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Danny Smith is a licensed property and casualty insurance agent who has written for Compare.com since 2024. A former insurance editor, he specializes in auto, home, and pet insurance. He works to translate his insurance expertise into digestible, easy-to-understand content for drivers, homeowners, and pet owners alike.
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Lequita Westbrooks is an insurance editor at Compare.com. Her writing and editing experiences span several industries, including insurance, personal finance, higher education, and more. She excels at explaining complex topics like auto insurance in simple, easy-to-understand language and is passionate about helping readers save money. Lequita graduated from the University of South Florida, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in English.
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Car accidents can have a major effect on your driving record and how much you pay for car insurance. That’s because insurance companies view drivers with accidents on their records as riskier to insure. And to account for this risk, insurers increase your rates.
Our research shows that the average rate for drivers with an accident on their records is $212 per month, compared to the $150 people with clean records pay.
But you can still find cheap car insurance after an accident — if you know where to look. COUNTRY Financial is the cheapest car insurance company for drivers after an accident, with an average monthly cost of $22, according to our data.
Let’s explore the cheapest insurers for drivers with an accident and ways you can save even more on your coverage.
A single at-fault accident causes average car insurance rates to increase by 33% nationwide.
Auto-Owners, GEICO, and Erie are some of the best car insurance companies for drivers with a DUI.
Asking about discounts, increasing your deductible, and comparing quotes from several companies can help you lower your rate after an accident.
Even though average rates after an accident will be much higher than if you had a clean record, you can still find ways to save.
The table below highlights the cheapest car insurance companies for drivers with an accident on their record, according to Compare.com data.
Company  | Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| COUNTRY Financial | $22 |
| Auto-Owners | $42 |
| NJM | $54 |
| USAA | $60 |
| State Farm | $70 |
| Mile Auto | $73 |
| Erie | $77 |
| Allstate | $78 |
| American Family | $92 |
| Root | $106 |
| Nationwide | $112 |
| CSAA | $114 |
| Travelers | $119 |
| Dairyland | $123 |
| National General | $124 |
| Safeco | $126 |
| Commonwealth Casualty | $128 |
| Direct Auto | $129 |
| Mercury | $131 |
| Progressive | $135 |
| Farmers | $139 |
| State Auto | $142 |
| Bristol West | $143 |
| The General | $144 |
| Chubb | $146 |
| GAINSCO | $146 |
| 21st Century | $150 |
| The Hartford | $166 |
| Foremost | $169 |
| Elephant | $172 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $175 |
| Shelter | $177 |
| Clearcover | $190 |
| Infinity | $204 |
| Liberty Mutual | $241 |
| Amica | $268 |
COUNTRY Financial is the cheapest company for drivers with an accident, with an average monthly rate of $22.
That said, it may not be the cheapest car insurance company for every driver. It’s always a good idea to shop around for the best deal. You can use a car insurance quote comparison site to quickly compare multiple companies all in one place.
Basic policies start as low as $22 per month.
Car accidents — especially at-fault accidents — affect your car insurance premiums because they indicate you’re more likely to have another in the future. Insurers will increase your premiums to adjust to this increased risk.
Just one at-fault accident causes car insurance rates to increase by an average of 33% nationwide, according to Compare.com data. But exactly how much your premium increases depends on factors like your car insurance company, location, and the severity of the accident.
Check out the table below to see the average premiums for drivers with clean records compared to drivers with at-fault accidents on their records, according to Compare.com data.
Driving Record | Average Monthly Premium: Liability Only | Average Monthly Premium: Full Coverage | Average Monthly Premium: All Policies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean Record | $106 | $193 | $150 |
| After Accident | $150 | $272 | $212 |
Where you live affects your car insurance rates — rates can vary drastically from state to state due to factors like traffic density, accident frequency, and vehicle theft rate.
Some states with more wide-open roads and fewer drivers will often enjoy lower average premiums than states with highly trafficked roads and denser populations.
For example, drivers in rural Alabama typically pay less for car insurance than drivers living in New York City.
The table below highlights the cheapest car insurance company and its average monthly premium for every state, according to Compare.com data.
State | Average Monthly Premium | Cheapest Company |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $57 | USAA |
| Arizona | $67 | Auto-Owners |
| Arkansas | $44 | State Farm |
| California | $111 | USAA |
| Colorado | $62 | State Farm |
| Connecticut | $75 | State Farm |
| Delaware | $69 | USAA |
| Florida | $86 | State Farm |
| Georgia | $99 | Auto-Owners |
| Idaho | $80 | National General |
| Illinois | $46 | Auto-Owners |
| Indiana | $41 | Auto-Owners |
| Iowa | $40 | Auto-Owners |
| Kansas | $58 | State Farm |
| Kentucky | $91 | Auto-Owners |
| Louisiana | $96 | State Farm |
| Maine | $60 | USAA |
| Maryland | $151 | USAA |
| Massachusetts | $137 | Safeco |
| Michigan | $73 | USAA |
| Minnesota | $103 | Safeco |
| Mississippi | $50 | State Farm |
| Missouri | $47 | USAA |
| Montana | $undefined | undefined |
| Nebraska | $64 | Clearcover |
| Nevada | $46 | COUNTRY Financial |
| New Hampshire | $undefined | undefined |
| New Jersey | $116 | CSAA |
| New Mexico | $47 | State Farm |
| New York | $125 | CSAA |
| North Carolina | $61 | Nationwide |
| North Dakota | $undefined | undefined |
| Ohio | $48 | Mile Auto |
| Oklahoma | $40 | State Farm |
| Oregon | $85 | Mile Auto |
| Pennsylvania | $72 | State Farm |
| Rhode Island | $undefined | undefined |
| South Carolina | $71 | USAA |
| South Dakota | $undefined | undefined |
| Tennessee | $31 | State Farm |
| Texas | $55 | State Farm |
| Utah | $89 | USAA |
| Vermont | $undefined | undefined |
| Virginia | $49 | Auto-Owners |
| Washington | $71 | Direct Auto |
| District of Columbia | $99 | CSAA |
| West Virginia | $48 | State Farm |
| Wisconsin | $31 | USAA |
| Wyoming | $undefined | undefined |
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While there’s no single best car insurance company for every driver, a few stand above the rest. We chose the following insurance companies based on average rates for drivers after an accident, available discounts, customer reviews, and coverage options.
Take a look at the car insurance companies below to see if one is right for you.
Average premium: $86 per month
Compare.com Rating: 4.43 out of 5
Cheap average rates
Accident forgiveness available
Many discounts available
Available in only 26 states
Quotes not available online
Below-average J.D. Power claims satisfaction score[1]
Auto-Owners offers some of the cheapest car insurance rates for drivers after a car accident. The insurer also offers accident forgiveness as well as numerous discounts, making it an all-around excellent option for drivers in the 26 states it operates.
It also earned an AM Best financial strength rating of A+ (Superior).[2]
Average premium: $138 per month
Compare.com Rating: 4.65 out of 5
Affordable rates
Accident forgiveness available
Many discounts available
Below-average J.D. Power claims satisfaction score
Low Trustpilot rating[3]
Gap coverage not available
GEICO offers affordable rates for drivers after an accident compared to other insurers. It also offers plenty of car insurance discounts that drivers can use to keep rates low after an accident. The insurer has fewer-than-average complaints on the NAIC complaint index,[4] and it also earned an AM Best financial strength rating of A++ (Superior).[5]
Average premium: $127 per month
Compare.com Rating: 4.75 out of 5
Reasonable rates
Above-average J.D. Power claims satisfaction score
Accident forgiveness available
Only available in 12 states and Washington, D.C.
Low Trustpilot rating[6]
No online claims filing
Erie is a bit more expensive than some other car insurance companies, but it has a strong reputation, with fewer-than-average complaints on the NAIC complaint index.[7] It also has an AM Best financial strength rating of A+ (Superior).[8]
The insurer offers some additional perks, such as windshield repair, pet injury coverage, and first accident forgiveness. It’s an excellent option for drivers after an accident who want to get more out of paying a bit extra.
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While it may seem like you’re stuck with high rates after an accident, it’s possible to get cheap car insurance. Consider the strategies below to lower your rate.
Consider not filing a claim for minor damage. While you should typically file a claim for serious accidents, it may not be worth it to file a claim for minor damage you cause to your own car. For example, if you back into your mailbox, it may make sense to just pay for the repair out of pocket to avoid the insurance claims process and a rate increase.
Look for additional discounts. Car insurance discounts are one of the best ways to lower your car insurance rates. Ask your insurance agent about additional discounts, such as defensive driver, paying in full, or safe driving.
Switch to an older vehicle. Older vehicles are typically cheaper to insure and repair. In some cases, you may not need collision and comprehensive car insurance for an old you’ve paid off.
Increase your deductible. One guaranteed way to get cheap car insurance after an accident is to raise your car insurance deductible amount. Increasing your deductible lowers your monthly premium. Just be sure that you can afford to pay your new, higher deductible out of pocket if you ever need to file a claim.
Compare car insurance quotes. You should always compare car insurance quotes after an accident since your current insurer may increase your rates. Shopping around is an excellent way to see which car insurance companies in your area are the most forgiving to drivers with an accident.
Get affordable coverage from top companies.
Finding the right car insurance after an accident can be tough. Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about cheap car insurance after an accident.
COUNTRY Financial is the cheapest auto insurance company after an accident, according to our research, at $22 per month, on average. But it may not be the cheapest car insurance company for everyone, so it’s important to compare quotes before buying a policy.
In general, accidents affect your rates for between three and five years. Exactly how long an accident affects your car insurance rates depends on numerous factors, including the severity of the accident, if you have any other infractions on your record, and the state you live in.
It depends. Car insurance companies can choose to not renew your policy if you have too many accidents on your driving record. If a car insurance company chooses to renew you after numerous accidents, you can expect your rates to rise drastically.[9]
It’s possible. Your car insurance can go up even if you’re not at fault for an accident because filing a claim indicates a higher risk to insurance companies.
That said, your rates won’t increase as much as they would if you cause an accident. Whether or not your rates go up depends on the car insurance company, your driving record, and various other rating factors.
While you can’t remove an accident from your driving record unless it’s an error, it’ll eventually disappear after three to five years, depending on your state. One thing you can do to reduce the number of points your accident added to your driving record is to take a defensive driving course or any similar programs your state offers.
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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Danny Smith is a licensed property and casualty insurance agent who has written for Compare.com since 2024. A former insurance editor, he specializes in auto, home, and pet insurance. He works to translate his insurance expertise into digestible, easy-to-understand content for drivers, homeowners, and pet owners alike.
Lequita Westbrooks is an insurance editor at Compare.com. Her writing and editing experiences span several industries, including insurance, personal finance, higher education, and more. She excels at explaining complex topics like auto insurance in simple, easy-to-understand language and is passionate about helping readers save money. Lequita graduated from the University of South Florida, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in English.
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