Cheapest car insurance in Wisconsin for 2024

While searching for cheap car insurance in Wisconsin, drivers may want to consider a number of car insurance rating factors. Average car insurance rates vary based on how much coverage you choose, the age of the drivers on your policy, your driving record and more. However, the typical driver in the state pays well less than the national average: $1,694 for full coverage and $416 for minimum coverage each year.

To find cheap Wisconsin car insurance, we first obtained current premium information from Quadrant Information Services for the largest insurance companies in the state by market share. We also reviewed third-party rankings, coverage offerings and available discounts. Based on our research, the following companies offer low-cost car insurance in Wisconsin:

Key takeaways

• Cheapest company for minimum coverage: Rural Mutual
• Cheapest company for full coverage: Travelers
• Cheapest company for drivers with prior incidents: Rural Mutual
• Cheapest company for young drivers: Rural Mutual

Buying liability-only car insurance is one way to keep your premiums low. However, keep in mind that solely buying the minimum coverage legally required could put you at financial risk if you get into an accident and cause major damages. It’ll also leave you unprotected against things like weather damage to your car. If you feel that minimum coverage is right for you, Rural Mutual tends to be the cheapest option based on average rates from Quadrant Information Services.

Minimum coverage requirements for Wisconsin drivers

Car insurance is a legal requirement in Wisconsin, as it is in most states. Drivers must carry at least 25/50/10 personal liability insurance, as well as uninsured motorist coverage. This means that, to drive legally in Wisconsin, you must carry at least:

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident

Drivers who purchase minimum coverage often pay some of the lowest rates. However, cost is not the only factor when purchasing an auto insurance policy. Wisconsin’s minimum insurance requirement may not be enough to cover the full cost of an at-fault accident. If you cause an accident and the cost of the damages and injuries exceeds your insurance amount, you are responsible for those bills out of pocket. To better protect your finances, most insurance agents recommend that you purchase higher liability limits if you are able to.

Additionally, minimum coverage insurance does not include any coverage for your vehicle. If you need or want coverage for your own vehicle you will need full coverage, which includes both comprehensive and collision. Talk to your agent regarding the proper level of insurance for your needs.

Full coverage auto insurance offers more protection than minimum coverage. Adding comprehensive and collision insurance means your vehicle will be financially protected for covered damage, including weather damage. Typically, the cheapest insurer in Wisconsin for full coverage is Travelers.

Your driving record plays a big role in influencing your insurance rates. Things like an accident, ticket, or DUI could cause your rates to increase, so avoiding those problems is key to getting cheap auto insurance in Wisconsin.

• Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a ticket: Rural Mutual
• Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident: Rural Mutual
• Cheapest car insurance for high-risk drivers: Western National

Cheapest insurance companies for drivers in Wisconsin with a speeding ticket: Rural Mutual

Getting a speeding ticket conviction in Wisconsin is very likely to impact your car insurance premiums. The average cost of minimum coverage in the state with one speeding ticket on your record is $489 per year, and full coverage costs an average of $2,021 per year after a speeding ticket conviction. The following companies have lower average rates, though, so if you have a speeding ticket, you might want to consider getting quotes.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers in Wisconsin with an at-fault accident: Rural Mutual

If you get into one at-fault accident, it’s likely that your car insurance premiums will increase. Causing a car accident can be an indication to insurers that you may be more likely to get into accidents in the future, thus creating a bigger risk. If you have an at-fault accident on your record, these Wisconsin car insurance companies are among the cheapest:

Cheapest rates in Wisconsin for high-risk drivers: Western National

While there are many ways you can be viewed as a high-risk driver — multiple tickets, accidents or a combination, for example — having even a single major violation like a DUI conviction likely means you’ll have to look for nonstandard car insurance. DUIs are serious incidents and insurers charge accordingly if you have one on your record. Not all insurance companies will write policies for drivers with DUI convictions within a certain timeframe. If you’re interested in the companies below, contact them directly to discuss your eligibility.

Young drivers lack experience and are still maturing, so they tend to be viewed as higher risk by insurance companies. That makes finding cheap car insurance for young adults somewhat tricky.

• Cheapest car insurance for insuring a teen driver: Rural Mutual
• Cheapest car insurance for teens with a ticket: Erie
• Cheapest car insurance for teens with an at-fault accident: Erie
• Cheapest car insurance for young drivers with a DUI: Western National

Cheapest Wisconsin car insurance for insuring a teen driver: Rural Mutual

Teen drivers pay some of the highest average car insurance rates. This is due to their inexperience on the road. Teen drivers are the most likely of any age group to get into accidents, which creates a bigger risk of claims for insurers. To compensate, insurance companies charge higher rates, though some teen discounts, such as a good student discount are available. Based on our research, the cheapest car insurance in Wisconsin for a household with a teen driver comes from Rural Mutual, Erie and Rockford Mutual.

Cheapest Wisconsin car insurance for teens with a ticket: Erie

Adding a ticket to your driving record will always increase your premiums, and this is no less true for teenagers. If you’re a young driver and have a ticket in your past, consider Erie for the cheapest coverage.

Cheapest Wisconsin car insurance for teens with an at-fault accident: Erie

If you cause an accident, you’ll have to pay for the damages and deal with higher insurance rates going forward due to your higher perceived risk. The rates below reflect the average cost for 18-year-old drivers on their own policy with an at-fault accident on their record. If you’re a teen driver that caused an accident, Erie likely has the cheapest coverage option.

Cheapest Wisconsin car insurance for young drivers with a DUI: Western National

If a young driver has a DUI on their record, they’ll see their insurance costs rise significantly. They might also have trouble finding an insurer willing to underwrite a policy. These insurers are usually willing to give young drivers with a DUI a policy, with Western National typically offering the lowest rates.

Most insurers offer at least a few savings opportunities to help you lower your premium, and it’s no different in Wisconsin. If you’re looking for Wisconsin car insurance savings, it might be helpful to search for a company that has a few discounts that you qualify for. While every company has its own selection of car insurance discounts, they generally fit into these categories:

• Young driver discounts: Teens and young adults pay high average rates, and insurance companies generally offer several discounts to help keep those prices in check. You or your teen might qualify for a good student discount, driver training discount or student-at-school discount.
• Safe driver discounts: Practicing safe driving can help you avoid costly premium surcharges, but it can also qualify you for a good driver or claims-free discount. If you know your driving skills are good, you might even consider a car insurance telematics program, which applies a personalized discount based on your actual driving habits.
• Other discounts: If you buy your auto and home insurance from one company, you might qualify for a bundling discount, which is often one of the biggest savings opportunities that companies offer. Other common discounts include paperless statements, automatic payments, paying in full, vehicle safety features and organizational affiliations.

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 2022 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.

Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), at-fault accident, single speeding ticket and single DUI conviction.

Teens: Rates were determined by adding a 16-year-old teen to a 40-year-old married parent’s policy. The rates displayed reflect the total cost of a driver this age added to their parents’ policy. 

Age: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 18 and 21 applied. Drivers are renters on their own policy. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts due to state regulations.