation.
Kansas City, KS
We found the best auto insurance rates in Kansas City at USAA, Allied, Auto-Owners, State Farm, and Nationwide. Rates among these five carriers averaged $923 for a year's worth of standard liability protection for a Toyota Camry, and were 26% and $320 better than the city average of $1,242. Just bear in mind that USAA is a specialty insurer, and only insures vehicles for officers and personnel in the military (both active and former) along with their families. If you're looking for cheap quotes in KC, which ranks with the 11th most expensive auto insurance costs in the Sunflower State, we suggest including any of these companies among a minimum of three carriers.
Nicknamed the BBQ Capital of the World, Kansas City restaurants are reknowned for their delicious and unique tomato and molasses based barbecue. According to the Kansas City Barbecue Society, KC is home to more BBQ joints per capita than the rest of the U.S. - lucky for the 148,000 residents who call it home. Interstates 35 and 635, and a widespread network of roadways connect residents whether they're commuting to work on a weekday, or shopping at Country Club Plaza (purported to be the first vehicle-friendly suburban mall). Between the nearly 2,000 acres at Swope Park and NASCAR races at the Kansas Speedway, there's lots to do in KC.
Olathe, KS
The fourth-most populated city in Kansas (by 2013 estimates) also happens to rank fourth for affordable car insurance. More than a hundred years ago, Olathe was a popular stop for travelers in wagons along the Oregon, California, and Santa Fe trails. In more modern years, the city has experienced growth since the construction of the Interstate 35 highway that links it to Kansas City. The city is home to the Kansas State School for the Deaf. In Olathe, residents can insure their cars for a rate that beats the state average by 11%, averaging $1,009 based on our two male drivers here. Individual consumers can get even lower rates through some comparison shopping. Our two sample Olathe motorists found the cheapest rates for their Toyota Camry at USAA, Allied, Auto-Owners, State Farm, and Farm Bureau. Compared to the city mean of $1,009, going with one of these five providers meant shaving off about $237 or 24% in costs on a year's worth of car insurance. While USAA ranked with the lowest rates in Olathe, the company specializes in auto insurance for people affiliated with the military through service or family. Additionally, Farm Bureau requires an annual membership due of $45 for Olathe residents.
Topeka, KS
Drivers looking for the lowest auto insurance rates in Topeka should check out USAA, Allied, and Auto-Owners, with American Family and State Farm rounding out the 5 top low-cost providers here. Our 30 year old and 65 year old men got rates for their 2010 Camrys from these carriers that were 31% lower than what the typical insurer charged. That translated into about $346 back in their wallets on average for a standard annual car insurance policy. Farm Bureau is still a strong contender with lower than average rates of about $924 for our two guys, but this excludes the cost of a required membership ($49 for Topeka / Shawnee County residents).
One of the first luxury gasoline-powered automobiles was built in Topeka in the early 1900s: the Great Smith, manufactured by the Smith Automobile Company. Despite its powerful engineering and success on the roads, the vehicle was ultimately priced out of most consumers' reach. There's a model on display at the Kansas Historical Society on SW 6th Avenue for automobile and history buffs alike. In more modern car-related news, the Goodyear plant here produces industrial-strength tires for use in mining and construction.
Lawrence, KS
Car insurance in Lawrence costs, on average, 11% cheaper than the state mean, with our sample drivers getting quoted average annual rates of $1,008. The city was founded in 1854, shortly after Kansas became a state, and now numbers 88,000 in residents. Kansas's first legal brewery, the Free State Brewing Company, was established here in the 1800s. It is also home to Haskell Indian Nations University and the University of Kansas, which is the biggest employer in the city. From Allen Fieldhouse to Memorial Stadium, the screams and sounds of University of Kansas fans are sure to be heard throughout Lawrence - go Jayhawks!
When it comes to the most affordable car insurance in Lawrence, we recommend that drivers check out quotes from USAA, Auto-Owners, and State Farm. These three companies averaged an annual rate of $724 for our two drivers living in Lawrence. That's a $284 and 28% less of an impact on their wallets compared to what the typical insurer charges in this city. Allied, American Family, and California Casualty round out the top six providers with affordable rates. In aggregate, the six companies had a mean rate that was 20% and $203 dollars less versus the Lawrence mean.
Best Rated Car Insurance Companies in Kansas
Shelter, Nationwide, State Farm, USAA, and Farm Bureau are the best auto insurers in Kansas, based on having the least number of formal complaints relative to their share of business. We took a look at complaint data that auto insurance customers submitted to the Kansas Insurance Department in 2013 as a quantitative proxy for the best companies. We calculated each parent company's share of closed complaints compared to their share of the car insurance business in the state, and then ranked them from the lowest number to the worst. The lower the index figure, the better the company is; it indicates that they have few complaints relative to their market share. Individual affiliates have been aggregated under their parent marketing company since consumers don't get to decide which underwriting arm handles their policy. These parent groups represent 83% of the premiums underwritten in Kansas.
| Rank | Car Insurer | 2013 Premiums | 2013 Complaints | Complaint Index |
| 1 | Shelter | $46,094,532 | 9 | 0.51 |
| 2 | Nationwide | 28,115,905 | 6 | 0.56 |
| 3 | State Farm | 313,415,399 | 74 | 0.62 |
| 4 | USAA | 69,105,907 | 17 | 0.64 |
| 5 | Farm Bureau Mutual | 125,690,688 | 38 | 0.79 |
| 6 | Allstate | 32,863,859 | 10 | 0.80 |
| 7 | AAA | 16,886,276 | 6 | 0.93 |
| 8 | Travelers | 30,784,299 | 11 | 0.93 |
| 9 | Progressive | 152,810,818 | 59 | 1.01 |
| 10 | American Family | 198,551,922 | 80 | 1.05 |
| 11 | Farmers | 118,834,680 | 59 | 1.30 |
| 12 | Safeco | 46,643,941 | 24 | 1.35 |
| 13 | GEICO | 63,366,753 | 47 | 1.94 |
| 14 | Traders | 7,244,152 | 12 | 4.33 |
| 15 | Key Insurance Company | 15,946,573 | 32 | 5.25 |
Cost of Auto Insurance by City in Kansas
Below, we've compared how each city's average annual rates stack up against all of the cities included in our Kansas analysis. Annual costs are based on the average quotes each of our sample profile drivers received.
How We Conducted the Study
We looked at rates for two sample drivers in 99 cities within Kansas: a single 30 year old male and a single 65 year old male. Each of our test subjects owns a 2010 Toyota Camry, which he drives 12,000 miles a year back and forth from work. Each has a good credit history and a great driving record with no accidents or traffic violations in the past five years. Costs are based on basic liability protection for the 2010 Toyota Camry for these two sample drivers across national insurers such as GEICO, Allstate, and State Farm, and regional providers like Shelter Insurance.
The Kansas Insurance Department requires that auto insurance policies in the state have at a broad coverage at a minimum. That includes Bodily Injury liability and Underinsured / Uninsured coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. It also requires that drivers are insured for up to $10,000 for property damage with various other personal injury coverage. The table below displays the major categories of coverage with the state minimums and our study limits.
| Auto Insurance Liability Coverage | Kansas Minimum Coverage | Study Coverage |
| Bodily Injury (BI) (per person / per accident) | $25,000 / $50,000 | $50,000 / $100,000 |
| Property Damage (PD) | 10,000 | 25,000 |
| Personal Injury Protection | 4,500 | 4,500 |
| Uninsured Motorist BI (per person / per accident) | 25,000 / 50,000 | 50,000 / 100,000 |
Sources:
Kansas Insurance Department Minimum Liability Coverage: http://www.ksinsurance.org/consumers/autoinfo.htm
Kansas Population Data: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/20000.html
Image Courtesy of ception/Flickr: https://flic.kr/p/iKuw7