The site insure.com has released this year’s insurance premium price by state report. This year, Michigan still holds the top spot for the fifth consecutive year. The average car insurance premium in the state hit $2,239 this year, which is a slight decrease from last year, but still $874 or 64 percent more expensive than the national average premium.
Louisiana slotted into the no. 2 spot for the second year in a row with an average premium that is 56 percent higher than the national average. Florida moved into the no. 3 spot after placing fifth last year, according to the report.
Rural, less populated states came out on top when it comes to inexpensive car insurance. Vermont ranks no. 1 with a premium that is $433 less than the national average, followed by Ohio and Idaho, according to the site.
The states are ranked from lowest to highest average premium below:
51 Vermont $932
50 Ohio $944
49 Idaho $989
48 Virginia $1,013
47 New Hampshire $1,039
47 Iowa $1,025
45 Wisconsin $1,084
44 North Dakota $1,086
43 Indiana $1,091
42 North Carolina $1,104
41 Pennsylvania $1,130
40 Utah $1,131
38 Maine $1,176
38 Massachusetts $1,176
37 Alaska $1,200
36 Tennessee $1,211
35 South Dakota $1,213
34 Nebraska $1,214
33 Minnesota $1,215
32 Illinois $1,223
31 Hawaii $1,229
30 Alabama $1,235
29 Oregon $1,250
28 Missouri $1,256
27 Washington $1,309
26 South Carolina $1,327
25 Kansas $1,332
24 New Mexico $1,352
23 Arizona $1,355
22 New York $1,361
21 New Jersey $1,383
20 West Virginia $1,408
19 Mississippi $1,410
18 Maryland $1,439
17 Montana $1,446
16 Nevada $1,485
15 Arkansas $1,503
14 Kentucky $1,525
13 Oklahoma $1,531
12 Wyoming $1,544
11 Colorado $1,547
10 Texas $1,589
9 Delaware $1,646
8 Georgia $1,668
7 California $1,731
6 DC $1,827
5 Connecticut $1,831
4 Rhode Island $1,852
3 Florida $2,050
2 Louisiana $2,126
1 Michigan $2,239
National average $1,365
Car insurance premiums are calculated based on a variety of risk factors, some you can control and others that fall outside of your authority, according to the report. Here are a few risk factors that insurers will consider regardless of where you live:
- Age and gender: This criteria falls out of your control but does have a major impact on your premium. Older drivers tend to pay less than younger ones, and statistics show that females have fewer accidents, which leads to lower premiums compared to males.
- Location: Obviously the state you live in can impact your premium as our study clearly shows but crime rates, whether your car is in a garage and claim rates for your particular area will all factor into your premium.
- Car you drive: A minivan is always cheaper to insure than a sports car. A car that is driven mainly by parents hauling kids around will come with a lower premium than a luxury sedan loaded with the latest technology.
- Driving record: This is always a big one – tickets and accidents will dramatically increase your premium, so staying ticket and accident-free is always a good idea.
When it comes to rates by state, there are a number of components that will help determine if it falls into the least or more expensive state for car insurance category. Here are just a few factors that can push a state in one direction or the other:
- State laws: Car insurance requirements and the type of insurance system they use are left up to each state and can dramatically impact premiums. As an example, Michigan (the most expensive state) uses a unique no-fault insurance system that is widely blamed for the expensive premiums drivers pay. The required amount of insurance is set at the state level as well and can push insurance costs up or down.
- Weather: States that are prone to major storms will often pay higher rates for insurance. Insurers have to pay out every time a tornado or hurricane rolls through, and they adjust their rates accordingly.
- Uninsured drivers: The percentage of uninsured drivers can push rates up for everyone. Florida (no. 3 most expensive) is a prime example with roughly 26.7 percent of drivers hitting the road without insurance, according to data from the Insurance Information Institute (III).
- Crime/claim/crash rates: Crime, crash and claim rates will vary by state and will absolutely have an effect on insurance rates. If you live in a state with high crash and crime rate, expect to pay more for car insurance.
