Cheapest car insurance in Kentucky for 2024

Bankrate’s insurance editorial team searched for the cheapest car insurance companies in Kentucky by obtaining average rate data from Quadrant Information Services. Kentucky drivers pay an average cost of $784 for minimum coverage and $2,603 for full coverage insurance. While price is often one of the most important factors for drivers looking for cheap coverage, other factors, like customer service and discount opportunities, can also play a role in choosing a car insurance policy. Based on our research, the companies writing the cheapest car insurance in Kentucky include Kentucky Farm Bureau and Electric.

Key takeaways

• Cheapest company for minimum coverage: Kentucky Farm Bureau
• Cheapest company for full coverage: Kentucky Farm Bureau
• Cheapest company for drivers with prior incidents: Kentucky Farm Bureau and Electric
• Cheapest company for young drivers: Shelter and Kentucky Farm Bureau

Kentucky law stipulates that you must have a certain minimum amount of coverage in order to drive legally. This coverage includes liability only, which covers the other car and its driver and passengers in an at-fault accident. It's worth noting that in some instances, minimum coverage may not be enough to pay all the costs if you are involved in a serious accident. Based on our research, Kentucky Farm Bureau offers the lowest average rate for minimum coverage.

Minimum coverage requirements for Kentucky drivers

Kentucky car insurance laws require that drivers must carry at least a minimum amount of liability car insurance to drive legally. The mandatory minimum car insurance requirements in Kentucky are: 

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

Kentucky car insurance companies must also offer each driver uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, but these options can be declined in writing. Personal injury protection (PIP) must also be offered but can be declined. However, if you decline PIP, guest personal injury protection still applies to your policy. Kentucky is also a no-fault state. 

Driving without insurance can result in fines and license suspension, but it could also result in significant out-of-pocket expenses to cover unexpected accidents. But while you must carry at least the minimum car insurance required by the state in Kentucky, most insurance professionals recommend that you buy higher limits than the state minimums or even full coverage to get more financial protection. Remember, if you have a loan or lease on your vehicle, full coverage will likely be required. Without full coverage, you could be faced with significant expenses for damages to your car in an accident.

Drivers who want more robust coverage than they can get with minimum insurance may want to consider a full coverage policy, which also includes collision and comprehensive insurance. These optional coverages pay for damages to your car after an accident or other vehicle mishap. For this type of insurance, we found Kentucky Farm Bureau to be offering the lowest average rates in Kentucky.

Drivers with no infractions on their records are most likely to have no problems finding cheap auto insurance in Kentucky, depending on their circumstances. Insurers reward drivers who are least likely to file claims with preferable rates, and it pays to be a safe and careful driver. If you have an infraction or two on your record, however, you may still be able to find reasonably priced policies from some carriers.

• Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a ticket: Kentucky Farm Bureau
• Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident: Kentucky Farm Bureau
• Cheapest car insurance for high-risk drivers: USAA

Cheapest insurance companies for drivers in Kentucky with a speeding ticket: Kentucky Farm Bureau

You may see an increase in your car insurance rate if you have a speeding conviction on your driving record. Insurers generally offer their best rates to drivers who have clean driving records and a proven history of safe driving. Since speeding can increase the likelihood of an accident, your rate may go up with a speeding ticket conviction. If you have a speeding ticket conviction on your record, some of the best cheap Kentucky car insurance options include the following, with Kentucky Farm Bureau at the top of the list:

Cheapest car insurance for drivers in Kentucky with an at-fault accident: Electric

Unless you have accident forgiveness as part of your car insurance policy, it's likely you'll pay more for car insurance after an at-fault accident. As far as your insurance company is concerned, if you have had an at-fault accident, you're riskier to insure, and your premium will typically reflect that. If you’re a driver with an at-fault accident on your record, you may be able to find the lowest rate for your specific needs by considering the companies that offer some of the cheapest car insurance in Kentucky for drivers with at-fault accidents on their records. The best cheap car insurance in Kentucky for those in this situation include Electric, which has the lowest average rates for those with an at-fault accident.

Cheapest car insurance in Kentucky for high-risk drivers: USAA

Every car insurance company has its own method for determining when someone is a high-risk driver. It may take multiple speeding tickets or at-fault accidents, or may be just a single ding on your license. The most serious high-risk infraction, however, is a DUI conviction. A single DUI conviction is generally enough to place you in the high-risk category, which will typically lead to an uptick in the cost of your car insurance premium. If you are considered a high-risk driver, the car insurance companies outlined below offer some of the cheapest average rates, but it’s worth noting that while these companies offer the cheapest average costs, that is not a guarantee that the companies listed below will extend insurance to high-risk drivers. USAA, which sells policies to military and veteran families, came in with the lowest rates in this category.

Age is a primary factor in determining your premium rate in most states. If you are looking for cheap car insurance in Kentucky and you are a young driver, you may be in for a challenge. This is especially true if you have any infractions on your license. The good news is that as you age out of your teens and into your 20s, your rate should drop significantly, as long as you maintain a good driving record.

• Cheapest car insurance for insuring a teen driver: Shelter
• Cheapest car insurance for teens with a ticket: Kentucky Farm Bureau
• Cheapest car insurance for teens with an at-fault accident: Kentucky Farm Bureau
• Cheapest car insurance for young drivers with a DUI: USAA

Cheapest Kentucky car insurance for insuring a teen driver: Shelter

Because they lack experience behind the wheel, teen drivers are generally considered a higher liability to insure, and insurance companies typically charge higher premiums to offset the risk of insuring them. In turn, teen drivers may have a harder time finding affordable car insurance in Kentucky. As they get older, gain more driving practice and exhibit safe driving habits, most drivers will see their rates drop accordingly. However, many companies offer discounts to teen drivers who are good students or who take defensive driving courses, which may help reduce the cost of their car insurance. The companies offering some of the cheapest average rates for teen drivers are outlined below:

Cheapest Kentucky car insurance for teens with a ticket: Kentucky Farm Bureau

A teen who earns a ticket for speeding or any other moving violation will face state penalties, but they are also likely to see their insurance rate increase. The insurers below offer average rates based on an 18-year-old with their own policy and a ticket on their record.

Cheapest Kentucky car insurance for teens with an at-fault accident: Kentucky Farm Bureau

Teens with an at-fault accident on their record are looking at higher average rates for their insurance, and may even find themselves placed in the high-risk category by their insurance company. Among the Kentucky insurers we reviewed, Kentucky Farm Bureau offered the lowest average rates for a teen who has been found at fault in an accident.

Cheapest Kentucky car insurance for young drivers with a DUI: USAA

The state of Kentucky takes DUIs seriously, as do insurers, so there may be multiple penalties involved if you are convicted of one. Young drivers, who already face higher premium rates, may see a significant increase in the cost of their policy after a DUI. The carrier who offers the cheapest options for young drivers convicted of a DUI in Kentucky is USAA.

Almost every insurer offers at least a few discounts, and they are often easy to earn. Consider some of the following discounts available to Kentucky drivers. Ask your insurance agent if you are receiving all the discounts that you are entitled to when you purchase a policy, and review your policy annually in case you qualify for new ones.

• Young driver discounts: There are several discounts that may be available to young drivers. Some insurers offer a discount if the young driver earns a "B" average or higher in high school or college, others will lower the rate if the teen driver attends college more than 100 miles from where the car is garaged.
• Safe driver discounts: Drivers who take a defensive driving course may earn five percent or more off their premium. They may also see savings if they file no claims for a certain number of years, usually three to five.
• Vehicle discounts: Common safety features such as airbags and anti-lock brakes may earn you some savings, as well as anti-theft devices and security systems that make it unlikely you'll be filing a claim for a stolen car.
• Bundling discount: If you have more than one policy with a single company, you are likely to save money. Most commonly, this will mean homeowners and auto, but it could apply if you have a renters, life or another policy in addition to car insurance.
• Professional discounts: You may earn a discount if you work in a profession such as teaching or as a first responder. Many insurers also offer generous discounts to members of the military and veterans.

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 single, 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. Young driver DUI rates are for 21-year-old drivers on their own policy; other young driver incident rates are for 18-year-old drivers on their own 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.

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