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Erin Gobler is a personal finance writer and journalist who has been writing for Compare.com since 2023. With more than five years of experience personal finance experience, Erin has covered topics such as investing, credit cards, mortgages, insurance, and more.
Her work has been featured in major publications like Business Insider, Fox Business, and Time.
Erin received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2013, studying journalism and political science. She also received a certificate of financial planning from Boston University in 2022.
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Nick Versaw leads Compare.com's editorial department, where he and his team specialize in crafting helpful, easy-to-understand content about car insurance and other related topics. With nearly a decade of experience writing and editing insurance and personal finance articles, his work has helped readers discover substantial savings on necessary expenses, including insurance, transportation, health care, and more. As an award-winning writer, Nick has seen his work published in countless renowned publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He graduated with Latin honors from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Digital Journalism.
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Montana drivers enjoy relatively affordable insurance premiums. With an average rate of just $106 per month, Montana is the 17th-cheapest state for car insurance. And for the state’s minimum insurance, which includes both bodily injury and property damage liability, you can get rates as low as $22 per month.
Of course, your car insurance quotes will depend on many factors, including your driving history, age, coverage amount, and more. In this guide, we’ll share the cheapest insurers for a variety of situations and driver characteristics so that you can find the best fit.
The cheapest overall insurance companies in Montana are Progressive and State Farm.
Montana’s average insurance premiums are lower than the national average but higher than neighboring states.
Montana requires at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident of bodily injury liability coverage, and $20,000 per accident of property damage liability coverage.
The average car insurance premium in Montana is $106 per month, according to Compare.com data. Luckily, several insurers offer even lower rates, and there are also plenty of ways to save money on your coverage.
The companies in the table below have the most competitive rates in Montana, according to Compare.com data.
Company | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $53 |
| State Farm | $53 |
| General Casualty Insurance | $61 |
| GEICO | $71 |
| Farmers | $86 |
Progressive and State Farm have the lowest rates for Montana drivers, with average monthly premiums of just $53 per month — half the statewide average. And several other companies also have rates much cheaper than what the average driver pays in Montana.
That’s why it’s so important to compare quotes from at least three different companies before you purchase your next policy. Since car insurance rates are determined by a number of personal factors, you never know which company will be the cheapest for your unique profile.
In the next section, we’ll examine how Montana’s insurance rates compare to those of neighboring states, as well as the nation as a whole.
How we chose the cheapest companies in Montana
Our team analyzed thousands of rates from dozens of the top insurance companies in Montana. Using that data, we listed the five cheapest options for Montana drivers based on several key factors, such as age, coverage level, driving history, and more. All the rates listed are based on someone who drives a 2016 Honda Accord and has the minimum limits for coverage in Montana. The listed “full-coverage” rates include $500 deductibles for collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to state-minimum liability coverage.
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Montana drivers pay an average monthly car insurance premium of $106 — quite a bit lower than the national average of $129. In fact, Montana is the 17th-cheapest state in the country for auto insurance. But how does it stack up to nearby states?
The table below compares Montana’s average insurance rates to those of its neighbors.
State | Average Rates | State Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Montana | $106 | 17th cheapest |
| Idaho | $83 | 7th |
| North Dakota | $104 | 16th |
| South Dakota | $77 | 4th |
| Wyoming | $94 | 13th |
| National average | $129 | – |
Even though Montana is on the cheaper end for premiums nationwide, it’s actually more expensive than other states in the region. More than likely, this regional discrepancy comes down to several reasons, but one could be Montana’s high vehicle fatality rate.
The state experiences 29% more fatal crashes for every mile driven and 67% more per capita compared to the national average, according to a recent study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Below, we’ll look at the cheapest insurance rates for different types of policies and drivers so you can find the cheapest coverage for your unique situation.
The type of coverage you have is a major determining factor when it comes to your insurance premiums. Generally speaking, the less coverage you have, the lower your premiums will be.
The cheapest type of policy you can purchase is your state’s minimum-required insurance, which, in Montana, is basic liability insurance. This coverage pays for injuries and property damage suffered by others in an accident you’re responsible for.
To help you shop for liability insurance in Montana, we’ve broken down the cheapest insurance rates for the state’s minimum insurance in the table below.
Company | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| General Casualty Insurance | $22 |
| State Farm | $29 |
| GEICO | $30 |
| Progressive | $32 |
| Farmers | $47 |
Liability insurance can be quite affordable for Montana drivers, with rates significantly lower than the overall state average. General Casualty Insurance, which offers the cheapest liability insurance in the state, has premiums less than half of Montana’s overall average premium for liability-only coverage. But nearly any of the cheapest insurers for liability coverage will allow you to save a significant amount of money.
And while liability insurance offers you the opportunity to pay the cheapest premiums, full coverage is more expensive, as you’ll see in the next section.
Full-coverage car insurance is more expensive than liability-only coverage since it provides extra protection for your assets. Full-coverage policies include liability insurance, but they also provide other coverages, such as collision and comprehensive.
“Premiums rise with higher coverage levels since they imply more significant potential payouts,” says William Bevins, a certified financial planner who helps clients with comprehensive financial planning, including insurance.
Though it’s more expensive, full coverage is also important for many drivers because it offers a greater amount of protection than liability coverage. If you’re in an accident, your liability insurance won’t pay for damage to your vehicle — nor will it pay for damage caused by poor weather, criminal activity, or other unforeseen causes. But full coverage will.
Below, you can find the Montana insurance companies offering the cheapest full-coverage insurance policies.
Company | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $73 |
| State Farm | $77 |
| General Casualty Insurance | $99 |
| GEICO | $113 |
| Allied | $119 |
Average premiums for full coverage vary widely depending on the insurer. Progressive and State Farm offer cheap premiums for full coverage — $73 and $77 per month, respectively — but rates rise quite a bit for other companies.
But remember that because rates are based on unique personal factors, Progressive and State Farm aren’t guaranteed to be the cheapest for you.
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Age is an important factor that helps determine your auto insurance premiums. Your age is one indicator to insurance companies of how risky you are to insure. Generally speaking, your risk level — and therefore, your premiums — decreases as you get older, but only up to a certain age.
As you shop for insurance, it’s important to understand exactly how your age can affect your premiums. The next two sections will address insurance rates for the two age groups with the highest variation in rates: teens and seniors.
Teen drivers pay higher insurance premiums than any other age group. First, teen drivers simply have less experience behind the wheel than others. They’re also more likely to exhibit high-risk behavior behind the wheel, such as speeding, distracted driving, or driving without a seat belt. All of this amounts to teens having a significantly higher vehicle fatality rate than any other age bracket.
But that doesn’t mean teenage drivers have to simply accept higher rates. Finding the right company is the key to getting better rates.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at Montana insurers offering the cheapest auto insurance for teens.
Company | Liability Only | Full Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $83 | $211 |
| General Casualty Insurance | $90 | $238 |
| GEICO | $91 | $340 |
| Farmers | $102 | $238 |
| Progressive | $124 | $238 |
State Farm offers the cheapest liability and full-coverage insurance rates for teens in Montana — $84 and $211 per month, respectively. But rates are pretty competitive among most of the cheapest insurers for this category. You may narrow down the cheapest for you by opting for one that offers discounts that apply to your unique situation. But the most important piece to finding the most affordable company is getting quotes from as many as possible.
Now that we’ve covered the cheapest insurance for teen drivers, let’s look at Montana’s best premiums for seniors.
As we’ve mentioned, your insurance premiums tend to decrease as you age, and they tend to be lowest as you approach retirement age.
That’s largely because older drivers tend to display more low-risk behavior behind the wheel. They drive fewer miles, are less likely to drive at night, and are less likely to be involved in fatal car accidents.
It’s also worth noting that once you reach age 77, the trend begins to turn somewhat, and rates increase again. That said, drivers in their 70s and 80s still pay rates considerably lower than young drivers.
The companies in the table below have the cheapest insurance for 65-year-old drivers in Montana.
Company | Liability Only | Full Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $27 | $69 |
| General Casualty Insurance | $28 | $101 |
| Progressive | $29 | $65 |
| GEICO | $32 | $118 |
| Farmers | $45 | $114 |
State Farm continues its trend by offering the cheapest liability coverage for senior drivers, at just $27 per month. Meanwhile, Progressive has the cheapest full-coverage rates for senior drivers — $4 less per month than State Farm.
While all the companies listed are relatively comparable when it comes to liability rates in Montana, State Farm and Progressive are much cheaper than their competitors for full coverage.
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Your driving record is perhaps the most important factor insurance companies use to set rates.
“A clean driving record results in lower premiums,” says Bevins. “Violations — especially serious ones like DUIs — can substantially increase rates.”
The amount your rates increase after an incident depends on the severity of the incident, other violations on your record, and your other personal demographics.
Below, you can learn how insurance premiums vary for good drivers compared to those with different violations, like speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, and DUIs.
It probably comes as no surprise that drivers with no accidents or tickets are rewarded with the best insurance premiums.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at which companies offer the cheapest car insurance rates to Montana drivers with clean records.
Company | Liability Only | Full Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| General Casualty Insurance | $22 | $99 |
| State Farm | $29 | $77 |
| GEICO | $30 | $113 |
| Progressive | $32 | $73 |
| Farmers | $47 | $125 |
Insurance premiums for good drivers start very low in Montana — you can pay as little as $22 per month with General Casualty Insurance. There’s a bit more variety in the rates for full coverage, but Progressive has the cheapest average rates — just $73 per month.
Now that we’ve looked at which insurers have the cheapest premiums for drivers with clean records, let’s take a look at who has the best rates for Montanans with speeding tickets.
A speeding ticket is one of many incidents that can cause your insurance premiums to rise. Rates increase an average of 37% after just one ticket, according to Compare.com data. But the amount your rates increase will likely depend on how fast you were driving and your other personal characteristics.
So let’s take a look at which companies offer the cheapest car insurance rates for Montana drivers with a speeding ticket.
Company | Liability Only | Full Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $32 | $83 |
| GEICO | $35 | $131 |
| Progressive | $42 | $95 |
| Farmers | $49 | $130 |
| General Casualty Insurance | $63 | $208 |
Insurance premiums are higher for drivers with one speeding ticket than they are for good drivers, but for some companies, the difference isn’t that severe. If you choose State Farm, for example, you might only pay roughly $10 more per month than you would for the cheapest insurance for good drivers.
Next, let’s look at the cheapest car insurance for drivers after an accident.
An at-fault accident can cause your rates to go up an average of 44%, according to Compare.com data. Your rates increase for several reasons — not only are you now considered a higher-risk driver, but you also may have cost your insurance company money if you caused damages in the accident.
But that doesn’t mean you have to accept rate hikes from your insurer. Several companies still offer affordable rates to Montana drivers after an accident.
In the table below, we’ve broken down the cheapest insurance companies for drivers with one accident.
Company | Liability Only | Full Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $35 | $89 |
| General Casualty Insurance | $42 | $149 |
| GEICO | $48 | $177 |
| Progressive | $52 | $112 |
| Farmers | $63 | $153 |
Though your rates might rise slightly more after an accident than after a speeding ticket, there’s actually less variation from one insurer to the next. The cheapest insurers charge Montana drivers with an accident between $35 and $63 per month for liability insurance and between $89 and $153 for full coverage. At the end of the day, State Farm once again has the cheapest rates for both categories.
A DUI — short for driving under the influence — is one of the most serious driving violations, and it’s one that can have the greatest impact on your rates. On average, rates go up by 94% after a DUI, according to our analysis.
In Montana, it’s not just your insurance premiums you have to worry about. You could face fines and jail time if you’re convicted of a DUI. You could also be dropped by your current insurance company and denied by others.
But that doesn’t mean things are hopeless. Some insurers specialize in high-risk drivers — such as those with DUI convictions on their records — so you may still be able to find relatively affordable coverage.
The table below breaks down the cheapest insurance rates for both liability and full coverage for drivers with one DUI. Keep in mind that if you have more than one DUI or other violations on your record, your rates could be higher.
Company | Liability Only | Full Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $32 | $83 |
| Progressive | $37 | $84 |
| GEICO | $56 | $200 |
| General Casualty Insurance | $63 | $208 |
| Kemper | $72 | $206 |
Insurance rates after a DUI vary considerably depending on the insurance company you choose. State Farm offers the cheapest rates for both liability and full coverage, with Progressive not far behind. In fact, both companies’ average rates are cheaper after a DUI than an at-fault accident — each coming in at less than $40 per month for liability coverage.
On the other end of the spectrum, Kemper’s full-coverage rates are more than $120 per month higher than State Farm’s, which shows the importance of shopping around for the best rate for your situation.
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Just like insurance premiums can vary from state to state, they can also change quite a bit from city to city (and even by ZIP code or neighborhood). Your location can affect your insurance premiums based on several factors, including the local crime rate, uninsured motorist rate, number of accidents, and more.
Let’s take a look at how insurance premiums differ across the state of Montana.
City | Average Liability Rates |
|---|---|
| Billings | $79 |
| Great Falls | $83 |
| Missoula | $76 |
There’s some variation in insurance premiums in different Montana cities, but not much. You’ll pay an average of $76 per month in Missoula, while drivers in Great Falls will pay slightly higher rates, at $83.
Population often affects local insurance premiums, and it’s sometimes the case that larger cities have higher insurance rates than more rural areas. However, that’s not the case in Montana, where the smaller Great Falls has higher rates than both Billings and Missoula — two cities with larger populations. Other reasons for such discrepancies could include local weather patterns, accident rates, and more.
“Car insurance premiums are influenced by factors like age, driving record, vehicle type, usage, location, credit score, and coverage amounts,” says Bevins.
Though not all the factors that affect your insurance premiums are within your control, you can still do several things to get cheaper car insurance in Montana.
Drive safely: The most effective thing you can do to get cheap car insurance is drive safely. Not only will you be quoted lower premiums for driving safely, but you can also get discounts from insurers that offer usage-based and accident-free discounts.
Bundle your policies: You can save money by bundling your auto insurance with your other insurance products, such as your homeowners or renters insurance policy. You can save between 5% and 25%, depending on your insurance company.
Save with discounts: Insurance companies offer a variety of discounts to help their customers save. For example, you could get a discount for paying for your policy in full, having certain vehicle safety features, getting good grades as a student, and more.
Adjust your policy: Adjusting your policy can help you save on your premiums. First, you can reduce your coverage limits or drop certain coverages. You can also increase your deductible to lower your premiums.
Compare quotes: One of the best ways to save money on your premiums is to shop around and compare quotes from different insurers. And don’t just shop around once — it’s a good idea to compare quotes every time your policy renews to ensure you’re still getting the best rates.
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Montana — like nearly every other state — requires drivers to have minimum liability insurance to drive legally. Montana requires the following insurance coverages:
$25,000 per person of bodily injury liability
$50,000 per accident of bodily injury liability
$20,000 per accident of property damage liability
Though Montana doesn’t require any coverage other than liability insurance, you can add plenty of optional coverages to your policy, including uninsured motorist coverage, collision, comprehensive, and more.
If you’re caught driving without insurance in Montana, you’ll be subject to a fine between $250 and $500 for your first offense. For a second offense, you’ll pay a fine of $350, and for the third and subsequent offenses, you’ll pay $500 and potentially spend up to 10 days in jail.
In addition to fines, you could also have your vehicle registration and license plates suspended on your second or subsequent offense. And your registration won’t be reinstated until you’ve proven you have insurance coverage.
If you’re caught driving without insurance a fourth time, you’ll have your driver’s license suspended until you can prove you’re in compliance with Montana’s insurance requirements.
SR-22 doesn’t refer to a type of insurance but rather a “certificate of financial responsibility.” An SR-22 form provides evidence to your state’s transportation department that you have the legally required insurance coverage. States sometimes require SR-22s from high-risk drivers, such as drivers with certain violations or people who have previously driven without insurance.
Montana requires an SR-22 certificate if your driver’s license has been suspended after driving without insurance. An SR-22 is necessary to prove that you have insurance, and you’ll need to maintain this certificate for three years.
If you need an SR-22, simply let your insurance company know. Most insurers offer these, but you may be required to pay a fee.
Want to know more about buying car insurance in Montana? Here are some answers to commonly asked questions from drivers like you.
The average cost of car insurance in Montana is $106 per month — that’s $1,272 per year. But your rates will depend on a variety of factors, including your driving history, age, and more.
Progressive and State Farm are tied for having the overall cheapest insurance rates in Montana, at just $53 per month. General Casualty Insurance has the cheapest liability insurance, while Progressive has the cheapest full coverage.
The minimum coverage required for car insurance in Montana is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident of bodily injury liability coverage, as well as $20,000 per accident of property damage liability coverage.
Missoula has the cheapest car insurance in Montana, according to Compare.com data, with an average premium of $76 per month, followed by Billings and Great Falls.
If you’re caught driving without insurance in Montana, you could face financial penalties, jail time, vehicle registration suspension, and driver’s license suspension. The penalty you’ll face depends on whether it’s your first offense.
Sources
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, “Fatality Facts 2021 State by State,” Accessed October 19, 2023.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Teen Drivers and Passengers: Get the Facts,” Accessed October 19, 2023.
Montana Code, “Penalty for Driving Under Influence - First Through Third Offenses,” Accessed October 19, 2023.
Commissioner of Securities & Insurance Office of the Montana State Auditor, “Auto Insurance,” Accessed October 19, 2023.
Montana Code, “Part 3. Mandatory Liability Protection, Penalties,” Accessed October 19, 2023.
Montana Legislative Service, “Introduction to Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Laws,” Accessed October 19, 2023.
Data scientists at Compare.com analyzed more than 50 million real-time auto insurance quotes from more than 75 partner insurers in order to compile the rates and statistics seen in this article. Compare.com’s auto insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers’ vehicles, driving records, insurance histories, and demographic information.
All the rates listed in this article have been collected from a combination of real Compare.com quotes and external insurance rate data gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. Compare.com uses these observations to provide readers with insights into how auto insurance companies determine their premiums.
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Compare.com's #1 goal is to save you money. We publish resources that are based on hard-hitting data and years of industry experience to help you make more informed decisions with your wallet.
Learn more about us, our team, and what makes us tick.
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Erin Gobler is a personal finance writer and journalist who has been writing for Compare.com since 2023. With more than five years of experience personal finance experience, Erin has covered topics such as investing, credit cards, mortgages, insurance, and more.
Her work has been featured in major publications like Business Insider, Fox Business, and Time.
Erin received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2013, studying journalism and political science. She also received a certificate of financial planning from Boston University in 2022.
Nick Versaw leads Compare.com's editorial department, where he and his team specialize in crafting helpful, easy-to-understand content about car insurance and other related topics. With nearly a decade of experience writing and editing insurance and personal finance articles, his work has helped readers discover substantial savings on necessary expenses, including insurance, transportation, health care, and more. As an award-winning writer, Nick has seen his work published in countless renowned publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He graduated with Latin honors from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Digital Journalism.
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