UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 11, 2023 | 2 MIN READ
Columbus is home to more than 900,000 people. So it’s not surprising to find a wide range of carriers offering car insurance in the area. Like everywhere else, rates for car insurance in Columbus, Ohio, fluctuate. Learn which carriers offer the best rate for your specific circumstances and your location.
How do the average car insurance rates in Columbus, Ohio compare to the state and U.S. averages?
Average annual car insurance rates in Columbus are $1,170, slightly higher than Ohio’s average. However, these rates are quite a bit lower than the national average of $1,550.
| Average Annual Car Insurance Rates In Columbus | Average Annual Car Insurance Rates In Ohio | Average Annual Car Insurance Rates In the United States |
|---|---|---|
| $1,170 | $1,050 | $1,550 |
How do the city’s average rates compare to other Ohio cities?
Drivers in Columbus pay less for car insurance than drivers in other Ohio cities, even though they pay more than the state average. Akron and Cincinnati pay slightly more than Columbus drivers, averaging just over $1,200. Drivers in Cleveland can expect to pay the most. The city’s average annual rates are over $1,600.
Best cheap car insurance in Columbus, Ohio
Finding cheap car insurance in the Columbus, Ohio area isn’t difficult if you know where to look. Below you’ll find the average rates for both liability-only and full-coverage insurance organized by company. Be sure to compare rates from several companies to ensure you’re getting the best premium possible.
Cheapest Columbus, Ohio liability-only auto insurance
Columbus, Ohio, drivers looking for the cheapest liability-only option, should try Erie insurance. Their monthly rates average about $25.
While Erie offers the cheapest liability-only coverage in many cases, it’s not a hard, fast rule. Other companies with fairly low rates include Progressive and GEICO. And Nationwide isn’t far behind.
Ohio minimum liability requirements
Ohio requires drivers to carry at least liability insurance. You’re required to have bodily injury and property damage coverage. However, you should consider carrying uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage as well. This way, you’re protected if someone that doesn’t have car insurance hits you.
| Minimum Liability Requirements In Ohio | |
| Bodily Injury | $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident |
| Property Damage | $25,000 |
It’s also important to note that Ohio’s minimum limits are pretty low. Medical bills and property damage often costs more, and if you’re in an at-fault accident, you’re responsible for those bills. Because of this, you should consider increasing your liability limits to bodily injury coverage with limits of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident and property damage coverage of $50,000.
Cheapest Columbus, Ohio full-coverage auto insurance
Columbus, Ohio, drivers looking for the cheapest full-coverage option, should try Nationwide. Their monthly rates average about $85.
Full-coverage insurance costs more than liability-only insurance because the policy provides coverage for damages to your car. Nationwide is the cheapest option, but Erie and Progressive have average monthly rates under $100. Allstate prices are almost double the others, but the company has a lot of added benefits, including coverage for rideshare and delivery drivers without an upcharge.
Liability-only coverage is the cheapest option for drivers in Columbus, OH. But that doesn’t make it the best option. If you want to carry liability-only coverage, you should consider increasing your limits and adding uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. But if your vehicle is worth at least $5,000 or less than 10 years old, you should probably carry full-coverage car insurance.
Average monthly car insurance cost by zip code
People living in Powell within the 43065 zip code area pay the least for car insurance in the Columbus area. While those living in the city and north-central area in zip codes 43211 and 43224 pay the most. These residents pay 22% more than the state average.
Wondering why your zip code matters to car insurance companies?
Insurance carriers look at demographic information for your location when you get a quote. If you live in an area with high theft and vandalism rates or a substantially higher accident rate, there’s a good chance your car insurance rates are higher than those who don’t.
| ZIP Code | Average Monthly Cost | Difference From State Average |
|---|---|---|
| 43004 | $120 | 6% |
| 43016 | $115 | 2% |
| 43017 | $115 | 2% |
| 43026 | $115 | 2% |
| 43035 | $114 | 0% |
| 43054 | $113 | 0% |
| 43065 | $111 | -2% |
| 43068 | $120 | 6% |
| 43081 | $115 | 2% |
| 43085 | $115 | 2% |
| 43110 | $120 | 6% |
| 43119 | $115 | 2% |
| 43123 | $115 | 2% |
| 43125 | $125 | 10% |
| 43137 | $120 | 6% |
| 43147 | $120 | 6% |
| 43201 | $130 | 14% |
| 43202 | $125 | 11% |
| 43203 | $135 | 18% |
| 43204 | $125 | 10% |
| 43205 | $135 | 18% |
| 43206 | $130 | 14% |
| 43207 | $130 | 14% |
| 43209 | $130 | 14% |
| 43210 | $130 | 14% |
| 43211 | $140 | 22% |
| 43212 | $120 | 6% |
| 43213 | $130 | 14% |
| 43214 | $125 | 10% |
| 43215 | $125 | 10% |
| 43217 | $125 | 10% |
| 43219 | $135 | 18% |
| 43220 | $120 | 6% |
| 43221 | $120 | 6% |
| 43222 | $130 | 14% |
| 43223 | $130 | 14% |
| 43224 | $140 | 22% |
| 43227 | $130 | 14% |
| 43228 | $120 | 6% |
| 43229 | $130 | 14% |
| 43230 | $120 | 6% |
| 43231 | $130 | 14% |
| 43232 | $130 | 14% |
| 43235 | $120 | 6% |
| 43240 | $120 | 6% |
Columbus car insurance premiums for people with previous incidents
Every time you get a speeding ticket, or you’re in an accident, your insurance rates could increase. While every insurance company has its own algorithm for determining how much your rate increases after an incident, the information in this section will give you a good idea of what to expect in specific situations.
| Citation Type | Average Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| DUI/DWI | $1,875 |
| Reckless Driving | $1,875 |
| At-fault Accident (damages less than $1,000) | $1,700 |
| At-fault Accident (damages greater than $2,000) | $1,835 |
| Speeding Ticket (16-20 mph over speed limit) | $1,440 |
Cheapest car insurance options after a speeding ticket
Erie Insurance offers the cheapest car insurance for people with a speeding ticket on their record.
Getting a speeding ticket won’t raise your car insurance rates as much as more serious violations, like reckless driving or getting a DUI. In fact, some companies won’t increase your premiums at all for the first violation.
| Company | Average Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| Erie | $1,045 |
| GEICO | $1,560 |
| Progressive | $1,620 |
| Nationwide | $1,920 |
| State Farm | $2,400 |
| Allstate | $2,880 |
Cheapest car insurance options after an accident
Erie Insurance offers the lowest annual rates for Columbus-area drivers with an accident on their record.
At-fault accidents typically raise your insurance premiums more than traffic violations do, and sometimes more than a DUI does. Often, the amount of damages your insurance company has to pay to settle the claim plays a role in how much your premium increases.
Columbus drivers who have at-fault accidents on their records pay about 65% more for their car insurance than those with clean records. Of course, every company treats premium increases differently. For example, GEICO premiums almost double after a driver gets into an accident. But State Farm’s rates typically only increase by about 25%.
| Company | Average Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| Erie | $1,332 |
| GEICO | $1,932 |
| Progressive | $2,244 |
| Nationwide | $2,376 |
| State Farm | $2,616 |
| Allstate | $3,720 |
Cheapest car insurance options after a DUI
Progressive offers the lowest rates for Columbus-area drivers with a DUI.
Progressive and Erie offer the cheapest rates for people who have a DUI on their record, while Allstate has the highest rates. However, GEICO’s insurance rates for drivers with a DUI are almost just as high, and more than double their normal rates.
On average, Columbus drivers with DUI pay about 60% more than drivers with a clean record. Also, in many cases, Ohio requires drivers with major violations to carry an SR-22 for a minimum of three years, which isn’t surprising considering the Ohio State Highway Patrol made 709 DUI-related arrests in the first two weeks of May 2023.
| Company | Average Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| Erie | $1,610 |
| GEICO | $2,800 |
| Progressive | $1,465 |
| Nationwide | $2,870 |
| State Farm | $2,390 |
| Allstate | $3,180 |
Average Columbus car insurance rates by gender and marital status
Both gender and marital status are demographics that can affect your car insurance rates. However, the difference in premium typically isn’t a large one.
For example, in Columbus, women pay an average of $2 per year less than men for car insurance. There’s also not a difference in premiums between married and single people. However, area residents who are divorced and widowed tend to pay more.
| Gender/Marital Status | Average Annual Car Insurance Premium |
|---|---|
| Women | $1,168 |
| Men | $1,170 |
| Single | $1,105 |
| Married | $1,105 |
| Widowed | $1,170 |
| Divorced | $1,150 |
Average Columbus car insurance rates by credit score
When it comes to your car insurance rates, credit scores are a pretty big factor. In fact, drivers in Columbus who raise their credit scores from “Poor” (579 and lower) to “Great” (800-850) see an average savings of almost 60%. Even raising your credit score from “Poor” to “Fair” (580-669) saves an average of $340 annually.
| Credit Score | Average Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| Poor | $1,900 |
| Fair | $1,560 |
| Good | $1,305 |
| Very Good | $1,075 |
| Great | $875 |
Cheapest car insurance options in Columbus by age
Age also impacts your car insurance rates. Statistics show that young drivers are typically more reckless than middle-aged drivers, so their insurance rates are usually higher. Also, new drivers have less experience than seasoned drivers so they’re more likely to get into an accident.
Best car insurance for young drivers
Erie Insurance offers the cheapest rates for young drivers living in the Columbus, Ohio, area.
In Columbus, an 18-year-old driver typically pays around three and a half times more than a 30-year-old driver. This makes it even more important to compare rates before settling on an insurance policy.
If possible, young drivers should try to stay on their parent’s car insurance policy as long as possible to offset some of the cost. Also, those in school who have at least a B average might be eligible for a Good Student discount, depending on the insurance company.
| Insurance Carrier | Average Annual Rates For Liability-Only Insurance Coverage | Average Annual Rates For Full-Coverage Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $865 | $2,450 |
| GEICO | $1,715 | $3,552 |
| Progressive | $1,765 | $4,825 |
| Nationwide | $2,820 | $6,195 |
| Allstate | $2,700 | $5,665 |
Cheapest car insurance options for teen drivers with a traffic violation
Erie Insurance offers the cheapest rates for young drivers living in the Columbus, Ohio, area who have a violation on their record.
With an average annual premium of $1,035 for an 18-year-old male with a speeding ticket on his record, Erie offers the cheapest insurance for young drivers with violations. Teens with at-fault accidents pay an average of $1,155 annually through Erie, which is $290 more per year than a driver with a clean record.
| Insurance Carrier | Average Yearly Liability-Only Rates For Teens With One Speeding Ticket | Average Yearly Liability-Only Rates For Teens With an At-Fault Accident |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $1,035 | $1,155 |
| GEICO | $1,920 | $2,520 |
| Progressive | $1,885 | $2,090 |
| Nationwide | $2,990 | $3,060 |
| Allstate | $3,495 | $3,760 |
Factors impacting Columbus car insurance premiums
In addition to your personal information, location, and vehicle type, area demographics also affect your premiums. Things like theft rates and weather also affect how you pay. Below you can see how Columbus stacks up against the 300 most-populous cities in the United States.
- Most Fatal Accidents: 162 out of 300
- Most Car Thefts: 112 out of 300
- Most Annual Rain Fall: 114 out of 300
- Most Rainy Days: 22 out of 300
- Number Of Drivers Without Insurance (By State): 22 out of 50
FAQs
How much does car insurance cost per month in Columbus, Ohio?
On average, drivers in Columbus, Ohio pay about $97 per month for car insurance. This amount varies depending on several factors, including the driver’s record, the type of car insured, and the location the car is stored.
Is car insurance high in Columbus, Ohio?
Average car insurance rates in Columbus, Ohio are $1,170 annually. This is higher than the state’s average of $1,050, but lower than the national average of $1,550.
Do you have to have car insurance if you live in Columbus, Ohio?
Columbus, Ohio drivers need to have car insurance. In fact, Ohio has penalties for people who drive without at least the minimum required liability insurance which is bodily injury coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident and $25,000 in property damage coverage.
Find cheap car insurance in Columbus, Ohio
On average, Erie offers the cheapest car insurance in Columbus, Ohio. However, When you’re looking for the lowest rates it’s important to compare prices from several companies. To ensure your rates are the best, get a quote from multiple insurance companies in minutes.
Sources:
- Automobile Insurance 101 (Ohio Department Of Insurance)
- Best Cheap Car Insurance In Columbus (Value Penguin)
- Columbus, Ohio Car Insurance (The Zebra)
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