Most and Least Expensive States for Car Insurance
According to a new survey by Insure.com, Louisiana drivers pay the highest insurance rates in the country - about $2,500 per year. Maine residents pay the least, averaging only $902 per year.
Many people don't consider the cost of ownership when they think about buying a car. As you can see for Louisiana residents, insurance can add up to more than $200 per month for each driver.
The reason for the large difference in premiums is mostly due to state laws and policies. For example, in Louisiana, claims exceeding $50,000 automatically receive a jury trial. Rather than incur the expense of a trial, many insurance companies simply settle out of court, which leads to higher settlements and thus higher premiums.
The main reason insurance rates are low in Maine is due to low commuter mileage, which makes the roads less crowded and the number of accidents fewer.
Here is the full ranking of states and the average annual premium:
| Rank | State | Premium |
| 1 | Louisiana | $2,510.87 |
| 2 | Michigan | $2,098.29 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | $1,869.39 |
| 4 | Montana | $1,857.96 |
| 5 | California | $1,774.41 |
| 6 | South Dakota | $1,772.83 |
| 7 | Washington, D.C. | $1,753.19 |
| 8 | Georgia | $1,751.42 |
| 9 | Illinois | $1,679.15 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $1,678.90 |
| 11 | Arkansas | $1,648.80 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $1,603.65 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $1,595.97 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $1,589.69 |
| 15 | Alaska | $1,572.21 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $1,552.98 |
| 17 | Maryland | $1,550.13 |
| 18 | Kansas | $1,524.51 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $1,515.30 |
| 20 | Colorado | $1,480.97 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $1,474.94 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $1,473.73 |
| 23 | New York | $1,463.21 |
| 24 | Texas | $1,462.65 |
| 25 | Florida | $1,453.20 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $1,420.78 |
| 27 | Delaware | $1,405.80 |
| 28 | Missouri | $1,390.59 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $1,381.09 |
| 30 | Alabama | $1,380.38 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $1,365.22 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $1,306.97 |
| 33 | Indiana | $1,302.51 |
| 34 | Nevada | $1,282.50 |
| 35 | Washington | $1,279.84 |
| 36 | Utah | $1,234.30 |
| 37 | Virginia | $1,233.36 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $1,210.74 |
| 39 | Oregon | $1,194.69 |
| 40 | Idaho | $1,183.47 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $1,182.18 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $1,170.12 |
| 43 | Arizona | $1,152.50 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $1,130.45 |
| 45 | Massachusetts | $1,043.80 |
| 46 | Iowa | $1,039.04 |
| 47 | New Hampshire | $1,011.23 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $1,010.93 |
| 49 | Ohio | $999.86 |
| 50 | Vermont | $968.58 |
| 51 | Maine | $902.85 |
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar, Edmunds, and 1-800 Car Show are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.California Residents - Important:
There is a new online car buying service called Roadster, available only to California residents, which I highly recommend you try - especially if you hate the stress of haggling with a car salesman. They provide an expert concierge who negotiates the price of the car and delivers it to your home with zero hassle - you never have to interact with a dealership. Here is my in-depth review of Roadster and why I recommend it.- Gregg Fidan
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About: Gregg Fidan
Gregg Fidan + is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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