Best Car Insurance Rates in Wisconsin

In a recent analysis, we compared quotes across 50+ cities in Wisconsin to find the best rates at the most affordable car insurance companies. Based on our research, the average annual cost for our driver's car insurance was $1,129 – but this changes drastically based on the company. For example, the most expensive company in Wisconsin charged on average $1,791 more than the cheapest company. It’s important for consumers to shop for the best quotes; not doing so could wind up costing you money. Read more about affordable companies and rates in Wisconsin, or type your zip code above for a list of companies to begin shopping for good rates in your neighborhood.

Contents

• Cheap Car Insurance in Wisconsin
• Cheap Car Insurance in WI: by City
• Average Cost of Car Insurance in WI: by City
• Best Auto Insurance Companies in WI

Cheap Car Insurance in Wisconsin

Based on quotes for our sample driver across 71 cities in the state, the cheapest car insurance companies in Wisconsin are GEICO, Progressive, Partners Mutual, Pekin Insurance, and American Family. Here are their average annual premiums in ranked order (from cheapest onward), and compared to what the typical insurer charges statewide:

The providers with the best rates for the typical driver in Wisconsin charge on average $1,101 a year for a full coverage insurance policy, which is just below the state average of $1,129. Here's the entire list of companies we got quotes for, ranked from the most affordable to the most expensive. These rates are just averages, however, so they’ll be different from the actual quotes you’ll see, which are based on your driving record, vehicle, coverage limits, and where you live, among other things.

Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Wisconsin

The prices we cite above are for a driver opting for full coverage insurance. If you want your policy to be cheaper you can opt for lower limits. The lowest limits drivers in Wisconsin can purchase are as follows:

Cheap Car Insurance in Wisconsin: by City

Among other factors such as your policy limits, vehicle driven, driving record, and age and marital status, your address and car parking spot heavily influence your auto insurance quotes. In this section, we'll take a look at costs at the city level to find which providers have the lowest rates in Wisconsin. For this exercise, we compared and ranked auto insurance quotes across 13 companies for one sample driver. We'll talk first about the biggest cities, then the cheapest and most expensive, and provide a complete table.

Milwaukee, WI

Wisconsin's largest city by population size (almost 600,000 people), Milwaukee may best be known for its beer as it was once home to four of the biggest breweries in the world. Today only Miller remains but it is nonetheless a great town to relax and enjoy some suds with its plethora of bars and rich history in the beer industry. For residents who own a car in 'Brew City' your insurance rates are unfortunately the highest of any city in Wisconsin. Annual rates average $2,143 or $179 per month, and are the most expensive in the state – almost twice as much as what the typical Wisconsin driver pays. 

Cheap car insurance in Milwaukee exists though. Out of the 13 companies we looked at in the city, we saw the best auto insurance rates in Milwaukee at GEICO, Progressive, American Family, Acuity, and Allstate  of $1,277 on average – that’s based on full coverage protection, and an excellent driving history in a Camry. Getting a quote from these five cheapest companies could mean reducing costs by 40% and almost $866 back in your pocket compared to what the typical insurer is charging Milwaukee drivers.

Madison, WI

Madison is the site of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and 233,000 residents and loyal Badgers fans.  In between popular events such as the World’s Largest Brat Fest, and the Craft Beer Week and other food-related fairs, residents have ample time for car trips out to the city’s 15,000 acres of lake and 6,000 acres of parks for watersports and outdoor activities. Insurance for automobiles can cost on average $1,069 a year, which is just a few bucks cheaper than the state average.

It takes most Madison commuters less than 20 minutes to get to work – good news for all the drivers in the city! If you’re looking for cheap auto insurance in Madison, add Partners Mutual, GEICO, Progressive, Western National, and Pekin Insurance to your list when you’re getting insurance quotes. They had the lowest premiums for our sample driver in our survey of 13 companies underwriting in Madison. The five companies’ average annual cost for 50/100/25 liability limits on a Toyota driven 12,000 miles each year was $757, which was $312 or 29% lower than the citywide average.

Green Bay, WI

The 5th cheapest city on our list, Green Bay is a city with a storied tradition in professional sports. Every football fan knows that it is home to the Green Bay Packers, who have won 13 football World Championships earning Green Bay the moniker "Titletown". Beyond the records at Lambeau Field, Green Bay is the oldest city in Wisconsin, and has been called the Toilet Paper Capital of the World. Average annual premiums are $993 and 12% cheaper than the state average.

Which companies have the cheapest auto insurance rates in Green Bay? The five cheapest insurers were GEICO, Partners Mutual, Progressive, American Family, and Pekin Insurance with average annual costs of $731. Getting a quote from one of these companies for full coverage protection could save you $262 and 26% compared to the citywide average.

Kenosha, WI

Wedged between Racine and the Wisconsin/Illinois state line you'll find the 4th largest city in WI, Kenosha. The city has many attractions for visitors including lots of outlet malls for the die-hard shoppers and several museums overlooking the lake. Here’s where you can take in some science or history with some lake scenery: Southport Light Station Museum, Kenosha History Center, or the Civil War Museum, to name a few.

If you're driving and live in Kenosha, your auto insurance rates can average $1,234 per year, which is 9% higher than the state average in Wisconsin and the 9th most expensive. Consumers looking to save money on car insurance should consider GEICO, Progressive, Western National, Pekin Insurance, and State Farm, which were the most affordable auto insurance companies in Kenosha. Average costs at these top five companies ($942/year) meant savings of $292 or 24% when compared to what the typical insurer was charging in Kenosha. 

Racine, WI

The 5th largest city in Wisconsin, Racine is located on Lake Michigan 30 miles south of Milwaukee and 60 miles north of Chicago border. Home to around 80,000 residents, there's plenty to do in Racine from exploring the lakefront to checking out the large variety of animals at the Racine Zoo. It is said that the first car race in Racine took place in front of Main Street & 4th St in 1900 between a Locomobile and a Winton over 14 miles. 

Regarding auto insurance prices, drivers today in Racine pay the 7th highest rates in the state at $1,259 per year or $105 per month. That works out to 12% higher than the Wisconsin average, but with some comparison shopping, lower costs can be had. We found that GEICO, Progressive, Western National, Acuity, and American Family were the lowest-cost auto insurance companies in Racine. The average rate among the five insurers for a full coverage insurance policy was $928, which equates to a 26% discount compared to the typical Racine insurer. American Family, the fifth cheapest insurer in Racine, cost 19% less than the state average.

Appleton, WI

The 6th largest city in Wisconsin, Appleton also sits on the lake (Winnebago not Michigan!). The city has received several awards over the years including a "Best Places to Live in America" award by Money magazine in 2010. Well we've got more good news for the residents of Appleton: car insurance rates in your area are 10% cheaper than the WI state average with rates around $1,019 per year.

While Appleton ranks as the 7th cheapest city in Wisconsin, there’s still opportunity to save more here. Check out quotes at GEICO, Partners Mutual, Progressive, American Family, and Pekin Insurance, which had the best auto insurance rates in Appleton out of 13 companies. The average annual premium from these providers for a full coverage policy was $714, which works out to 30% lower than the Appleton average.

Waukesha, WI

It’s in Waukesha that the first prototype of Jell-O was developed by the Glidden brothers in the early 1900s. Another fraternal pair, the Hamm brothers of Olympic medalist fame, grew up here as well. In terms of auto insurance, it costs $1,086 a year to insure a car such as a Toyota Camry here.

For low-cost car insurance in Waukesha, include quotes from Progressive, GEICO, Partners Mutual, Western National, and American Family in your comparison shopping. These five companies had the best rates for a full coverage policy for a standard vehicle such as a Toyota Camry. On average, their premium amounted to $782 a year, which was 28% and $304 cheaper than the going rate in Waukesha.

Oshkosh, WI

With 66,000 residents, Oshkosh is the 8th largest city in Wisconsin. The city is located on Lake Winnebago, and bisected by the Fox River. Every summer, 500,000 aviation enthusiasts and professionals descend into Oshkosh for the EAA AirVenture airshow. This is also where Oshkosh B’Gosh, a children’s clothing outfitter, was established and headquartered. 

Driving in Oshkosh? The average cost to insure your car here is $1,004. Drivers looking for lower costs for their auto insurance would do well to consider looking for quotes at Partners Mutual, GEICO, Progressive, American Family, and Acuity. That’s because these insurers had some of the lowest annual auto insurance premiums generally speaking in Oshkosh. For civilians, these top five companies came out to a low average cost of $730 a year, or 27% lower compared to what the typical insurer charges in Oshkosh. 

Eau Claire, WI

The economy of Eau Claire has its roots in the lumber industry, which saw a total of 22 operational sawmills in its heyday. Today, the largest employers in the city are in the healthcare, education, and retail industries, and include: the Mayo Clinic Health System, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and Nestle USA, Inc.  Drivers here can see average insurance rates of $1,079 a year, which is about 4% lower than the state average.

Car insurance in Eau Claire can be affordable, however, at these three companies: Partners Mutual, Progressive, and GEICO. They represented the three cheapest companies with the lowest three auto insurance rates in Eau Claire for civilian drivers. On average, they charged $710 for a year’s worth of car insurance, which is $369 more in consumers’ wallets for a discount to the citywide mean of 34%. Pekin Insurance and American Family round out the top five most affordable companies in Eau Claire.

Janesville, WI

Looking for Wisconsin’s Park Place? That’d be Janesville, a city with 2,500 acres of parkland. The city’s 64,000 residents live on 28 square miles of land, out of which about 14% is public park. Janesville is in the midst of a riverfront revitalization that will be bringing a new amphitheater to the downtown area for various festivals and events – here’s hoping parking and traffic will still be ok!

Janesville drivers can pay premiums for their car insurance of about $961 on average each year. To save more, we suggest checking out quotes at Progressive, GEICO, Partners Mutual, Pekin Insurance, and Western National, which had some of the best rates for car insurance in Janesville. The civilian driver can see annual costs of about $733 on average, which are about 24% lower than what’s getting charged at the average insurer in Janesville.

Sheboygan, WI

The 'Bratwurst Capital of the World', Sheboygan rests on the shores of Lake Michigan almost smack in the middle of Milwaukee to the south and Green Bay to the north. In our study of car insurance rates throughout Wisconsin, Sheboygan took home the distinct prize of having the state’s cheapest rates with an annual average of $946, 16% cheaper than the Wisconsin average.

Looking to shave off even more on your auto insurance premiums? Consider Partners Mutual, Progressive, GEICO, American Family, and Acuity, which had the most affordable rates in Sheboygan, WI. These companies had an average cost of $709 a year – that’s $237 less than what the typical insurer is charging in Sheboygan.

Plymouth, WI

Just west of Sheboygan and still part of Sheboygan County sits our 4th cheapest city in the study of Plymouth, WI. Because of where it sits (west of Sheboygan, east of Fond du Lac, north of Milwaukee, and south of Green Bay) Plymouth is nicknamed the "Hub City". Premiums in Plymouth are $984 per year on average which works out to around $82 each month.

If that’s not low enough for drivers, we recommend requesting quotes from Partners Mutual, GEICO, Progressive, American Family, and Acuity. These five had the best car insurance rates in Plymouth for the average driver of $726 a year, which saves consumers 26% compared to the typical company in the city.

Manitowoc, WI

Another top city located on Lake Michigan, Manitowoc is home to 30,000+ Wisconsins who enjoy unique attractions in the city like the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. This museum exhibits the most completely restored WWII submarine in the United States! When it comes to car insurance rates in Manitowoc residents will also be happy to know that they're the 3rd cheapest in the state. Premiums run $974 per year on average, which is 14% lower than the state average.

GEICO, Pekin Insurance, Progressive, Partners Mutual, and American Family are the five cheapest companies for car insurance in Manitowoc. Drivers could see low costs of $749 a year on average, which represents savings of 23% compared to getting insurance at the typical insurer in Manitowoc.

Superior, WI

In the very northwest corner of the state is where you'll find Superior, WI. Superior is a city with 27,000 residents and sits only minutes across the bay from Duluth, MN. One Superior fun fact for the Gordon Lightfoot fans amongst you: Superior was the last stop for the Edmund Fitzgerald before it sank in the Lake in 1975! When it comes to auto insurance, those living in Superior will find the average annual rates to be about $912 per year.

Which companies have the most inexpensive rates in Superior for car insurance? Out of 13 companies, we found that GEICO and Progressive had the two best rates in Superior. They averaged $799 per year for a full coverage car insurance policy with $50/$100/$25 coverage limits. Compared to the Superior citywide average, this amount is $506 extra in the bank, or a 39% decrease. American Family, Acuity, and Secura round out the top five.

Ashland, WI

Also in the far northern reaches of the states, Ashland is a small town of less than 10,000 that sits on Chequamegon Bay (Lake Superior) about 30 miles from the Michigan state border. Among Ashland's main attractions is the natural spring water that comes up from the wells around Maslowski Beach. Drivers in this port city will be paying rates that are 13% higher than the WI state average at around $1,275 per annum.

For those frugal consumers looking to save money on their car insurance, Progressive, GEICO, Pekin Insurance, Acuity, and Partners Mutual had some of the lowest car insurance costs in Ashland. Their annual premiums came out to $901 on average, which equals a 29% decrease to what the typical company is quoting in Ashland.

Other Cities in Wisconsin

For each of the seventy one cities in Wisconsin, here are the three companies with the lowest auto insurance costs.

Cost of Car Insurance in Wisconsin Cities

There are lots of Wisconsin cities not captured in either the Top or Bottom 5 and we're here to show you how all 71 of them stack up. While many of the smaller towns aren't listed, it's still helpful to find the closest city to where you live and use that as a point of comparison. Here they are from Antigo to Wisconsin Rapids.

Best Car Insurance Companies in WI

We calculated the complaint index for each company as an approximate measure to find the best auto insurance companies in Wisconsin. The index compares the company’s complaints and premiums to the industry's complaints to premiums in Wisconsin, and helps us determine how each company is performing relative to its competitors. We infer how happy consumers are with their insurance company based on the number of complaints, while taking into consideration the size of every provider. An index of 1 is average, so the lower the number, the better the company is compared to its competitors.

Auto Insurance Group	Premiums Underwritten in Wisconsin	Complaints	Complaint Index
IMT Group Insurance	$16,368,872	1	0.33
Acuity Insurance	93,460,957	6	0.34
USAA	48,042,819	4	0.44
Nationwide	24,018,836	2	0.44
Rural Mutual Insurance	29,987,179	3	0.53
State Farm	345,617,526	39	0.60
American Family	516,824,418	65	0.67
Wilson Mutual	20,520,804	3	0.78
West Bend / Silver Lining Insurance	75,147,569	11	0.78
Erie Insurance	47,280,963	7	0.79
Safeco	18,894,666	3	0.85
Auto-Owners	44,077,030	7	0.85
Secura Insurance	31,032,940	5	0.86
MetLife	27,175,663	5	0.98
Liberty Mutual	46,479,177	9	1.03
Progressive	405,739,408	93	1.22
Badger Mutual Insurance	21,036,834	5	1.27
Wisconsin Mutual Insurance	37,478,366	9	1.28
State Auto	16,292,539	4	1.31
AAA	48,783,413	12	1.31
Pekin Insurance	27,518,813	7	1.35
Allstate	82,458,184	21	1.36
Hastings Mutual	16,226,783	5	1.64
GEICO	99,125,841	31	1.66
Integrity Insurance	22,380,259	7	1.66
Hanover	15,783,642	5	1.69
Hartford	28,261,658	9	1.70
Farmers	61,959,328	28	2.41
Sentry	24,032,283	11	2.44

Study Background

Our study looked at car insurance premiums for a single 30 year old male driver who owns and drives a 2011 Toyota Camry primarily for commuting purposes. He has excellent credit and has had a solid driving record - no accidents or traffic violations in the last five years over 12,000 miles each year. Quotes for car insurance were obtained for a full coverage policy that had slightly better coverage compared to the state minimum in Wisconsin. Coverage limits in our analysis amount to 50/100/25: $50,000 per person for bodily injury, $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 in property damage. The thirteen insurers included: GEICO, Progressive, Partners Mutual, Pekin Insurance, American Family Insurance, Acuity, Western National, Secura, State Farm, Allstate, Allied, Integrity Mutual, and MetLife.