The Best Companies for High-Risk Car Insurance
Progressive, Geico and USAA are some of the best options if you need high-risk car insurance.
High-risk car insurance works the same as regular insurance, but it's for people with problems on their driving or credit record. Most companies will charge more or even not offer insurance to people they consider "high-risk."
Best auto insurance for high-risk drivers
You can improve your driving record over time, and eventually your rates will go down. But, as you work on that, picking one of the best companies for high-risk car insurance can help keep your bills more affordable.
Best overall: Progressive
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Editor's rating
- Cost: $122 to $131/month
Progressive has cheap rates and good customer service.
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Cheaper-than-average rates
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Plenty of available discounts
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Above-average customer satisfaction
Cons:
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You can't get some discounts in every state
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No option for new-car replacement coverage
Progressive has some of the lowest minimum coverage rates for high-risk drivers.
You could pay even less if you can get some of its many discounts. If you get at least two kinds of coverage, such as home, auto or pet, with Progressive, you can get a bundling discount. You can also lower your cost by getting paperless bills, setting up automatic payments and allowing Progressive to track your driving with its Snapshot program.
If you enroll in Snapshot, you’ll need to drive safely. Your rates could go up if you slam on the brakes often or speed regularly.
Minimum coverage
Full coverage
Progressive rates | Average | |
|---|---|---|
| After an accident | $129 | $148 |
| After a DUI | $131 | $241 |
| With poor credit | $122 | $185 |
Average monthly rates for minimum coverage after an accident, after a DUI or with poor credit. Data from Quadrant Information Services.
Minimum coverage
Progressive rates | Average | |
|---|---|---|
| After an accident | $129 | $148 |
| After a DUI | $131 | $241 |
| With poor credit | $122 | $185 |
Average monthly rates for minimum coverage after an accident, after a DUI or with poor credit. Data from Quadrant Information Services.
Full coverage
Progressive rates | Average | |
|---|---|---|
| After an accident | $344 | $332 |
| After a DUI | $265 | $332 |
| With poor credit | $323 | $467 |
Average monthly rates for full coverage after an accident, after a DUI or with poor credit. Data from Quadrant Information Services.
Runner-up: Geico
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Editor's rating
- Cost: $119 to $174/month
Geico has low rates and plenty of discounts.
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Low rates
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Lots of discounts
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Mixed customer satisfaction scores
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You likely won't be able to talk to an agent in person
Geico has a large set of discounts on top of its lower-than-average rates.
While Geico’s rates are already on the affordable side for high-risk drivers, you could get multiple discounts, including ones for autopay, bundling and insuring two or more cars. If you’re part of a group that partners with Geico, such as a professional group, college, sorority or fraternity, you could also get a group discount.
Another way to lower your bill is by joining its DriveEasy program. If you let Geico track how you drive, you earn a discount for safe driving every month. But if you don’t drive well, you could end up paying more.
Geico’s customer satisfaction scores have also been mixed in recent years, but they improved in 2025.
Minimum coverage
Full coverage
Geico rates | Average | |
|---|---|---|
| After an accident | $119 | $148 |
| After a DUI | $129 | $241 |
| With poor credit | $174 | $185 |
Average monthly rates for minimum coverage after an accident, after a DUI or with poor credit. Data from Quadrant Information Services.
Minimum coverage
Geico rates | Average | |
|---|---|---|
| After an accident | $119 | $148 |
| After a DUI | $129 | $241 |
| With poor credit | $174 | $185 |
Average monthly rates for minimum coverage after an accident, after a DUI or with poor credit. Data from Quadrant Information Services.
Full coverage
Geico rates | Average | |
|---|---|---|
| After an accident | $276 | $332 |
| After a DUI | $286 | $332 |
| With poor credit | $413 | $467 |
Average monthly rates for full coverage after an accident, after a DUI or with poor credit. Data from Quadrant Information Services.
Best for military drivers: USAA
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Editor's rating
- Cost: $57 to $117/month
USAA has some of the lowest rates you can find and great customer service.
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Low rates
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High customer satisfaction
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Only available to military members, veterans and their families
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Few discount options
To join USAA and get coverage, you need to have strong ties to the military.
You can be a military member, veteran or eligible family member.
USAA is a great choice because of its cheap prices and high customer satisfaction.
You could get a big discount by signing up for USAA's SafePilot program. It gives you an immediate discount when you sign up, and you can save more with safe driving habits. You'll also get some protection because your bill won’t go up if you drive badly.
Minimum coverage
Full coverage
USAA rates | Average | |
|---|---|---|
| After an accident | $62 | $148 |
| After a DUI | $117 | $241 |
| With poor credit | $57 | $185 |
Average monthly rates for minimum coverage after an accident, after a DUI or with poor credit. Data from Quadrant Information Services.
Minimum coverage
USAA rates | Average | |
|---|---|---|
| After an accident | $62 | $148 |
| After a DUI | $117 | $241 |
| With poor credit | $57 | $185 |
Average monthly rates for minimum coverage after an accident, after a DUI or with poor credit. Data from Quadrant Information Services.
Full coverage
USAA rates | Average | |
|---|---|---|
| After an accident | $167 | $332 |
| After a DUI | $211 | $332 |
| With poor credit | $173 | $467 |
Average monthly rates for full coverage after an accident, after a DUI or with poor credit. Data from Quadrant Information Services.
Average rates for high-risk auto insurance
Minimum coverage after an accident is $148 per month, on average. The same coverage costs $241 per month after a DUI and $185 a month if you have poor credit.
For full coverage, you’ll pay $332 a month on average after an accident or DUI and $467 a month if you have poor credit.
Minimum coverage
Full coverage
With poor credit | After accident | After DUI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $122 | $129 | $131 |
| Geico | $174 | $119 | $129 |
| Allstate | $277 | $382 | $473 |
| State Farm | $297 | $49 | $357 |
| USAA | $57 | $62 | $117 |
Average monthly rates for minimum coverage after an accident, after a DUI or with poor credit. Data from Quadrant Information Services.
Minimum coverage
With poor credit | After accident | After DUI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $122 | $129 | $131 |
| Geico | $174 | $119 | $129 |
| Allstate | $277 | $382 | $473 |
| State Farm | $297 | $49 | $357 |
| USAA | $57 | $62 | $117 |
Average monthly rates for minimum coverage after an accident, after a DUI or with poor credit. Data from Quadrant Information Services.
Full coverage
With poor credit | After accident | After DUI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $323 | $344 | $265 |
| Geico | $413 | $276 | $286 |
| Allstate | $667 | $761 | $734 |
| State Farm | $760 | $111 | $166 |
| USAA | $173 | $167 | $211 |
Average monthly rates for full coverage after an accident, after a DUI or with poor credit. Data from Quadrant Information Services.
How to lower your high-risk car insurance rates
If you're considered a high-risk driver, your rates should go down over time if you avoid issues on the road. Events such as accidents and DUIs generally fall off your driving record after two to 10 years, depending on where you live.
But you can lower your insurance cost now by shopping around for the best rate, working to improve your credit and taking driving classes.
- Shop around: Get several quotes. You may not have to pay a higher rate.
- Take a driver safety or alcohol awareness course: You could lower your insurance rate and improve your record.
- Sign up for driver tracking discount programs: Also called usage-based insurance, these let your insurance company track your driving and potentially give you lower rates if you drive safely.
- Take advantage of discounts: You can pay ahead of time, set up auto payments, bundle policies, sign up for e-statements and more to lower your bill. Talk to an agent to see which discounts you can get.
- Increase your deductible: This can lower your monthly bill, but you’ll have to pay more if you're in an accident.
- Get minimum coverage: Get the lowest coverage required by your state or lender. The drawback is you may have to pay to repair your own car or be on the hook for more if you cause the accident.
How to get car insurance if you've been denied coverage
If you’re struggling to find coverage, you can apply for quotes from what are called nonstandard companies.
These are generally smaller and work with higher-risk drivers. National ones include:
Another option is to try to work with a regional company, such as Mercury Insurance.
If things are really bad, look at state-sponsored auto insurance plans. Governments offer insurance for drivers who can’t find coverage elsewhere. While they tend to be expensive and don't offer great coverage, they can be a last-resort option that keeps you on the road legally.
State-sponsored auto insurance plans
State | Insurance plan |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Automobile Insurance Plan (AL AIP) |
| Alaska | Alaska Automobile Insurance Plan (AK AIP) |
| Arizona | Arizona Automobile Insurance Plan (AZ AIP) |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Automobile Insurance Plan (AR AIP) |
| California | California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (CAARP) |
Frequently asked questions
What is a high-risk driver?
A high-risk driver is someone who insurance companies think is more likely to make a claim or be in a crash than a typical driver. If you are young, have multiple tickets or accidents on your record or have let your insurance lapse, you're likely considered high-risk.
How much is high-risk insurance?
Being high-risk could increase your rates by only 24% or, in some cases, you could pay six times as much. How much more you'll pay will depend on what makes you high-risk, how long ago the incident was and where you live.
What is the best insurance for high-risk drivers?
Progressive and Geico are the best car insurance companies for high-risk drivers who want minimum coverage. Drivers with very bad records may need a nonstandard company like The General or SafeAuto. Or as a last resort, you could get a policy through your state's high-risk insurance plan.
Sources and methodology
Information about insurance company products came from the websites of Progressive, Geico and USAA. Information on customer service satisfaction came from J.D. Power’s auto insurance studies from 2023, 2024 and 2025. Ratings of insurance companies’ mobile apps came from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
Rate information is from Quadrant Information Services. The average rates were found by averaging quotes from five of the largest insurance companies in the U.S. for all ZIP codes in the state of Texas.
Full coverage rates include liability coverage, plus collision and comprehensive coverage.
- Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $50,000 per accident
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist property damage: $50,000 per accident
- Comprehensive and collision: $500 deductible
These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only. Your own rates may be different.
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.
