Cheapest Liability-Only Car Insurance (2024)
The cheapest liability-only car insurance nationwide is $16, from COUNTRY Financial, but the best insurer for you will depend on where you live and other factors.
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Written byJulia Taliesin
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Julia Taliesin is an insurance content writer at Insurify. She began her career as a journalist, covering local government and business in Somerville, Mass.
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Edited byEvelyn Pimplaskar
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10+ years in insurance and personal finance content
30+ years in media, PR, and content creation
Evelyn leads Insurify’s content team. She’s passionate about creating empowering content to help people transform their financial lives and make sound insurance-buying decisions.
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Reviewed byMark Friedlander
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Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute
20+ years in insurance and communications
As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.
Updated November 21, 2024
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Table of contents
Liability-only car insurance is the cheapest type of coverage you can buy. It covers costs from injuries or damages you or another person cause while driving your car. Every state except New Hampshire has a minimum required liability coverage amount you’ll need to have before you can register a vehicle.
COUNTRY Financial and NJM offer the cheapest liability-only rates, according to Insurify data. Regional insurers may offer you a better quote, so it’s worth comparing quotes a few times a year to find the best deal.
Quick Facts
The average liability-only insurance rate in the U.S. is $104 per month.
Liability coverage doesn’t protect your vehicle, so you’ll need full coverage to insure damages to your car.
If you lease or finance your car, your leasing company or lender will probably require you to get full coverage.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance
The cheapest coverage for you depends on your location, age, credit history, vehicle type, and other factors. Teen drivers, for example, pay 73% more, according to Insurify data. But the most significant factor affecting your rates is typically your driving history.
The cheapest insurer for liability-only car insurance is COUNTRY Financial, with average monthly quotes starting at $16. Buying from a cheap car insurance company doesn’t necessarily mean sacrificing quality. These are the average monthly liability-only quotes for several insurance companies.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Friday, November 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only ▲▼ |
|---|---|
| COUNTRY Financial | $16 |
| NJM | $29 |
| Auto-Owners | $34 |
| USAA | $45 |
| Erie | $50 |
| GEICO | $54 |
| State Farm | $54 |
| Mile Auto | $56 |
| Root | $60 |
| Allstate | $61 |
| Metromile | $63 |
| American Family | $73 |
| Mercury | $82 |
| Safeco | $82 |
| Nationwide | $83 |
| CSAA | $84 |
| National General | $86 |
| Travelers | $89 |
| Dairyland | $91 |
| State Auto | $93 |
| The Hartford | $95 |
| Direct Auto | $97 |
| Progressive | $98 |
| Clearcover | $102 |
| Commonwealth Casualty | $110 |
| Chubb | $110 |
| Farmers | $110 |
| Shelter | $111 |
| The General | $112 |
| 21st Century | $112 |
| Foremost | $117 |
| Bristol West | $118 |
| Elephant | $124 |
| GAINSCO | $125 |
| Amica | $151 |
| Liberty Mutual | $159 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $163 |
| Infinity | $181 |
| Hugo | $227 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
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Liability-only policies start at $16/mo.
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Cheapest liability-only car insurance by state
Where you live factors significantly into the cost of your auto insurance premium. Urban drivers tend to pay more than rural drivers due to the higher rates of theft, vandalism, and accidents in cities.
Premiums vary by state but also by ZIP code. Whether you park your car on the street or in a garage could affect your premium, too.
These are the cheapest car insurance companies and monthly liability-only quotes by state.
State ▲▼ | Cheapest Insurance Company ▲▼ | Cheapest Liability-Only Quote ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Auto-Owners | $37 |
| Arizona | Auto-Owners | $46 |
| Arkansas | State Farm | $30 |
| California | Mile Auto | $60 |
| Colorado | State Farm | $46 |
| Connecticut | State Farm | $56 |
| Delaware | USAA | $54 |
| Florida | State Farm | $68 |
| Georgia | Auto-Owners | $58 |
| Hawaii | State Farm | $40 |
| Idaho | National General | $54 |
| Illinois | Auto-Owners | $30 |
| Indiana | Auto-Owners | $27 |
| Iowa | Auto-Owners | $22 |
| Kansas | Root | $65 |
| Kentucky | Auto-Owners | $59 |
| Louisiana | State Farm | $65 |
| Maine | USAA | $41 |
| Maryland | USAA | $101 |
| Massachusetts | Safeco | $88 |
| Michigan | Auto-Owners | $62 |
| Minnesota | National General | $68 |
| Mississippi | State Farm | $35 |
| Missouri | USAA | $29 |
| Montana | Safeco | $49 |
| Nebraska | Auto-Owners | $25 |
| Nevada | COUNTRY Financial | $33 |
| New Hampshire | GEICO | $38 |
| New Jersey | NJM | $86 |
| New Mexico | State Farm | $32 |
| New York | CSAA | $119 |
| North Carolina | Erie | $41 |
| North Dakota | Bristol West | $79 |
| Ohio | Mile Auto | $35 |
| Oklahoma | State Farm | $30 |
| Oregon | Mile Auto | $60 |
| Pennsylvania | State Farm | $51 |
| Rhode Island | USAA | $82 |
| South Carolina | USAA | $52 |
| South Dakota | Safeco | $60 |
| Tennessee | State Farm | $22 |
| Texas | State Farm | $37 |
| Utah | USAA | $63 |
| Vermont | State Farm | $19 |
| Virginia | Auto-Owners | $34 |
| Washington | Direct Auto | $47 |
| Washington, D.C. | GEICO | $80 |
| West Virginia | State Farm | $33 |
| Wisconsin | USAA | $22 |
| Wyoming | Dairyland | $49 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile. Alaska excluded due to lack of available data.
Cost of liability vs. full coverage
Liability-only coverage is less expensive than full-coverage car insurance because you’re not paying to insure damages to your vehicle. The national monthly average liability rate is $104, well below the full-coverage rate of $204. Full coverage typically includes collision, comprehensive, and liability insurance.
Not having enough coverage can cost you in the event of an accident. With liability-only insurance, if you damage your vehicle in an at-fault accident, you’ll have to pay out of pocket to repair or replace it.
Minimum-coverage limits may not be enough to cover damage or injuries. For example, if you purchase $15,000 of property damage liability coverage but cause $20,000 of damage, you’ll have to pay the $5,000 your liability-only policy doesn’t cover.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Friday, November 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Full Coverage ▲▼ | Liability Only ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| COUNTRY Financial | $38 | $16 |
| NJM | $53 | $29 |
| Auto-Owners | $73 | $34 |
| Erie | $93 | $50 |
| Mile Auto | $95 | $56 |
| USAA | $99 | $45 |
| Root | $103 | $60 |
| Metromile | $113 | $63 |
| GEICO | $119 | $54 |
| State Farm | $119 | $54 |
| CSAA | $128 | $84 |
| Allstate | $133 | $61 |
| Safeco | $143 | $82 |
| Progressive | $152 | $98 |
| American Family | $161 | $73 |
| Mercury | $162 | $82 |
| National General | $171 | $86 |
| The Hartford | $171 | $95 |
| Nationwide | $182 | $83 |
| Clearcover | $183 | $102 |
| Direct Auto | $187 | $97 |
| Travelers | $191 | $89 |
| State Auto | $198 | $93 |
| Elephant | $200 | $124 |
| Shelter | $210 | $111 |
| The General | $231 | $112 |
| Chubb | $232 | $110 |
| Dairyland | $236 | $91 |
| 21st Century | $238 | $112 |
| Farmers | $241 | $110 |
| Bristol West | $255 | $118 |
| Infinity | $255 | $181 |
| Liberty Mutual | $258 | $159 |
| Foremost | $266 | $117 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $271 | $163 |
| GAINSCO | $279 | $125 |
| Amica | $279 | $151 |
| Commonwealth Casualty | $293 | $110 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
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Liability-only policies start at $16/mo.
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What liability car insurance covers
Liability-only auto insurance is a group of coverages designed to cover your liabilities in an accident you cause. It generally includes bodily injury liability coverage, property damage liability coverage, and in some states, medical payments or personal injury protection and uninsured motorist coverage.
Most states have minimum-coverage requirements, but the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) recommends purchasing higher limits to protect yourself.
Here’s what a liability-only car insurance policy generally covers:
Bodily injury liability coverage
This helps pay for the other party’s medical bills in an accident you or someone driving your car cause.
Property damage liability coverage
This helps pay for repairing or replacing another person’s property that you or someone driving your car damaged in an accident. It also covers damage to lamp posts, telephone poles, fences, buildings, or other structures your car hits.
Medical payments or personal injury protection (PIP) coverage
These similar coverages help pay for you or your passengers’ medical bills in an accident you cause. Personal injury protection coverage also pays for lost wages and other expenses.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
Some states also require uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which reimburses you if an uninsured or underinsured driver causes an accident or your car is damaged in a hit-and-run.
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Learn More: What Happens if You Drive Without Insurance?
What liability-only insurance doesn’t cover
To fully protect your investment in your vehicle, you’ll need more than liability-only insurance. Liability insurance doesn’t cover damages to your car in an accident you caused, so consider full-coverage insurance if you want that protection.
These are some common situations liability insurance doesn’t cover, and the optional coverages that would fully insure you.
You damage your car in an at-fault accident. Collision coverage insures damage to your car from a crash with another vehicle or object and from flipping over.
A tree falls on your car. Comprehensive coverage insures damage from non-collision events like fires, floods, or falling trees. It also reimburses you if someone steals or vandalizes your car.
Your total your newly leased car. Gap insurance covers the difference between what you owe on your car and what your insurance covers if you lease or finance your vehicle. (Collision and comprehensive insurance cover the market value of your car, not necessarily what you paid for it.)
You crack your windshield. Full-coverage policies sometimes include glass coverage, which pays for damage to windshields, sunroofs, and windows.
Though most states only have a minimum liability coverage requirement, if you lease or finance your vehicle your lender will likely require you to have full-coverage insurance. Even if you purchase a new car outright, full coverage may still be worth the extra monthly cost to cover any damages.
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How to get cheaper car insurance
Car insurance companies consider numerous factors when setting premiums. Here are a few ways to secure lower rates:
Compare car insurance quotes. The top two ways to lower premiums are shopping around and comparing car insurance costs before buying a car, according to Triple-I. Online auto insurance quote-comparison tools make it easy to get multiple quotes.
Maintain a good driving record. Your driving history has a huge effect on your premiums. Drivers with a clean record pay 7% below average, while drivers with a DUI pay 67% above average, according to Insurify data. Practice safe driving habits by staying alert and focused, and avoid risky behaviors like multitasking, speeding, and driving while impaired.
Build good credit. Insurers consider your credit history to set rates. Using a budget with your credit cards, paying the full balance every month, and making on-time payments will help you build good credit.
Take advantage of discounts. Most insurers offer discounts for bundling policies, installing safety features, taking defensive driving courses, and more. Young drivers can qualify for good student discounts. Ask your insurer what’s available to you.
Increase your deductible. You can often save on monthly premiums by raising your deductible, but make sure you have the savings to cover it if you have to file a claim.
Cheap liability-only car insurance FAQs
If you think full coverage might be a better fit, check out our article on cheap full-coverage car insurance. Here’s some more information about liability-only coverage to help you find the cheapest liability insurance.
How much is liability insurance?
The national average monthly premium for liability-only insurance is $104. Premiums vary widely. Your location, driving record, credit history, and more can factor significantly into your costs.
What is the cheapest liability-only car insurance?
COUNTRY Financial offers the cheapest liability car insurance, with average monthly rates of $16. If COUNTRY Financial isn’t available in your area, that doesn’t mean you won’t find coverage that cheap. Compare quotes online or speak to an agent to find the best option available to you.
NJM and Auto-Owners also offer affordable liability coverage.
What is liability car insurance?
Liability-only car insurance covers your liability in an accident that you cause. It typically includes bodily injury and property damage liability coverage, which pays for injuries or damages you or someone driving your vehicle causes in an incident.
It can also include personal injury protection to cover your medical expenses and uninsured motorist coverage for incidents like a hit-and-run.
Is liability-only auto insurance right for me?
Generally, liability insurance can be a good choice for drivers with older, paid-for, and less-valuable vehicles. If your full-coverage policy costs more than your car’s value, reducing coverage could make sense unless you plan to keep driving your car following an incident.
Choosing liability-only coverage would also reduce your monthly bills if full coverage is too expensive or you can afford to pay more out of pocket.
What is the minimum amount of liability insurance?
State laws in every state except New Hampshire require some minimum liability coverage, but the exact amount varies.
In Texas, the state’s minimum car insurance requirements are $30,000 of liability coverage for each injured person, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage (often written as 30/60/25). California, for example, requires 15/30/5 for minimum liability insurance. Check your state auto department’s website for local requirements.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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