Our team researched the industry’s top car insurance providers and selected their top seven picks for seniors.
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In almost every state, some form of auto insurance is mandatory to protect yourself and others on the road. Even if you’ve had the same car insurance for years, it’s always a good idea to reassess your policy, coverage, and ways to save, as your driving needs change with age.
We’ve done our research to help you find the best car insurance provider that offers customizable coverage, accident forgiveness, affordable rates, and the best discounts and savings for seniors. We’ll help you sort through finding the best car insurance provider for your specific driving and coverage needs. Let’s get started!
State Farm is an excellent choice for seniors because of their reliable coverage and customer service. Be sure to take advantage of defensive driving courses and good driver discounts to save even more on your auto insurance policy. We also recommend bundling your auto and home insurance for extra savings. If you’re looking for lower rates and ample discounts, then we’d recommend State Farm as your trusted neighbor (for insurance matters, this is).
FYI: If you’re looking for senior discounts, take a look at our list of great retail, hotel, and transportation deals.
Overall, USAA is a great provider if you’re a retired veteran looking for affordable insurance rates. There are many ways to decrease your bill, including automatic payment, annual mileage, or storage discounts. Although USAA offers auto insurance in all 50 states, it is only available to members of the military and veterans.
Overall, Progressive is a great auto insurance company for seniors to consider. They offer accident forgiveness, good driver discounts, and loyalty-based discounts for customers who stick with Progressive for the long haul. Accident forgiveness is automatically included in your policy in some states, but we’d recommend contacting Progressive to see if it needs to be added to your policy.
Overall, Liberty Mutual is a solid choice for seniors looking to add more coverage to their existing policy. This may include optional add-ons such as gap coverage or a lifetime repair guarantee, which offers car repairs at 2,000 guaranteed repair network facilities nationwide. Additionally, Liberty Mutual is great for seniors who are looking to lower their deductibles by enrolling in the Liberty Mutual Deductible Fund, which you can add to your existing auto insurance policy. Enrolling can help you reduce the chance of paying out of pocket.
AARP Auto Insurance from The Hartford has excellent customer service and benefits, including RecoverCare, which provides assistance after an accident and compensation for transportation if you’re injured. Keep in mind that AARP Auto Insurance is exclusive for AARP members. If you want well-rounded protection, it includes many benefits in their policies, such as a full range of coverage limits, new vehicle discounts, 24/7 claim reporting, and 24-hour roadside assistance. Many other providers don’t include 24-hour roadside assistance in the policy, as it’s typically an add-on.
Did You Know: AARP has nearly 38 million members. If you’re interested in becoming an AARP member, read our article on some of the benefits of AARP membership and ways to save.
Let’s face it: Accidents happen. When they do, Allstate makes it easy for seniors to file and review auto insurance claims. If you’re not satisfied with the auto insurance claim, you’ll get your money back and receive a six-month credit on your premium. To find out about restrictions, exclusions, and whether the Claim Satisfaction Guarantee is available in your state, contact Allstate.
Did You Know: We’ve put together a comprehensive insurance guide to help you navigate finding the right insurance provider for your auto, dental, home, travel, and long-term care insurance needs.
In addition to offering several types of coverage, Allstate offers ample discounts for older adults with a safe driving record. All you have to do is download the Drivewise app and receive personalized insights on your driving to potentially earn Allstate Rewards points. Other discounts include anti-lock brake, new car, and responsible payer discounts.
Geico is one of the most affordable insurance providers for seniors. With great customer support and multi-policy discounts, Geico has a variety of coverage types with high amounts for added peace of mind. Plus, they offer special discounts for drivers 50 and up. To receive a quote and compare rates, you can use Geico’s helpful online coverage calculator.
We searched for auto insurance providers that offered great discounts, stellar claims support, robust coverage, military discounts, and affordable rates. Then, we compared the options and narrowed down our choices for the top auto insurance providers for seniors. All of the providers on our list meet the following criteria.
There are many things to consider if you’re shopping for new car insurance. We recommend reassessing your policy regularly to ensure you have the right coverage for your needs and can take advantage of any discounts and other ways to save.
We’ve compiled a few tips on how to choose the best car insurance below.
Car insurance can be expensive, especially if you’re a high-risk driver or have had several accidents with increased premiums.
According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the average premium of each insured vehicle was $1,204 in 2019, an 18.71 percent increase from 2015. There are several factors that determine car insurance costs such as gender, the place you live, your driving history, accident rates, motor vehicle theft, and more.1 Many providers increase the cost of car insurance as you age, usually around the age of 65, so this is something for seniors to be aware of.
On average, here’s how much people spend on car insurance across the country, ranked from highest to lowest, based on the 2018/2019 Auto Insurance Database Report from the NAIC:2
States | Average annual auto insurance costs (2019 estimates from NAIC) |
---|---|
Louisiana | $1,557.22 |
Michigan | $1,495.94 |
New York | $1,445.30 |
Delaware | $1,440.58 |
Florida | $1,414.17 |
New Jersey | $1,395.53 |
Rhode Island | $1,382.64 |
Nevada | $1,292.52 |
D.C. | $1,289.93 |
Georgia | $1,259.49 |
Maryland | $1,236.61 |
Massachusetts | $1,182.69 |
Colorado | $1,174.87 |
Texas | $1,143.85 |
South Carolina | $1,114.90 |
Washington | $1,066.84 |
Arizona | $1,063.93 |
California | $1,051.79 |
Pennsylvania | $992.33 |
Alaska | $991.09 |
Oregon | $990.00 |
Mississippi | $975.58 |
Utah | $954.14 |
West Virginia | $946.03 |
Illinois | $939.64 |
Kentucky | $935.61 |
New Mexico | $932.67 |
Alabama | $932.14 |
Missouri | $929.91 |
Oklahoma | $908.95 |
Arkansas | $897.92 |
Minnesota | $892.17 |
New Hampshire | $864.35 |
Tennessee | $863.39 |
Virginia | $861.18 |
Hawaii | $839.87 |
Montana | $834.86 |
Kansas | $818.99 |
Nebraska | $807.30 |
Ohio | $802.72 |
Vermont | $785.37 |
Indiana | $777.05 |
Wyoming | $776.22 |
Wisconsin | $767.42 |
South Dakota | $745.33 |
North Carolina | $741.70 |
Idaho | $738.10 |
Iowa | $714.86 |
North Dakota | $703.73 |
Maine | $696.37 |
Seniors who don’t drive frequently or prefer taking public transit might benefit from insurance coverage that’s based on the number of miles driven.
Some auto insurance providers offer “pay-per mile,” “pay-as-you-drive”, or equivalent insurance programs. You might consider a pay-per-mile car insurance if you’re a low-mileage driver and don’t drive much on a monthly basis. Usually, you will need to install a device on your car to track the miles driven.
When you do, you can save on your monthly payments. We’d recommend checking with your auto insurance provider to see if your vehicle is eligible for the program. Nationwide, Metromile Insurance, Travelers, State Farm, and Mercury Insurance are a few providers that offer pay-as-you-drive insurance.
Car insurance tends to get more expensive as you get older, particularly after the age of 65.
You can lower your car insurance premiums by comparing insurance provider quotes, looking into senior or good driver discounts, and considering dropping or reducing unnecessary coverage.
If you’re at-fault in an accident, your car insurance premiums may increase. However, some insurance providers offer accident forgiveness to loyal customers.
Yes, car insurance is mandatory in nearly every state.
The minimum or recommended coverage limits for car insurance depend on your state’s requirements and whether you feel comfortable increasing coverage.
Yes, some car insurance providers offer discounts to seniors and members of the military.
According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the annual average car insurance rate in the U.S. is approximately $1,070.47.
Since graduating from Harvard with an honors degree in Statistics, Jeff has been creating content in print, online, and on television. Much of his work has been dedicated to informing seniors on how to live better lives. As Editor-in-Chief of the personal… Learn More About Jeff Hoyt
National Association of Insurance Commissioners. (2022). NAIC Releases 2018-2019 Auto Insurance Database Report.
National Association of Insurance Commissioners. (2022). 2018/2019 Auto Insurance Database Report.