Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes in Maryland?

ValuePenguin.com analyzed sample premiums to find the best car insurance rates in Maryland for the state's 4 million licensed drivers and 5 million vehicles. We studied rates by company, county, and driver, and found that the average cost was $2,223. Our team of analysts also identified companies by city with the lowest average rates to aid drivers in their search for the cheapest auto insurance quotes in Maryland.

Rates can vary widely depending on where drivers live and park their car in the Old Line State. For example, someone who lives in the cheapest auto insurance rates for a single 30 year old male ranged from $757 to as high as $4,129 - a multiple of 5.5x. This is why to find the right rates, consumers should shop around. Type your zip code above to start shopping for great auto rates in your city among the top U.S. insurers, or read more by clicking directly on each section below.

Cheap Car Insurance in Maryland

This table ranks forty nine auto insurance companies from those with the cheapest auto insurance rates to the highest. Our team of analysts based the rates on the average auto insurance cost from sixty four underwriting affiliates for twelve kinds of drivers, including both single and married, varying driving records and credit scores, and different automobiles across all counties in Maryland. Because these are blended rates, the quotes individual drivers will get will depend on their own vehicle, coverage, and circumstances. This data illustrates that premiums can range widely between insurers, and finding the cheapest car insurance quotes will require comparison shopping.

• USAA is a specialty insurer that only insures members of the armed forces and their relatives. PURE is a reciprocal exchange for high net worth individuals and their families. AAA / Automobile Club requires a membership in AAA.

The five companies to find the cheapest car insurance quotes in Maryland are: GEICO, USAA, Selective Auto Insurance, Nationwide, and Cumberland Auto Insurance Company. Because USAA is a specialty insurer to the military and their families, we’ll add in IFA Auto Insurance to round out the top five list for general drivers. Among these six companies, the average annual premium is $1,440, which is $783 or 35% cheaper than what the average insurer charges in the Old Line State.

Cheapest Car Insurance in Maryland: by City

The cost of insuring a car is different for drivers, depending on where they reside. In this section, we’ll take a detailed look at the city level to see which companies have the lowest rates. For the most part, GEICO ranked as the cheapest auto insurance company across the thirty seven cities. In three out of four cities, USAA ranked as the second or third most affordable provider, but due to their eligibility requirements, we’ve excluded them to make the list below most generally applicable. Note that PURE – which shows up in 30% of the cities below – is high net worth specialist.

Baltimore, MD

By far, the city with the highest costs in Maryland is Baltimore City. Maryland’s most populated city, Baltimore is home to 621,000 residents and multiple higher education institutions, including Johns Hopkins University. Athletes such as Michael Phelps and Babe Ruth were born here, along with jazz singer Billie Holiday and author Edgar Allen Poe. The city is located about forty miles from Washington, DC, and is served by a network of highways, including the Baltimore Beltway / Interstate 695. On average, car insurance rates in Baltimore are $4,071 per year, about $1,848 or 83% more expensive than the Maryland average.

Despite these high costs, cheap car insurance in Baltimore can still be had. The companies with the best auto insurance quotes in Baltimore overall are USAA, GEICO, and PURE (Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange). USAA only insures military members and their family, however, so we’ll round out the three cheapest companies for civilians with Allstate. Together, GEICO, PURE, and Allstate cost an average of $2,214, which represents a 46% decrease compared to the citywide average. A family of 35-year old parents living in Baltimore may consider PURE, Liberty Mutual, and Safeco, which have the three cheapest quotes for this profile (include USAA if it’s a military family). If you’re a single 30 year old male driver, then the three companies with the lowest rates are GEICO, PURE, or Allstate (USAA, Liberty Mutual, or GEICO for 30 year old women in Baltimore).

Columbia, MD

Columbia, along with neighbor Ellicott City, have regularly ranked in Money magazine’s Top Ten Best Places to Live over the past years. Columbia largely consists of a planned community of ten villages with streets referencing famous fictional characters, such as Wood Elves Way or Oakenshield Circle, after the book The Hobbit. Columbia drivers can see average insurance rates of about $2,343 a year – just 5% higher than the state mean.

Drivers looking for low-cost auto insurance in Columbia should consider getting quotes from GEICO, Selective Insurance, and Cumberland Insurance Companies (and USAA for military families). At an average of $1,277 per year, the three general providers cost about 45% cheaper than what the typical insurer charges in the city. A household headed by parents in their early thirties can see some of the cheapest car insurance quotes in Columbia at Selective Insurance, Peninsula Insurance, and GEICO.

Germantown, MD

With about 86,000 residents, Germantown is the third most populous place in Maryland. The community has great access to park land and trails at Black Hill Regional Park and Seneca Creek State Park. It’s easy for residents to commute, as Germantown is well-served by a network of highways and routes such as the Eisenhower Memorial Parkway / Interstate 270 and Maryland Route 118. Average rates in Germantown cost about 15% higher than the state average at $2,546 per year.

For cheap car insurance quotes in Germantown, we suggest including GEICO, Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE), and Selective Insurance in consumers’ comparison shopping. Among these insurers, the annual premiums average about $1,502, which is 41% lower than the Germantown-wide mean. For a single 30-year old woman with excellent credit history, we’d recommend considering quotes from Peninsula Insurance, GEICO, and PURE (Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange) - average rates can be as low as $736 for $100/$300/$100 liability coverage on a 2007 Prius in Germantown. On the other hand, a 30-year old unmarried man driving a 2006 Subaru may consider GEICO, Amica, and PURE, which have the best quotes for car insurance in Germantown for this demographic.

Silver Spring, MD

Silver Spring is named after the appearance of the silvery-colored mica mineral in a spring believed to be located in Acorn Park. Silver Spring’s 71,000 residents share eight square miles of land with Discovery Communications (provider of the Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and TV One.

Who has the cheapest car insurance in Silver Spring? We found the lowest rates on average of $1,502 at GEICO, PURE, and Selective Auto Insurance. That’s 41% cheaper than what the typical provider charges in Silver Spring ($2,546 per year). For a family with two kids and parents in their early 30s living in Silver Spring, our team recommends getting quotes from PURE, Elephant Auto Insurance, and Foremost at a minimum. Annual rates for car insurance at these three cheapest companies are discounted 42% lower than the average for the family.

Ellicott City, MD

Home to 66,000 residents, Ellicott City is located just eight miles north of Columbia, with whom it shares the title of 6th Best Place to Live in Money’s 2014 rankings. Ellicott City is the seat of Howard County, and at one point ranked among the largest milling and manufacturing towns in the east. Today, it is purported to be one of the most haunted small towns in the U.S., and is home to an Enchanted Forest.

GEICO, Selective Insurance, and Cumberland Insurance Companies have three of the best rates for car insurance in Ellicott City. Compared to the citywide average of $2,343, the three companies’ mean annual premium of $1,277 is 45% lower. That’s excluding USAA, which only insures people serving in the military. Our analysts found the cheapest quotes at Selective Insurance, GEICO, Cumberland Insurance Group, IFA Auto Insurance, and Amica for a 29-year old married couple with two young children and two cars. The average annual rate among these five providers is 47% lower than what the typical insurer charges for this family in Ellicott City.

Frederick, MD

Located at the base of the Catoctin Mountains, Frederick serves as a major hub of transportation. Its 65,000 residents have access to a number of interstate highways, and is located under 50 miles from Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Among the top employers here are Fort Detrick, a U.S. Army military base, and the Frederick County government, and State Farm Insurance. The city is known as the City of Clustered Spires, for the beautiful church spires that form the skyline on Church Street. Drivers living in Frederick, MD can see car insurance costs of $1,812 that are 18% lower than the state average.

The six cheapest car insurance companies in Frederick are PURE (Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange), GEICO, Selective Insurance Company, Nationwide, USAA, and Cincinnati Insurance Company. Together, they average an annual rate of $1,124, which is 38% more affordable than the citywide average. Just bear in mind that USAA only insures military members and their families, so if you’re employed or affiliated with Fort Detrick in Frederick, you may be eligible for their low rates.

Rockville, MD

Previously known as Hungerford’s Tavern and Williamsburgh, Rockville ranks as one of the top 25 Best Places to Live in CNN Money’s list in 2014. It is situated just 18 miles away from Washington DC along what is known as the Interstate 270 Technology Corridor, so called for the many biotech and software companies based there. Among the city’s largest employers are Montgomery County federal and school systems, and Lockheed Martin. Drivers can pay about $2,546 per year on average to insure their vehicles in Rockville – that’s 15% higher than the Maryland average.

If you’re looking to save on car insurance in Rockville, we suggest comparison shopping at GEICO, Pure, and Selective Insurance Company. These insurers have three of the cheapest quotes for auto insurance in Rockville. Their rates average about $1,502 a year across the different profiles in our analysis, which is more than $1,000 cheaper than the citywide rate. A single and retired 65 year old male can see some of the best rates at PURE, GEICO, and Peninsula Insurance Company; premiums can be 51% lower than the citywide average.

Bethesda, MD

Once a small crossroads village situated on the Washington and Rockville Turnpike, Bethesda has grown to number 61,000 in population. Various publications have recognized Bethesda to be one of the most affluent and educated towns in America. Auto insurance costs about $2,500 a year in Bethesda.

Even though premiums are 15% higher here compared to the state, there is still opportunity to save on car insurance. GEICO, PURE (Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange), Selective Insurance Company, Cincinnati Insurance Company, and USAA have the five lowest rates for auto insurance in Bethesda. The average cost at these five companies is $1,587, which comes out to be 38% more affordable than the Bethesda average. In particular, a 35-year old married couple with kids can include PURE, Elephant Auto Insurance, and Foremost in their quote comparison shopping. These three companies have rates that are 42% lower than the average insurer in Bethesda.

Gaithersburg, MD

Gaithersburg’s population of 61,000 denizens ranks it as the fourth most populous city in the Old Line State. Like Rockville, Gaithersburg is located along the most traveled swath of I-270 in Montgomery County known as the Technology Corridor. Companies such as the National Institute of Standard and Technology, IBM, and MedImmune employ the most number of Gaithersburg’s population. The U.S. Army Reserve also has a military police brigade garrisoned here. Drivers in Gaithersburg can see annual costs of $2,546 on average for liability coverage.

For the most affordable car insurance in Gaithersburg, start with quotes from GEICO, Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE), and Selective Insurance Company when you’re shopping for auto insurance. Among these three insurance providers, the average rate was $1,502, which would have saved the average consumer about 41% compared to the Gaithersburg mean cost.

Bowie, MD

The city of Bowie is the third largest in Maryland with 19 square miles of area, and was established due to the construction of a railway by the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad Company. It ranks as the fifth most populated city in Maryland with 55,000 people – at one point counting as residents JC Chasez and Kathie Lee Gifford of N’Sync and Regis & Kathie Lee fame. Bowie State University is located towards the northernmost part of the city with a student population of 6,000 students. Drivers in Bowie can pay about $2,995 on average to insure their vehicles each year, which is about 35% more expensive than what fellow commuters pay elsewhere in Maryland.

We found the cheapest rates in Bowie at GEICO, Farmers, and Selective for auto insurance. Annual rates at these three companies average $1,945 for the general civilian driver (about $1,000 less vs. the average). If you’re an active or retired member of the military, or a relative of one, you should also consider getting quotes from USAA, which actually ranked with the second lowest rates overall in Bowie. Auto insurance at these four providers cost 36% cheaper, generally speaking, compared to the rest of the city.

Hagerstown, MD

Hagerstown is the largest city in Washington County, and the sixth most populous in Maryland. Approximately 40,000 residents call this city home. Hagerstonians have access to a number of transportation options, from the railroads, to the commuter buses, interstate highways, and a regional airport – giving rise to the name Hub City. Policies for car insurance in Hagerstown, MD are estimated to cost 19% less at $1,797 per year .

For the cheapest auto insurance quotes in Hagerstown, we suggest adding PURE (Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange), GEICO, Selective Insurance, and Nationwide into the mix of companies to compare. USAA has the fifth lowest overall rates in Hagerstown, but the company only caters to members of the military and their relatives. The average cost among the four cheapest providers comes out to be $1,083 – 40% less expensive than the typical company in Hagerstown.

Annapolis, MD

Annapolis is centrally located between Washington, DC and Baltimore, about 30 miles away in each direction. The city is known for its beautiful buildings and houses, which range from the 18th century styles to Victorian, and Beaux Arts, etc. The architecture certainly led to the historic downtown area in Annapolis getting designated as the first National Historic Landmark District in the U.S. You’ll also find the United States Naval Academy preparing the next generation of future leaders in the Navy and Marine Corps in Annapolis. On average, it costs $2,194 for car insurance in Annapolis annually – 1% cheaper than the average in the Old Line State.

For low-cost car insurance in Annapolis, we would recommend getting quotes from GEICO, Selective Auto Insurance, and USAA. These three providers have the cheapest costs in the city averaging $1,880, which would save our typical consumer 37% compared to the city average. USAA only insures families and members serving in the military – good news for sailors and marines at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. For civilians, IFA Auto Insurance has the third lowest average annual premiums in Annapolis.

College Park, MD

31,000 residents call College Park home, which places the city as the 8th most populated in all of Maryland. Almost half of the city’s population is comprised of students from the main campus of the University of Maryland at College Park. The city is located on the first highway in America, the U.S. Route 1, and is located under ten miles from Washington, DC. Car insurance in College Park is about 35% more expensive than elsewhere in the state at $2,995.

Which companies have the cheapest auto insurance in College Park? The five companies with the lowest overall rates are GEICO, USAA (military and their family only), Farmers, Selective Auto Insurance, and Allstate. Their mean annual premiums of $1,962 were 35% more affordable compared to the citywide average. If you’re not a retired or active member of the military (or related to one), then Nationwide would be another insurer to include in your quote comparisons.

Salisbury, MD

Situated at the head of the Wicomico River, Salisbury is the largest city on Maryland’s Eastern Shore with a population of 31,000. Salisbury University and Perdue Farms are two of the largest employers headquartered in the city. The city was once recognized as an All-American City, and with a number of museums and the Ocean City beach nearby, it’s not hard to see why. It costs on average $1,948 for car insurance in Salisbury, which makes the city 12% cheaper than elsewhere in Maryland.

For cheap quotes, consider including GEICO, Selective Insurance, and Nationwide, which have three of the best rates for car insurance in Salisbury. Averaging $1,195, the three providers’ rates were 39% less expensive than the going rate in Salisbury. USAA, Cumberland, and IFA Auto Insurance round out the top six cheapest companies – although note that USAA just insures personnel in the military and their relatives.

Laurel, MD

The heart of Laurel is located in Prince George’s County, but its borders have recently expanded to encompass land in the counties of Howard, Montgomery, and Anne Arundel. With access to Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1 to the east and west, drivers and the 25,000 residents living in Laurel are an easy commute away from DC, Baltimore, and Annapolis. A number of government and military organizations are prominent in Laurel, including the Fort Meade Army base, the National Security Agency, and the Department of Defense.

With the Fort Meade Army base nearby, Laurel residents will be glad to know that USAA ranks as the 2nd cheapest for auto insurance in the city. Only members of the military and their relatives are eligible for USAA’s insurance coverage, which is 38% cheaper on average. GEICO, Farmers, and Selective Auto Insurance rank as three of the cheapest auto insurance companies in Laurel for the civilian populace. Rates at these three insurers are $1,945, or 35% lower versus the Laurel average.

Easton, MD

Founded in 1710, Easton has been recognized as the one of the best small towns in America. From access to recreational activities along the Chesapeake Bay to various cultural and arts institution, Easton has it all. Average car insurance rates in Easton are about 16% less than elsewhere in the state at $1,866.

Even better rates can be found, however. In our comparison shopping, GEICO, USAA, Selective Auto Insurance, and Peninsula Auto Insurance Company have the four best rates for car insurance in Easton. If we exclude USAA (which is a specialty insurer serving the military), the average rates here are a low $1,130, or $736 cheaper than the citywide average for the general driver.

Average Cost of Car Insurance in Maryland: by City

What’s the average cost of auto insurance in Maryland? Across the twelve different driver profiles, coverage, and vehicles, the average annual rate is $2,223. From the cheapest of $1,797 in Hagerstown to the most expensive of $4,071 in Baltimore City, here are how the cities stack up:

Average Car Insurance Cost by Driver Type

There was a mixture of single and married drivers in the profiles we looked at in Maryland. Rates for car insurance can differ greatly depending on the basic years of driving experience / age, gender, and marital status of the prospective driver getting insured, so in this section, we'll cover what the average costs are in the Old Line State by driver, and identify which companies are the cheapest for that profile.

Single Drivers

For single drivers in Maryland, the average cost of insurance is $,1596. On the cheaper end are senior citizens who use their vehicles primarily for leisure. Their reduced miles on the road translates into a rate of about $1,000 per year for a policy with protection limits of 100/300/50. On the costlier end are younger drivers who tend to have fewer years of experience; their auto insurance costs about $2,600 a year. Here are the average annual costs by driver type (profile assumptions here):

For single individuals, the cheapest car insurance rates are found at GEICO, United Services Automobile Association (USAA), the Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE), the Cumberland Insurance Group, and Nationwide Given that USAA is a specialty insurer serving members of the armed forces and their families, respectively, we'll add in one more general purpose insurer: the Peninsula Insurance Company. One note about PURE - they specialize in insurance needs for high net worth individuals.

We'll highlight two sample single driver profiles to give consumers a deeper view of the market in Maryland:

Single Female, 23 years of age

A young unmarried female driver in the Old Line State can see rates of about $2,657 (rate assumes one speeding ticket), but this can jump or fall depending on where she lives. For example, moving from Washington County to Baltimore will more than double her rates from $2,136 to $4,874. The top five companies with the lowest rates for this demographic profile are GEICO, IFA Auto Insurance Company, Horace Mann Insurance Co., PURE, and United Services Automobile Association. Because USAA and Horace Mann are specialty insurers (and PURE typically insures high net worth individuals), we'll add in a few more general purpose providers: Farmers and Nationwide. Among these seven affordable providers, the average annual rate is $1,680 - $977 or 37% cheaper. On the other hand, Dairyland Insurance Co., Hallmark National Insurance Co., and Victoria Insurance Co. generally had the highest rates of about $4,890.

Single Male, 23 years of age

The cost of insurance for this demographic clusters around $2,647 (excellent driving record assumed). His lowest cost insurance can be found in Washington County, and the most expensive place would be Baltimore City, with a range of $2,146 to $4,708. The companies with the lowest premiums for a young unmarried male driver are: GEICO, Farmers, Horace Mann, IFA Auto Insurance, and Nationwide. Given that Horace Mann serves people in the education field, we'll add an extra general insurer: Cumberland Auto Insurance Company. The average annual premium among these six companies is $1,701, an affordable 44% or $1,154 lower than what the typical insurer in Maryland charges for this driver. Conversely, study results point towards Dairyland, Foremost Insurance Co., and Paramount Insurance Co. as the most expensive insurers for this profile.

Married Drivers

A married couple in Maryland can see average annual premiums of $3,372 to insure two cars in the state. We looked at four different profiles, ranging from young married parents to a family with a teenage boy of driving age as well. Here are how the rates look by each family type (profile assumptions here):

For married couples in Maryland , the top five lowest cost providers were Selective Insurance Company, GEICO, USAA, Allstate, and Cincinnati Insurance Company. For non-military affiliated residents in Maryland, Brethren Mutual Insurance Company rounds out the top five lowest cost providers (USAA caters to military members only).

We'll highlight two sample married driver profiles in Maryland for more information:

Married Couple, 29 years of age

For a young family with two children under the age of 12, car insurance can cost $2,700 a year for minimum liability coverage. This scenario assumes that no credit history is available for either of the parents, which factors into a higher rate despite the low level of protection afforded. Even with these higher levels, there is opportunity for this family to save. Our research shows that GEICO, Selective Insurance, Cumberland, IFA Auto, and Cincinnati Insurance Companies had some of the lowest costs for this family. Rates averaged about $1,624 per year, which is about 40% cheaper than the state mean.

Married Couple, 44 years of age, with a 17 year old son driving

Annual premiums for a three driver and two car policy can cost about $7,158 on average (at-fault accident and one speeding ticket assumed). The most expensive cities to live in based on car insurance costs for this family would be Baltimore City, Prince George's County, and Baltimore County, with policies priced at $13,076, $9,881, and $9,820, respectively. Prices are almost half off in Washington County ($5,665), Frederick County ($5,704), and Talbot County ($5,954). The cheapest insurers with the best annual premiums for this family are Allstate, Cincinnati Insurance Company, Brethren Mutual Insurance Company, IFA Auto Insurance, USAA (military and family only), and Selective Insurance. Combined, these companies average an annual rate of $3,355, which comes out to be much cheaper than the state average by 53% or $3,803 in savings. At the high end are Hallmark, Dairyland, and the Agency Insurance Co. of MD, Inc., with mean rates of $15,350.

Best Auto Insurance Companies in Maryland

One way of evaluating which companies were the best for auto insurance in Maryland is to analyze the amount of complaints each insurer receives compared to their share of business in the state. To compute this, we took the complaints per company divided by the premiums of that company and compared it to the state’s total complaints per premiums. We've also only reviewed auto insurance groups with more than $10MM in premiums underwritten, and wound up with 26 organizations who make up 97% of the overall market in Maryland.

In Maryland, the some of the best auto insurance companies were Esurance, Nationwide, and Progressive based on our calculations. Below is a list of all the companies ranked by their complaint index. An index number of 1 is average, so lower the index number, the better.

Methodology

By law, the minimum coverage and liability limits required in Maryland are bodily injury, personal injury, and uninsured motorist liability. Both bodily and uninsured motorist liability are 30/60/15: $30,000 for bodily injury per person, $60,000 for bodily injury per accident, and property damage of $15,000. Personal injury protection coverage must be at least $2,500. Comprehensive and collision coverage are optional, but the study assumes a $250 deductible for comprehensive coverage, and a $500 deductible for collision insurance.

We used about 18,000 data points submitted to the Maryland Insurance Administration for twelve driver profiles in our study to calculate the cheapest car insurance rates in our study. Data represented a mixture of married couples and single individuals with varying credit and driving backgrounds. Across the twenty four counties, sixty four companies, and twelve driver profiles, the lowest data point was $309 for a single male driver, aged 65, in Dorchester County from Peninsula Insurance Co. The highest data point was $32,052 a year for a married couple and their 17 year old driving son from Donegal Mutual Insurance Co., in Baltimore City.

Assumptions for Single Profiles:

Assumptions for Married Profiles

This table lists the cities highlighted in the report, along with each location's average cost, and change versus the Maryland average.

These sample premiums are for guide purposes only. Actual auto insurance rates will differ based on the policy limits, vehicle driven, place of resident, driving record, and other factors in the underwriting guidelines of the car insurance company.

Sources: