13+ years writing insurance and personal finance content
Insurance, lending, and retirement expert
Jacqueline has contributed content, and her personal finance passion, to dozens of noteworthy financial brands, including Credit Karma, Bankrate, and MagnifyMoney.
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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 October 30, 2024
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Table of contents
If you live in Tennessee, you can expect to spend an average of $121 on car insurance per month, which is less than the national average of $158 per month. Factors like your ZIP code, traffic patterns, and crime rates can all affect the rate you pay for car insurance.[1]
To help you better understand the average cost of car insurance in Tennessee, this guide will show you the factors that can affect your rates.
The average cost of full-coverage car insurance is $167 per month in Tennessee.
One of the cheapest car insurance companies in Tennessee is State Farm.
On average, Kingsport drivers spend the least on car insurance in Tennessee, starting at $17 per month.
What’s the average cost of car insurance in Tennessee?
The price you pay for car insurance in Tennessee depends on the type of car insurance policy you choose. A full-coverage policy will cost more than a liability-only policy. The state’s average monthly rate for a full-coverage policy is $167, whereas liability insurance costs $74.
The insurance company you choose to work with also affects your insurance costs.
The following table provides a look at how much a handful of Tennessee auto insurance companies charge, on average, for each policy type.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Quote: Liability Only ▲▼ | Average Quote: Full Coverage ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
State Farm | $22 | $44 |
USAA | $26 | $52 |
GEICO | $28 | $57 |
Travelers | $29 | $60 |
Auto-Owners | $30 | $60 |
Erie | $32 | $64 |
Mile Auto | $39 | $70 |
Allstate | $40 | $80 |
Farmers | $43 | $86 |
Nationwide | $53 | $106 |
Progressive | $58 | $116 |
Chubb | $62 | $124 |
Safeco | $72 | $128 |
Direct Auto | $74 | $177 |
Dairyland | $76 | $213 |
State Auto | $82 | $166 |
National General | $82 | $183 |
Elephant | $90 | $144 |
GAINSCO | $98 | $272 |
Liberty Mutual | $103 | $196 |
The General | $104 | $209 |
Foremost | $128 | $300 |
Bristol West | $137 | $340 |
Average Tennessee car insurance rates by city
Car insurance rates vary a lot by state, but they can also fluctuate substantially by each city within a state. This is because drivers in different cities have different exposures to things like auto theft, cost of living, and traffic patterns that can affect insurance costs.
For example, the city of Kingsport has rates almost 60% cheaper than Memphis, a city known for its high crime rates.[2]
This table provides more insight into how car insurance rates can vary on a city level.
City ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
---|---|
Chattanooga | $126 |
Clarksville | $142 |
Cleveland | $116 |
Franklin | $118 |
Jackson | $125 |
Kingsport | $100 |
Knoxville | $124 |
Memphis | $175 |
Murfreesboro | $137 |
Nashville | $146 |
Average Tennessee car insurance rates by age
Your age can significantly affect your car insurance rates as well. Young drivers — especially those younger than 25 — often face higher premiums due to their limited driving experience and higher likelihood of accidents. That means teen drivers can expect higher rates.
As drivers gain more experience and reach middle age, rates tend to decrease. However, in later years — usually around age 70 — rates rise again due to increased accident risks associated with the aging process.
This table shows the average car insurance rates, by age, in Tennessee.
Rates by Age
How gender affects car insurance rates in Tennessee
Your gender can influence your car insurance rates as well. This is due to statistical risk assessment by insurance companies.
Historically, young male drivers have higher serious accident rates and a higher likelihood of incidents like DUIs. This leads to higher premiums.
This table compares the average rates based on gender and age in Tennessee.
Age ▲▼ | Male ▲▼ | Female ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
16 | $308 | $252 |
35 | $147 | $138 |
50 | $116 | $114 |
How your driving record affects car insurance rates in Tennessee
Insurance companies assess your record to gauge your risk as a driver.
A clean record with no accidents or traffic violations (like at-fault accidents, DUIs, and speeding tickets) generally results in the lowest rates, as it demonstrates responsible driving behavior. But a history of accidents or other traffic violations can lead to higher insurance costs, as it indicates a higher risk of future claims.
This table shows how your driving record can affect your rates in Tennessee.
Driver Record ▲▼ | Average Quote: Liability Only ▲▼ | Average Quote: Full Coverage ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
Clean record | $73 | $73 |
With accident | $104 | $219 |
With speeding ticket | $98 | $205 |
With DUI | $113 | $237 |
Average Tennessee car insurance rates by marital status
Unfortunately for single people, being married can lower your car insurance rates. This is because insurance companies consider married policyholders to be more stable and statistically less likely to engage in risky driving behaviors. They also believe that married drivers are more responsible, which translates to fewer insurance claims.
Below is a table illustrating the average cost of car insurance in Tennessee based on marital status.
Marital Status ▲▼ | Average Quote: Liability Only ▲▼ | Average Quote: Full Coverage ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
Single | $74 | $155 |
Married | $66 | $139 |
Average Tennessee car insurance rates by credit tier
Your credit history can also significantly influence your car insurance rates. Auto insurers can use information from your credit report to generate a credit-based insurance score that they use as a factor in determining premiums. Research suggests a correlation between your credit and the likelihood of filing insurance claims.
Good credit can lead to lower premiums, while poor credit may result in higher rates. Not all states allow the use of credit history to determine insurance premiums, but most do, including Tennessee.[3]
The table illustrates how the average car insurance rates in Tennessee can vary by credit.
Credit Tier ▲▼ | Average Quote: Liability Only ▲▼ | Average Quote: Full Coverage ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
Poor | $113 | $237 |
Average | $73 | $153 |
Good | $66 | $139 |
Excellent | $56 | $56 |
Cheapest recent rates in Tennessee
Drivers using Insurify have found quotes as cheap as $32/mo for liability only and $39/mo for full coverage in Tennessee.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 30, 2024
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 30, 2024
Tennessee car insurance FAQs
To help you better understand how car insurance pricing works in Tennessee and other important insurance considerations, check out the answers to these frequently asked questions.
What’s the average cost of car insurance in Tennessee?
The cost of your car insurance hinges on your chosen type of insurance coverage. In Tennessee, the average monthly car insurance cost stands at $121. However, your premiums may vary, with full-coverage policies typically costing around $167, while liability-only policies can be as low as $74 per month.
What’s the cheapest car insurance in Tennessee?
State Farm offers the cheapest policies, with liability-only rates starting at $22 per month. USAA and GEICO also have cheap rates for Tennessee drivers, with monthly liability quotes of $26 and $28, respectively.
Do car insurance rates vary by county in Tennessee?
Yes. Your location significantly influences your monthly auto insurance expenses — not just on a state level but on a more granular level as well. In Tennessee, even the county you reside in can affect your car insurance rates. Variables like population density, local accident frequencies, and crime rates all contribute to insurance pricing disparities between counties.
What are the best auto insurance companies in Tennessee?
When it comes to the best auto insurance companies in Tennessee, you may be looking for the best car insurance company that can provide great coverage at a favorable price. The cheapest car insurance policies in Tennessee are State Farm, USAA and GEICO.
While it’s helpful to look for the lowest rates, you want to find the features and coverage levels that suit you. Don’t be afraid to ask each company’s insurance agents as many questions as you need to feel confident about your decisions. This is a great opportunity to get an idea of how strong the company’s customer service is.
What are the car insurance requirements in Tennessee?
In Tennessee, minimum-coverage requirements mandate you carry minimum liability coverage of $25,000 for each injury or death per accident, $50,000 for total injuries or deaths per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident. Uninsured drivers risk fines and vehicle registration loss with insurance verification due to the James Lee Atwood Jr., Law enacted in 2017.[4]
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.
Sources
- Insurance Information Institute. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?."
- Forbes. "Report Ranks America’s 15 Safest (And Most Dangerous) Cities For 2023."
- Experian. "Which States Restrict the Use of Credit Scores in Determining Insurance Rates?."
- Tennessee Department of Revenue. "Why You Should Have Auto Insurance."
During college, Jacqueline DeMarco interned at a retirement plan advisory firm and was tasked with creating a presentation on the importance of financial wellness. During her research into how money can affect our health, relationships and career, Jacqueline realized just how important financial education is. Jacqueline is a contributor for Insurify and has worked with more than a dozen financial brands, including LendingTree, Capital One, Credit Karma, Fundera, Chime, Bankrate, Student Loan Hero, ValuePenguin, SoFi, and Northwestern Mutual, providing thoughtful content to give readers insight into complex topics that they likely didn’t learn in school.
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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