Best Car Insurance Rates in Wisconsin
Best Car Insurance Rates in Wisconsin
We analyzed the top auto insurance companies in Wisconsin and found that Erie has the best rates for drivers, with a minimum coverage rate of $297 and $25 monthly.
We analyzed the top auto insurance companies in Wisconsin and found that Erie has the best rates for drivers, with a minimum coverage rate of $297 and $25 monthly.
Compare rates from at least three companies to make sure you're getting your best rates. Enter your ZIP code into the box above to get quotes from the top providers near you, or read on to learn which companies feature the lowest premiums in your state.
Cheapest auto insurance in Wisconsin: Erie
Erie offers Wisconsin drivers the cheapest rates for a minimum liability policy. Because minimum liability policies only met the state insurance requirements, they are the cheapest form of auto insurance you can purchase.
The average cost of car insurance in Wisconsin is $515 for a minimum coverage policy. Annual premiums from Erie average $297 across the quotes we analyzed and are 42% cheaper versus the state mean.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Wisconsin
However, Wisconsin service members, veterans and their families can buy insurance from the overall cheapest option: USAA. We found that average annual premiums from USAA are $50 less expensive than Erie and 52% less expensive than the state average.
Minimum liability car insurance is the cheapest option, but you’re responsible for any damages or injuries you sustain. Minimum coverage policies only cover the other driver's injuries or property damage, so you'll be required to pay out of pocket for your own car repairs.
Minimum coverage doesn't pay for your own injuries or damages, so we recommend that all drivers purchase more coverage than what the state requires.
Rank | Company | Average annual rate |
---|---|---|
1 | Erie | $297 |
2 | American Family | $353 |
3 | State Farm | $459 |
4 | Progressive | $463 |
5 | SECURA | $522 |
6 | Geico | $570 |
7 | Auto-Owners Insurance Co. | $649 |
8 | Allstate | $1,073 |
N/A | USAA | $247 |
*USAA is excluded from rankings because it is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Cheapest company for full coverage: American Family
Our analysis found that insurers charge Wisconsin drivers an average of $1,559 annually, or $130 monthly, for full coverage auto insurance. American Family stands out for its affordable full coverage insurance: An annual coverage policy for our sample driver was 23% cheaper than the state average, costing $1,207 annually and $101 monthly.
Insurer | Annual cost | Monthly cost |
---|---|---|
American Family | $1,207 | $101 |
Erie | $1,319 | $110 |
State Farm | $1,346 | $112 |
Wisconsin average | $1,559 | $130 |
Full coverage auto insurance policies include collision and comprehensive insurance as well as liability insurance. This means that your own car is covered in both on-road and off-road accidents, no matter who is at-fault. While the average cost of a full coverage insurance policy is significantly higher — $1,044 more than a minimum coverage policy, according to our analysis of Wisconsin quotes — we recommend that most drivers purchase full coverage, as it ensures your own car is protected from damage.
Cheap car insurance for drivers with prior incidents
Your risk profile, as assessed by an insurance company, determines your auto insurance rates. Drivers with previous incidents on their record and drivers with a poor credit score are generally seen as higher-risk, and therefore pay higher premiums to account for that risk. Bearing this in mind, we identified the cheapest full coverage car insurance for Wisconsin drivers who have:
Cheapest for drivers with an accident: State Farm
The cheapest rates for a Wisconsin driver with an at-fault accident on his record came from State Farm. While the average annual rate for Wisconsin drivers with an accident was $2,272, State Farm's rates were $710 cheaper; drivers only paid $1,562 a year and $130 a month.
Insurer | Annual cost | Monthly cost |
---|---|---|
State Farm | $1,562 | $130 |
Erie | $1,570 | $131 |
SECURA | $1,899 | $158 |
Wisconsin average | $2,272 | $189 |
Insurance companies penalize drivers who have been in an at-fault accident to varying degrees. State Farm only raised rates by $216 after an at-fault accident, but Geico increased them by more than $1,000, from $1,380 before an accident to $2,409 after an accident. Given these differences, we urge drivers to compare rates after a change in their driving history. It's possible you could get a much better deal with a different insurance company.
Cheapest car insurance for people with a speeding ticket: American Family
Average annual premiums in Wisconsin increase by 16% after a speeding ticket, from $1,559 to $1,811. American Family and Erie are the best insurers for drivers who have received a speeding ticket. Both companies charged our sample driver the same annual rate before and after an at-fault accident — $1,207 and $1,319, respectively.
Insurer | Annual cost | Monthly cost |
---|---|---|
American Family | $1,207 | $101 |
Erie | $1,319 | $110 |
State Farm | $1,454 | $121 |
Wisconsin average | $1,811 | $151 |
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI: State Farm
Our analysis found that average rates for Wisconsin drivers increase by 59% after a DUI citation. We recommend that drivers with a DUI consider getting a policy from State Farm, which charged our sample driver $1,454 annually and $121 monthly. That's 41% less than the state average.
Insurer | Annual cost | Monthly cost |
---|---|---|
State Farm | $1,454 | $121 |
Progressive | $1,514 | $126 |
Erie | $1,822 | $152 |
Wisconsin average | $2,475 | $206 |
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with poor credit: SECURA
SECURA offers the most affordable rates to drivers with a poor credit score. The average rate for Wisconsin drivers with poor credit is $2,284, but our research shows that SECURA policyholders only pay $1,531 annually — a $753 difference.
Insurer | Annual cost | Monthly cost |
---|---|---|
SECURA | $1,531 | $128 |
Geico | $1,651 | $138 |
Progressive | $1,778 | $148 |
American Family | $1,881 | $157 |
Wisconsin average | $2,284 | $190 |
Cheapest car insurance for married drivers: Progressive
We found that married Wisconsin drivers pay 5% less than single drivers, with average annual premiums of $1,054. Progressive offers the best deals to these drivers, charging $1,054 a year and $88 a month. Insurers offer lower rates to married drivers because they statistically get into fewer accidents than single drivers, making them less risky to insure.
Insurer | Annual cost | Monthly cost |
---|---|---|
Progressive | $1,054 | $88 |
Erie | $1,203 | $100 |
American Family | $1,207 | $101 |
Wisconsin average | $1,484 | $124 |
Cheapest car insurance for young drivers: Erie
Full coverage auto insurance for young Wisconsin drivers is $4,276 on average, making it 174% more expensive than for adult drivers.
Erie offers young drivers the most affordable annual policies for both full and minimum coverage. The company's full coverage rates are 34% cheaper than average, while its minimum coverage rates are 65% cheaper than average. If you're a young driver in the Badger State, we recommend getting an annual policy from Erie.
Rank | Insurer | Full coverage | Minimum coverage |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Erie Ins | $2,804 | $590 |
2 | American Family | $2,842 | $992 |
3 | Geico | $3,469 | $1,372 |
4 | SECURA | $3,748 | $1,374 |
5 | State Farm | $3,957 | $1,527 |
6 | Progressive | $5,599 | $1,960 |
7 | Auto-Owners | $5,733 | $2,636 |
8 | Allstate | $8,558 | $4,272 |
N/A | USAA | $1,775 | $549 |
N/A | Wisconsin average | $4,276 | $1,697 |
USAA is excluded from rankings because it is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Young drivers are statistically more likely to get into an accident than adult drivers, which causes insurance companies to charge them much higher rates. These high prices may make some young drivers consider opting for a minimum coverage policy. However, we generally urge young drivers to purchase full coverage if at all possible. Accidents can happen to anyone, and young drivers' inexperience on the roads makes them particularly vulnerable to collisions. Getting a policy that covers your own vehicle, no matter who is at fault, gives young drivers an added layer of protection on the roads.
Cheapest for young drivers with one accident: Erie
Rates for young drivers are already high, but an at-fault accident will lead them to go up even more. Our research shows that Erie offers the most affordable premiums to young drivers with an at-fault accident on their records: An annual policy costs $3,031 annually and $253 monthly. That makes Erie 44% cheaper than the state average of $5,446.
Insurer | Annual cost | Monthly cost |
---|---|---|
Erie | $3,031 | $253 |
SECURA | $4,613 | $384 |
State Farm | $4,699 | $392 |
Wisconsin average | $5,446 | $454 |
Cheapest for young drivers with one speeding ticket: American Family
Young Wisconsin drivers will likely see their car insurance rates spike after a speeding ticket, but not as sharply as after an at-fault accident. We found that the average cost of car insurance for young drivers with a speeding ticket is $4,947 annually — $671 more than young drivers with a clean record, but $499 less than young drivers with an at-fault accident on their record.
American Family has the best rates for young drivers with a speeding ticket. At $2,842 annually and $237 monthly, American Family's rates for our sample drivers were 43% cheaper than the Wisconsin state average.
Insurer | Annual cost | Monthly cost |
---|---|---|
American Family | $2,842 | $237 |
Erie | $3,178 | $265 |
Geico | $4,105 | $342 |
Wisconsin | $4,947 | $412 |
Best auto insurance companies in Wisconsin
We surveyed current policyholders on their customer service and claims satisfaction, and found that the best insurer in Wisconsin is Auto-Owners.
If excellent customer service is your top priority, we'd recommend Auto-Owners. One hundred percent of our survey respondents who had a policy with Auto-Owners were satisfied with their recent claim. If Auto-Owners' rates are too high, American Family or, if you have a military affiliation, USAA could be solid alternative options. Customers at these companies indicated high levels of satisfaction as well.
Overall rank | Group | Percent extremely satisfied with most recent claim | Percent who rated customer service as "excellent" |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Auto-Owners | 100% | 67% |
2 | USAA | 78% | 62% |
3 | American Family (AmFam) | 86% | 50% |
4 | State Farm | 73% | 46% |
5 | Allstate | 72% | 47% |
6 | Erie Insurance | 67% | 50% |
7 | Progressive | 74% | 34% |
8 | Geico | 64% | 42% |
N/A | SECURA | N/A | N/A |
Overall rank takes both claim satisfaction and customer service rankings into account.
Auto-Owners also received top marks from J.D. Power and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). J.D. Power ranks insurers based on customer claims satisfaction, and Auto-Owners came in third place, with a score of 890 out of 1,000. Its Complaint Index at NAIC was just 0.42, which means that it received only 42% as many complaints as is typical for its size.
Insurer | NAIC Complaint Index (lower is better) | J.D. Power claims satisfaction score (Higher is better) | AM Best Financial Strength Rating |
---|---|---|---|
American Family | 0.45 | 862 | A |
State Farm | 0.66 | 881 | A++ |
Progressive | 0.61 | 856 | A+ |
Erie | 1.10 | 880 | A+ |
Geico | 1.02 | 871 | A++ |
Allstate | 0.71 | 876 | A+ |
USAA | 0.68 | 890 | A++ |
SECURA | 0.00 | N/A | A |
Auto-Owners | 0.42 | 890 | A++ |
Every company included in our study was given a Financial Strength Rating of A or better from AM Best. AM Best grades companies on their ability to pay out claims, and an A or A+ indicates an "Excellent" or "Superior" ability to pay out claims, respectively.
Average car insurance cost in Wisconsin by city
We surveyed average rates for different cities in Wisconsin and found that annual premiums can vary by as much as $775 per year, depending on your location. Auto insurance in densely populated urban areas costs more than in rural areas because accidents and auto theft occur more frequently in large cities.
City | Average annual cost | Percent from average |
---|---|---|
Ashwaubenon | $1,314 | -15.7% |
Kimberly | $1,329 | -14.7% |
Green Bay | $1,329 | -14.7% |
Sheboygan Falls | $1,331 | -14.6% |
Suamico | $1,332 | -14.5% |
Oostburg | $1,335 | -14.4% |
De Pere | $1,335 | -14.3% |
Hobart | $1,335 | -14.3% |
Kaukauna | $1,336 | -14.3% |
Menasha | $1,336 | -14.3% |
Howard | $1,337 | -14.2% |
Combined Locks | $1,341 | -14.0% |
Auto insurance rate changes by company in Wisconsin
Auto insurance rates in Wisconsin fell on average by 2.9% in 2020 across the largest 10 insurers by direct premiums written. When looking closer at individual companies, as seen below, State Farm led the industry with a rate reduction of 9.8%. The primary reason for the fall in premiums is due to the coronavirus, which has reduced the amount of overall driving across the country. This led to a record low number of auto claims, allowing auto companies to offer cheaper rates to all drivers.
Insurer | Premiums written (millions) 2019 | Rate Change 2019 | Rate Change 2020 |
---|---|---|---|
Progressive | $659.8 | -1.4% | -3.1% |
American Family | $619.4 | 2.2% | -0.5% |
State Farm | $459.7 | -2.8% | -9.8% |
Geico | $161.1 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Allstate | $151.2 | 2.8% | 0.0% |
Erie | $122.3 | 3.0% | -2.6% |
ACUITY A | $108.3 | 1.5% | -5.3% |
West Bend | $100.3 | 0.9% | 0.0% |
USAA | $86.9 | 2.5% | 2.1% |
Liberty Mutual | $79.8 | 1.8% | 4.0% |
Minimum requirements for auto insurance coverage in Wisconsin
All insurance policies solid in Wisconsin must meet the following minimum coverage limits:
Liability | Minimum coverage |
---|---|
Bodily injury (BI) | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident |
Property damage (PD) | $10,000 per accident |
Uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI) | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident |
We strongly recommend that drivers carry more than the minimum liability insurance. If you are in an at-fault accident and the costs of injuries or damages exceeds these minimum limits, you will be responsible for these extra costs.
Recap of the cheapest auto insurance in Wisconsin
- Minimum coverage: Erie
- Full coverage: American Family
- After an at-fault accident: State Farm
- After a speeding ticket: American Family
- After a DUI: State Farm
- Poor credit history: SECURA
- Very good credit history: State Farm
- Married couples: Progressive
- Young drivers: Erie
- Young drivers with one accident: Erie
- Young drivers with speeding ticket: American Family
Methodology
We collected thousands of rates from ZIP codes across Wisconsin for the largest 10 insurers. We used a sample driver with the following profile:
- 30-year-old man
- Drives a 2015 Honda Civic EX
- Average credit
The base policy for the study was a full-coverage policy with the following limits:
Coverage type | Study limits |
---|---|
Bodily liability | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
Personal injury protection | $10,000 |
Property damage | $25,000 per accident |
Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
Comprehensive and collision | $500 deductible |
For our minimum-coverage policy, we quoted a policy with the minimum required limits in Wisconsin, above.
For other rates analyses (age, credit score, accident history and marriage status) the base policy listed above was alternated to reflect the new driver.
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes may be different.