Car insurance for 19-year-olds

How much is car insurance for a 19-year-old?

Our insurance editorial team gathered data from Quadrant Information Services to compare quotes from dozens of auto insurers. The average cost of car insurance for a 19-year-old on their own policy is $5,289 a year for full coverage and $1,512 a year for minimum coverage. This means 19-year-old drivers pay 128 percent more for full coverage than the national average cost of car insurance for adult drivers. However, average costs are a little less when 19-year-olds are added to their parents' policy, at $3,732  annually for full coverage and $1,088 annually for minimum coverage.

Due to a lack of a lengthy driving history, car insurance companies typically consider young drivers — including those under the age of 21 — risky to insure. Teen drivers have a crash rate about four times higher than other age groups. Although age and gender are not allowed to be used as insurance rating factors in some states, historically, both age and gender tend to be strong indicators of driver risk.

Average cost of car insurance for 19-year-olds

Why does car insurance typically cost more for 19-year-old males than 19-year-old females on average? Each car insurance company has underwriters who determine the cost of car insurance based on several factors set by the insurance firm, including the driver’s stated gender. Based on the fact that men are statistically riskier drivers than women, according to actuarial data, insurance companies often factor gender into rates. Hawaii and Massachusetts do not use age and join California, Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania in banning the use of gender in setting insurance rates.

The table below breaks down the average costs of minimum and full coverage car insurance for 19-year-old males and females.

Best car insurance companies for 19-year-olds

There are many options for 19-year-old drivers seeking auto insurance coverage. To make the insurance landscape clearer, we leveraged April 2024 average premium data and considered standout coverage options from each insurer to highlight some of the best car insurance companies for consideration. The following carriers have high Bankrate Scores, calculated on a five-point scale measuring performance across several categories. These include average premiums, coverage options, discounts, state availability, financial strength ratings, customer satisfaction scores and digital accessibility.

Cheapest car insurance for 19-year-olds

Because price is often a top consideration when choosing coverage — especially for younger drivers who tend to pay more for car insurance — many 19-year-olds may be looking for the cheapest auto insurance available. We compared rates from providers across the country and found five that stand out in offering the cheapest car insurance out of providers available in most of the 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Price may be an important factor when seeking coverage, but you may also want to consider any special discounts or optional coverage types you might benefit from, as well as how easy it will be to get customer assistance and manage your policy.

Below are some top-rated car insurance companies that also offer some of the most affordable average rates for 19-year-old drivers both on their own policy and on their parents’ policy. USAA ranks as the cheapest overall, according to our research, although it is only available to active-duty military members, veterans and their qualifying family. Auto-Owners is the next most affordable option for 19-year-olds who are still insured on their parent's policy and the cheapest of these companies for 19-year-olds who are on their own policy.

Average car insurance cost for 19-year-olds by state

Car insurance companies can use location to determine car insurance rates in most states. This means that if you move to a different ZIP code, city or state, your car insurance rate could be affected. Two exceptions are Michigan, which does not allow the use of ZIP codes in determining car insurance premiums, and California, which has limitations on how ZIP codes can be used.

How can 19-year-olds save on car insurance?

Finding cheap car insurance for 19-year-olds may be challenging, but there are many strategies you could employ that might help you lower your car insurance premiums. If you’re a young driver looking to save, you may want to try these tips:

Frequently asked questions

Methodology

Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze April 2024 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident
• $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
• $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
• $500 collision deductible
• $500 comprehensive deductible

To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2021 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.

These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.

Age: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the age of 19 (base: 40 years) applied. Depending on age, drivers may be a renter or homeowner. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts due to state regulations.

Gender: The following states do not use gender as a determining factor in calculating premiums: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania.

Bankrate Score

Our 2024 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories.

Each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. Our scoring model provides a comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and highlighting where they fall short.

• Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, average quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best, Demotech and the NAIC, were analyzed.
• Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
• Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways an auto insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.