Average Cost of Car Insurance for 18-Year-Olds (2026)
The average cost of car insurance for 18-year-olds is $599 per month for full coverage.
Minimum liability coverage costs an average of $235 per month for an 18-year-old.
Geico is the cheapest major car insurance company for 18-year-olds, at $488 per month for full coverage.
Midsize companies — like Erie, NJM, Auto-Owners and Shelter — often have even cheaper rates. However, they're not an option in many states.
Find Cheap 18-year-old Auto Insurance Quotes
How much is insurance for an 18-year-old?
Full coverage car insurance for an 18-year-old driver on their own policy costs an average of $599 per month.
The cheapest major car insurance companies for 18-year-old drivers are Geico, State Farm and Travelers.
Regional companies like Erie, NJM, Auto-Owners and Shelter tend to offer very affordable rates for 18-year-olds. But they're not available in every state.
Full coverage
Minimum coverage
Full coverage
Minimum coverage
Find Cheap 18-year-old Auto Insurance Quotes
If you have ties to the military, you should also get quotes from USAA. Full coverage from USAA costs around $310 per month, and minimum liability costs $112 per month. That makes USAA the cheapest company overall.
But you can only buy a policy from USAA if you're an active-duty military member or a young veteran or if an immediate family member had a USAA policy at one point.
Best cheap insurance for 18-year-olds
There's a difference of $574 per month between the cheapest company for full coverage, Erie, and the most expensive, Nationwide. That's why you should always compare insurance quotes to find the best rates for you.
Do car insurance rates go down at age 18?
An 18-year-old driver can expect to pay less for car insurance than younger, less experienced drivers.
On average, 18-year-old drivers pay 13% less for car insurance than 17-year-olds. At 18 years old, you have more driving experience than newly licensed 16- and 17-year-olds. Your rates reflect that.
Drivers under the age of 25 tend to have high insurance rates. That's because they're more likely to make mistakes and cause accidents. As you get older and have more driving experience under your belt, your insurance rates should start to drop.
New drivers are an exception to this rule. If you're a new driver at 18 years old, you'll likely pay more than a driver who got their license at age 16 and has two years of driving experience.
Average car insurance cost for 18-year-old male vs. female drivers
The average car insurance cost for an 18-year-old male is 10% more expensive than car insurance for an 18-year-old female. Overall, 18-year-old men pay $557 per month for full coverage, while women pay $508.
Men ages 16 to 19 are three times as likely to be involved in a fatal car crash as women in that age group. That makes male teens a much higher risk to insurance companies.Monthly full coverage car insurance rates by gender
Company | Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $427 | $355 |
| Travelers | $446 | $392 |
| Geico | $506 | $411 |
| Progressive | $605 | $559 |
| Allstate | $672 | $652 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Company | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $427 | $355 |
| Travelers | $446 | $392 |
| Geico | $506 | $411 |
| Progressive | $605 | $559 |
| Allstate | $672 | $652 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Some states don't allow insurance companies to use gender to determine car insurance rates.
- California
- Hawaii
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
Men and women in these locations should pay the same price for auto insurance coverage, all else being equal.
Cheapest car insurance for 18-year-olds by state
The cheapest major company, Geico, has the least expensive full coverage insurance for 18-year-olds in 15 states.
But, the cheapest company nationally may not be the most affordable option in your state. Travelers is the most affordable company in seven states. Farm Bureau and Erie each have the best rates in five states.
Find Cheap 18-year-old Auto Insurance Quotes
USAA has the cheapest rates overall in 31 states and Washington, D.C. But you can only get a policy if you're in the military, you’re a young veteran or one of your parents had a USAA policy at some point.
Monthly car insurance quotes for 18-year-olds
Full coverage
Minimum liability coverage
State | State avg. | Cheapest rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $529 | Country Financial | $281 |
| Alaska | $457 | Geico | $345 |
| Arizona | $669 | Travelers | $515 |
| Arkansas | $655 | Farm Bureau | $349 |
Full coverage
State | State avg. | Cheapest rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $529 | Country Financial | $281 |
| Alaska | $457 | Geico | $345 |
| Arizona | $669 | Travelers | $515 |
| Arkansas | $655 | Farm Bureau | $349 |
Minimum liability coverage
State | State avg. | Cheapest rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $203 | Country Financial | $120 |
| Alaska | $163 | Allstate | $129 |
| Arizona | $267 | Travelers | $205 |
| Arkansas | $212 | Alfa | $99 |
| California | $188 | Geico | $126 |
Where you live also has a big effect on how much you pay for car insurance.
Hawaii is the cheapest state for an 18-year-old to get car insurance, at $160 per month for a full coverage policy. Rhode Island is the most expensive state, at $1,081 per month. This is different from the cheapest and most expensive states for older drivers, which are Vermont and Nevada, respectively.
In addition, rates vary depending on where you live within a state. People living in big cities tend to pay more than those in small towns. That's because cities usually have more traffic and higher crime rates, which leads to more car insurance claims.
How old do you have to be to get insurance?
An 18-year-old can buy their own car insurance policy.
If possible, you should share a policy with your parents or an older relative. It's usually much cheaper than having your own separate policy. However, you usually have to live together to share a policy, unless you're away at college.
Parents typically see their rates go up when they add a teen driver to their policy. They can help offset the increased cost by asking for discounts aimed at teens. For example, you could get a good student discount if your teen has a minimum 3.0 GPA.
How to get cheap auto insurance at 18-years-old
Besides staying on your parents' policy, the best way to get cheap auto insurance quotes is to shop around. Prices can differ by thousands of dollars per year depending on the company. So it's helpful to compare car insurance quotes from multiple insurance companies.
There are a number of other ways 18-year-olds can get cheap car insurance, including:
Look for discounts. Insurance companies offer many discounts to help 18-year-olds save money.
High school or college students can get a good student discount on car insurance if they have good grades. Insurance companies usually give a discount if you have a B average or 3.0 GPA, or better.
College students who leave their cars at their parents' home during the academic year can often get an away-from-home student discount. This discount is typically available if you attend a university more than 100 miles away from home. You may also qualify for a low-mileage discount.
If you don't live with your parents, you can save on your auto insurance policy by bundling it with your renters or homeowners insurance.
Sign up for a safe driver program. By sharing your driving data with your auto insurance company, you can prove you're a safe driver worthy of cheaper rates. Companies track your driving using a plug-in tracking device or app.
Usage-based auto insurance lets you earn big discounts if you practice safe driving habits, like staying under the speed limit. Some programs will raise your rates if you have bad driving habits, though.
Increase your deductible. Another way to lower your insurance rate is to choose a higher deductible. However, this means you'll pay more after an accident. So it's important to choose a deductible you can easily afford in an emergency.
Lower your coverage limits. It's a good idea for 18-year-old drivers to buy a full coverage policy. Young drivers are more likely to get into an accident, and full coverage insurance helps pay for damage to your own car.
However, a minimum coverage policy costs much less. Minimum coverage might work for you if you have a car that's more than eight years old or worth less than $5,000.
Drive an affordable car. Expensive cars cost more to repair, which means they also cost more to insure. In addition, safer cars like SUVs and sedans are usually cheaper to insure than sports cars.
Frequently asked questions
How much is insurance for an 18-year-old per month?
An 18-year-old can expect to pay an average of $599 per month for full coverage car insurance. Minimum coverage costs around $235 per month. However, rates vary significantly based on where you live and the insurance company you choose.
Can an 18-year-old get car insurance on their own?
Yes, 18-year-olds can get car insurance policies on their own. However, you could pay much less if you share a policy with your parents.
Is insurance cheaper when you turn 18?
An 18-year-old driver can expect to pay around 13% less for car insurance than a 17-year-old. Rates are usually cheaper for 18-year-olds because they have more experience behind the wheel than younger drivers. However, a newly licensed 18-year-old will pay more for car insurance than someone who has been driving since they turned 16.
Is it cheaper to be on your parents' car insurance?
Yes, it is cheaper for teen drivers to share car insurance with their parents. On average, 18-year-old drivers can save 62% per month on full coverage insurance by having a joint family policy.
Who has the cheapest car insurance for 18-year-olds?
USAA has the cheapest full coverage rate for 18-year-old drivers, at $310 per month. However, it's only available to military members, veterans and some of their family members. Geico has the best widely available rate, at $488 per month for full coverage.
However, the cheapest company for you may be different depending on where you live.
What's the best insurance for an 18-year-old?
State Farm is a good choice for affordable rates and good service, but the best company for you depends on your situation. For example, if you can get coverage from a regional company like Erie, NJM or Auto-Owners, you might get even cheaper rates than you would from State Farm. Or you might want a company that has good online tools, like Geico. The best policy for you is the one that fits your needs.
Methodology
To find the average cost of car insurance for an 18-year-old, ValuePenguin collected quotes for ZIP codes across all 50 states in the U.S. Rates are for an 18-year-old single man with a clean driving record and good credit who owns a 2018 Honda Civic.
Full coverage quotes include higher liability limits than each state requires, along with comprehensive and collision 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
- Comprehensive and collision: $500 deductible
- Personal injury protection (PIP): Minimum, when required by state
National averages include insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. Rates were publicly sourced from insurance company filings and should only be used for comparative purposes. Your own quotes may differ from our averages.
To determine the rates for each age group and gender, our editors collected quotes for thousands of ZIP codes across four of the most populous states in the country.
Senior Writer
Lindsay Bishop is a Senior Writer at ValuePenguin, where she educates readers about home, auto, renters, flood and motorcycle insurance.
Lindsay began her career in the insurance and financial industry in 2010. She was a licensed auto, home, life and health insurance agent and held Series 6 and 63 financial licenses.
After a hiatus from the financial sector, Lindsay returned to the industry as a content writer for ValuePenguin in 2021. She enjoys having the opportunity to help readers make smart decisions about their insurance so they can be prepared for anything life throws their way.
When Lindsay isn't writing about insurance, you can find her spending time with family, enjoying the outdoors on Sunday long runs or riding her Peloton.
How insurance helped Lindsay
As a homeowner for 15 years located in South Carolina, Lindsay has plenty of experience navigating the coastal insurance market and managing the claims process. That includes successfully negotiating a full roof replacement claim.
Expertise
- Home insurance
- Car insurance
- Flood insurance
- Renters insurance
- Motorcycle insurance
Referenced by
- CNBC
- Yahoo Finance
- Miami Herald
Education
- BS/BA Economics, University of Nevada Las Vegas
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.
