5+ years of finance writing experience
Certificate of financial planning from Boston University
Erin is a personal finance writer and journalist with work featured in major publications. Her writing explores investing, credit cards, mortgages, insurance, and more.
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15+ years in content creation
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
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Updated November 21, 2024
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Table of contents
The average monthly cost of car insurance in Billings is $145 per month. Billings drivers pay insurance premiums that are slightly higher than the rest of Montana. The average monthly cost for full-coverage car insurance in Montana is $162.
But Billings residents still pay less than the national full-coverage average of $204, thanks partially to Montana’s reasonable insurance requirements and low population density.
Of course, insurance rates also depend on several factors that are personal to each driver, so your rates may look different from the city’s average. In this article, you’ll see what affects your car insurance rates in Billings and learn how you can reduce your costs by comparing quotes from multiple companies.
Montana law allows insurers to review your credit score before assigning you rates.
Factors that affect your auto insurance rates include your age, credit score, and driving history.
You can save money on car insurance in Billings by shopping around for the cheapest coverage, taking advantage of discounts, and adjusting your policy coverages.
Cheapest car insurance companies in Billings
Billings drivers can choose from many car insurance companies offering affordable rates for liability coverage. As you start your search for coverage, remember the best insurance company for you will depend on your individual situation and needs.
Included here are three of the top companies serving the Billings community, and they’re an excellent place to start your search. You’ll also find the statewide average rates for each company here.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. ▲▼ | Average Quote: Full Coverage ▲▼ | Average Quote: Liability Only ▲▼ | Best for ▲▼ |
---|---|---|---|---|
State Farm | 9.3 | $106 | $45 | Customer service |
USAA | 9.4 | $84 | $40 | Military members |
Travelers | 9.0 | $95 | NA | Discount options |
Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.
We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.
- Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
- Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 28,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
- Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
- Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
- Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.
Best insurer for customer service: State Farm
User Reviews | 4.2 |
---|---|
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 9.3 /10 |
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $54/mo |
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $119/mo |
Drivers appreciate the helpful local agents and initial service but dislike the high prices and frequent rate increases.
Drivers appreciate the helpful local agents and initial service but dislike the high prices and frequent rate increases.
Charles
November 19, 2024
New Car Price
Ronald
November 19, 2024
State Farm Experience: 35 Years+
David
November 19, 2024
Too expensive
Not only is State Farm one of the top car insurance companies in the country — it writes more policies than any other insurer — but it also has affordable rates for Billings drivers. With State Farm, you can save on your policy while getting highly rated customer service with a variety of coverage and discount options.
Cheap liability coverage
Above-average customer satisfaction
Discounts for safe and defensive drivers
Fewer discounts than most competitors
No gap insurance
Many customer complaints
Best insurer for military families: USAA
User Reviews | 4.9 |
---|---|
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 9.4 /10 |
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $45/mo |
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $99/mo |
Drivers appreciate the ease of working with the carrier, competitive rates, and responsive service but dislike the price increases and lack of rideshare add-ons in some areas.
Drivers appreciate the ease of working with the carrier, competitive rates, and responsive service but dislike the price increases and lack of rideshare add-ons in some areas.
Gloria
November 15, 2024
Not Good for Claims
Martin
November 11, 2024
Price Shopping
Rena Sabine
November 8, 2024
Disappointing and inflexible service
USAA was founded specifically to offer insurance and other financial products to military service members and veterans. The company has some of the cheapest rates available for both liability-only insurance and full coverage. Additionally, USAA has the highest-rated customer satisfaction for any auto insurance company in the Northwest region, which includes Montana.[1]
Affordable premiums
Top-rated customer satisfaction
Per-mile and usage-based coverage and discounts
Only for military and veteran families
No gap insurance
No 24/7 customer service phone support
Best insurer for full coverage: Travelers
User Reviews | 4.7 |
---|---|
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 9.0 /10 |
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $89/mo |
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $191/mo |
Drivers appreciate the lowest prices, excellent service, and responsive call centers but dislike the rising premiums and poor claims handling.
Drivers appreciate the lowest prices, excellent service, and responsive call centers but dislike the rising premiums and poor claims handling.
Nancy
November 18, 2024
Checking for Better Rate
Jim
November 12, 2024
Typical
Kenneth
November 5, 2024
Excellent
Travelers offers some of the cheapest full-coverage insurance for Billings drivers. The company also stands out by having some of the most wide-ranging coverage and discount options. Travelers offers more coverage options than most companies. And because Travelers offers an impressive 14 different discounts, just about everyone can find one that applies.
Cheap full coverage
More discounts than most companies
Few customer complaints
Rideshare coverage not available in Montana
Below-average claims satisfaction
Below-average digital experience
How to get the cheapest car insurance in Billings
While Montana has cheaper auto insurance than most states, you can always reduce your rates a little more by following these tips:
Shop around for quotes. You can find the best rate by getting quotes from multiple companies or by using a comparison site to compare quotes all in one place.
Bundle your policies. If you also have home insurance or renters insurance, get your auto insurance from the same company to get a lower rate.
Save with discounts. Take advantage of the many discounts insurance companies offer for safe driving, up-front payments, membership to affinity groups, and more.
Adjust your coverage. You can reduce your premiums by either reducing your coverage limits or increasing your policy deductible.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Billings
Liability insurance is the minimum amount of coverage you must have to drive legally in most states. This is true in Montana as well. Liability-only coverage pays for the injuries and vehicle damage that other people suffered in an accident you cause. However, liability coverage won’t cover your own losses.
This type of coverage might be sufficient if you drive a vehicle that isn’t worth much or could easily afford to replace your vehicle if it was totaled in an accident.
The average monthly rate for liability coverage in Montana is $79, and the table below shows the cheapest insurance quotes for liability-only coverage in Billings.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
---|---|
Travelers | N/A |
State Farm | $44 |
USAA | $48 |
Safeco | $53 |
Midvale Home & Auto | $52 |
Progressive | $57 |
Farmers | $82 |
The General | $99 |
GEICO | $86 |
Foremost | $117 |
Allstate | $90 |
Bristol West | $90 |
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Billings
Full-coverage car insurance includes liability coverage, but it also includes additional coverages to protect your vehicle and finances after an accident. Full coverage pays for damage to your vehicle from an accident or another covered incident, as well as damage uninsured drivers cause.
Full coverage is best for drivers with more valuable vehicles or people who couldn’t afford to replace their car if it were totaled in an accident. Additionally, your lender will probably require you to have full coverage as a condition of granting you a loan or lease.
The average monthly rate for full coverage in Montana is $162, and the table below shows the cheapest insurance quotes for full coverage in Billings.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
---|---|
Travelers | $93 |
State Farm | $104 |
USAA | $111 |
Safeco | $118 |
Midvale Home & Auto | $125 |
Progressive | $130 |
Farmers | $184 |
The General | $199 |
GEICO | $200 |
Foremost | $203 |
Allstate | $206 |
Bristol West | $219 |
Cheapest recent rates near Billings, Montana
Drivers using Insurify have found quotes as cheap as $59/mo for liability only and $89/mo for full coverage in Billings and other Montana cities.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around Billings, Montana within the last 10 days. Last updated on November 21, 2024
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around Billings, Montana within the last 10 days. Last updated on November 21, 2024
Car insurance requirements in Montana
To drive legally in the state of Montana, your insurance coverage must meet or exceed state-required minimums.
Keep in mind that Montana’s insurance requirements only include coverages to protect other drivers and their property. Additionally, these minimum coverage limits may not be enough to pay for all the damages after a major car accident.
The minimum coverage levels you need to carry are outlined below.[2]
Coverage ▲▼ | Minimum Requirements ▲▼ |
---|---|
Bodily injury liability | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
Property damage liability | $20,000 per accident |
In addition to Montana’s minimum insurance requirements, you can add plenty of other coverages to your policy to protect yourself even more. Here are some of the optional coverages you can add to your insurance policy in Billings:
Collision coverage
Collision insurance pays for damage to your vehicle from an accident, regardless of fault or whether other parties were involved.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance pays for damage to your vehicle caused by something other than an accident, such as theft, vandalism, or inclement weather.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
This coverage applies when you’re in an accident caused by another person, but the at-fault driver either leaves the scene or doesn’t have insurance.
Gap insurance
This covers the difference between your car’s value and your remaining loan or lease amount if your car is totaled.
Rental car coverage
This pays for all or part of your rental car costs when your insured vehicle is damaged in a covered incident.
Roadside assistance
This helps you get roadside assistance for tire changes, lockouts, towing services, and more.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an incident
If you have certain incidents on your driving record, your premiums are likely to be higher. A variety of incidents can increase your insurance rates, but common examples include speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, driving under the influence, and other moving violations.
In the sections that follow, you’ll see how unique incident types affect your car insurance rates in Billings.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket
A speeding ticket is one of the most common types of moving violations and may increase your insurance premiums. This possible rate increase depends on how fast you were driving, whether you have other speeding tickets on your record, and other factors.
The average monthly rate for Montana drivers with a speeding ticket is $229 for full coverage.
The table below shows the rates offered by leading insurers in Billings.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Clean Driving Record ▲▼ | With Speeding Ticket ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
State Farm | $44 | $60 |
USAA | $48 | $65 |
Safeco | $53 | $70 |
Midvale Home & Auto | $52 | $69 |
Progressive | $57 | $76 |
Farmers | $82 | $110 |
The General | $99 | $133 |
GEICO | $86 | $115 |
Foremost | $117 | $157 |
Allstate | $90 | $120 |
Bristol West | $90 | $120 |
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident
When you’re at fault for an accident, your insurance premiums typically rise. An accident on your record shows insurers that you’re a higher-risk driver. Additionally, you’ve cost your insurance company money since it had to pay any claims for damage to your vehicle or any other parties.
In Montana, you can expect to pay an average monthly rate of $245 for full coverage with an accident on your record.
It’s worth noting that your rate could increase after an accident where you weren’t at fault, depending on your insurance company. However, the table below shows the cheapest insurance rates for drivers with an at-fault accident.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Clean Driving Record ▲▼ | With Accident ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
State Farm | $44 | $64 |
USAA | $48 | $69 |
Safeco | $53 | $75 |
Midvale Home & Auto | $52 | $74 |
Progressive | $57 | $81 |
Farmers | $82 | $117 |
The General | $99 | $142 |
GEICO | $86 | $123 |
Foremost | $117 | $168 |
Allstate | $90 | $129 |
Bristol West | $90 | $129 |
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI
A DUI is one of the most serious driving offenses you can have on your record, so it’s no surprise that it also has the most severe impact on your insurance premiums. Drivers often see their premiums increase significantly after a DUI — and they could stay that way for several years. In some cases, your insurer may drop you altogether if you have a DUI on your record.
The average monthly rate for full coverage in Montana with a DUI on your record is $278.
The table below shows the cheapest insurance quotes available in the Billings area.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Clean Driving Record ▲▼ | With DUI ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
State Farm | $44 | $69 |
USAA | $48 | $75 |
Safeco | $53 | $81 |
Midvale Home & Auto | $52 | $80 |
Progressive | $57 | $88 |
Farmers | $82 | $127 |
The General | $99 | $153 |
GEICO | $86 | $133 |
Foremost | $117 | $182 |
Allstate | $90 | $139 |
Bristol West | $90 | $139 |
Cheapest car insurance for seniors
One of the benefits of aging is you typically enjoy lower car insurance premiums. However, that’s only true until you reach your mid-70s, at which point your insurance rates are likely to start rising again. This is because drivers in their 70s are more likely to have a fatal accident than slightly younger drivers and may have certain characteristics that make it risky for them to drive.[3]
Senior drivers in Montana pay an average monthly rate of $95 for coverage, and the table below shows the cheapest insurance quotes for senior drivers in Billings.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Liability Only ▲▼ | Full Coverage ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
Travelers | N/A | $65 |
State Farm | $31 | $73 |
USAA | $34 | $78 |
Safeco | $37 | $83 |
Midvale Home & Auto | $36 | $88 |
Progressive | $40 | $91 |
Farmers | $57 | $129 |
The General | $69 | $139 |
GEICO | $60 | $140 |
Foremost | $82 | $142 |
Allstate | $63 | $144 |
Bristol West | $63 | $153 |
Cheapest car insurance for teens
Teens and young adults generally pay the highest insurance premiums of any other age bracket. This is because they lack driving experience and maturity, which can lead to a higher prevalence of risky behaviors, like speeding or distracted driving.[4]
Fortunately, teen drivers can save money on insurance premiums by maintaining a safe driving record, taking advantage of teen and student discounts, driving a safe vehicle, and staying on a parent’s insurance policy for as long as possible.
The average monthly rate for teens in Montana is $210, and the table below shows the cheapest insurance quotes for teen drivers in Billings.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Liability Only ▲▼ | Full Coverage ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
Travelers | N/A | $172 |
State Farm | $82 | $192 |
USAA | $90 | $206 |
Safeco | $97 | $219 |
Midvale Home & Auto | $95 | $232 |
Progressive | $105 | $241 |
Farmers | $151 | $340 |
The General | $183 | $368 |
GEICO | $159 | $370 |
Foremost | $217 | $376 |
Allstate | $166 | $381 |
Bristol West | $166 | $405 |
Billings car insurance quotes by credit tier
When you sign up for car insurance, insurers use a variety of factors to gauge your risk level. One of these factors is your credit score. While a handful of states have barred insurance companies from using this factor, Montana isn’t one of them.
Generally speaking, the better your credit, the lower your insurance premiums. Drivers with excellent or good credit scores may enjoy the best rates, depending on their other characteristics. On the other hand, drivers with poor credit scores are likely to pay more.
The table below shows the average insurance premiums in Billings for each credit tier.
Rates by Credit Tier
Is car insurance more expensive in Billings?
Montana drivers pay insurance premiums that are considerably lower than the national average. Data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners from 2020, the last year for which data is available, shows car insurance premiums in Montana are 23% lower than the national average.[5]
However, car insurance premiums vary within a state. Different cities in Montana — and even different neighborhoods or ZIP codes — may have different rates of accidents, crime, or uninsured drivers, all of which can contribute to the local insurance rates.
More cities in Montana
Billings has average insurance premiums that are higher than most other cities in the state. As you can see in the table below, drivers in Bozeman, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula all pay premiums that are lower than those in Billings.
City ▲▼ | Full Coverage ▲▼ | Compared to Billings ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
Bozeman | $169 | -13% |
Butte | $183 | -6% |
Great Falls | $177 | -9% |
Helena | $184 | -6% |
Missoula | $168 | -14% |
Billings car insurance FAQs
If you’re looking for more information to help you find the most affordable rates in Billings, the following answers can help.
How much is car insurance in Montana?
The average yearly rate for liability-only insurance in Montana is $943. The average annual rate for full coverage is $1,950. This puts Montana about 23% below the national average.[5]
Who has the cheapest car insurance in Billings?
USAA offers the most affordable rates in Billings, averaging $40 per month for liability-only coverage and $84 per month for full coverage. However, USAA insurance is only available to active members of the military and their families. If you don’t meet these criteria, you can also compare quotes from three to five insurers to find the best rates for you.
What are the best car insurance companies in Billings?
USAA, State Farm, and Travelers rank as three of the top insurers in Billings. These insurers offer some of the area’s lowest rates, and all three have impressive Insurify Quality Scores of 9.4, 9.3, and 9.0, respectively. In addition, each has been recognized for customer service, discount offerings, and financial stability.
USAA’s national average price for full coverage is $99 per month, while State Farm and Travelers have averages of $119 and $191, respectively.
What car insurance is required in Montana?
To drive legally in the state of Montana, your insurance coverage must meet the state’s 25/50/20 requirement. This means your coverage must include bodily injury liability protections of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. You must also have property damage liability protection of $20,000 per accident.
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.
Related articles
More cities in Montana
Sources
- J.D. Power. "Auto Insurance Customer Satisfaction Plummets as Rates Continue to Surge, J.D. Power Finds."
- Office of Montana State Auditor. "Auto Insurance."
- IIHS. "Older drivers."
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Teen Drivers and Passengers: Get the Facts."
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "2019/2020 Auto Insurance Database Report."
Erin Gobler is a personal finance writer and journalist based in Madison, Wisconsin. With more than five years of 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.
15+ years in content creation
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
Featured in