Best Car Insurance Companies for High-Risk Drivers (2024)

The General, State Farm, and USAA are a few of the best insurance companies for high-risk drivers.

3+ years writing about auto, home, and life insurance

7+ years in personal finance and technology

Amy specializes in insurance and technology writing and has a talent for transforming complex topics into easy-to-understand stories.

Read Editorial Guidelines

Featured in

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.

Read Editorial Guidelines

Featured in

7+ years experience in data analysis

Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

Read Editorial Guidelines

Updated June 12, 2024

Save up to $717 by comparing quotes from the top 100+ insurance companies

At Insurify, our goal is to help customers compare insurance products and find the best policy for them. We strive to provide open, honest, and unbiased information about the insurance products and services we review. Our hard-working team of data analysts, insurance experts, insurance agents, editors and writers, has put in thousands of hours of research to create the content found on our site.

We do receive compensation when a sale or referral occurs from many of the insurance providers and marketing partners on our site. That may impact which products we display and where they appear on our site. But it does not influence our meticulously researched editorial content, what we write about, or any reviews or recommendations we may make. We do not guarantee favorable reviews or any coverage at all in exchange for compensation.

Cheapest recent rates for drivers with a traffic citation

Liberty Mutual helped a Ford Fiesta driver in Blacksburg, Virginia save on car insurance with this quote.

A Bangor, Pennsylvania driver just saved on coverage for their Honda CR-V with this quote from Hugo.

Farmers's average rate for drivers with a traffic citation.

Direct Auto helped a Ford Escape driver in Mobile, Alabama save on car insurance with this quote.

A Vancouver, Washington driver just saved on coverage for their Lexus RX with this quote from National General.

We just helped a driver in Novato, California cover their Honda Pilot with this quote from Aspire General.

Just Insure helped a KIA Sorento driver in Glendale, Arizona save on car insurance with this quote.

A Hinesville, Georgia driver just saved on coverage for their Buick Lesabre with this quote from Mile Auto.

We just helped a driver in Visalia, California cover their Chevrolet Equinox with this quote from Mercury.

*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on June 1, 2024

Progressive helped a Toyota Tacoma driver in Corpus Christi, Texas save on car insurance with this quote.

A Fountain Hills, Arizona driver just saved on coverage for their Ford F-Series Pickup with this quote from Liberty Mutual.

Farmers's average rate for drivers with a traffic citation.

Certainly helped a Chevrolet Equinox driver in Zanesville, Ohio save on car insurance with this quote.

A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania driver just saved on coverage for their Ford Expedition with this quote from Safeco.

We just helped a driver in Linden, Virginia cover their Toyota Camry with this quote from Elephant.

National General helped a GMC Safari driver in San Jose, California save on car insurance with this quote.

A Plymouth, Indiana driver just saved on coverage for their Ford Escape with this quote from First Chicago.

We just helped a driver in Rantoul, Illinois cover their Ford F-Series Pickup with this quote from Mercury.

*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on June 1, 2024

If you’re a driver with recent tickets, traffic violations, or at-fault accidents or are a new driver, insurers may consider you high-risk. This typically means you’ll pay higher car insurance rates since you may be more likely to file a claim. Some insurers might even deny you coverage.

Non-standard car insurance policies cater to high-risk drivers, giving you the coverage you need. Not all insurers offer non-standard coverage, while some specialize in it. Since rates can vary significantly between companies, it’s a good idea to compare car insurance quotes from multiple insurers that offer non-standard coverage.

Keep reading to discover the best high-risk insurers and how to reduce your risk over time.

Your driving record, age, and credit history are some factors that can make you a high-risk driver.

Teen drivers are at the highest risk of getting into an accident.[1]

High-risk drivers can take steps to lower their risk and secure cheaper coverage.

Best car insurance for high-risk drivers

Auto coverage can be downright tricky for high-risk drivers. Some insurers might not sell non-standard policies in your state or could deny you coverage. Non-standard insurance is for drivers in your situation, although you’ll likely pay more than drivers with lower risk profiles.

While 14% of drivers in the U.S. didn’t have insurance in 2022, according to the Insurance Research Council, going without coverage isn’t an option in most states. In every state but New Hampshire, drivers must have at least a minimum amount of liability coverage. And if you lease or finance your vehicle, your leasing or lending company will require you to have full coverage.

Here are your best bets for high-risk insurance.

Best for very high-risk drivers: The General

high-risk driversThe General

The General is a non-standard insurance company that specializes in high-risk auto insurance. It could be a good fit if you have bad credit, a history of at-fault accidents, or lapses in coverage of up to five years or more. You can choose between liability-only and full coverage, but your policy won’t offer perks like accident forgiveness.

Competitively priced options for high-risk drivers or those with violations

SR-22 filing available in most states

Not available in all states

Mixed reviews for customer service

Average

Great, but Price is Everything with Old Cars

Poor

Best for low rates: State Farm

low ratesState Farm

If you qualify, State Farm may offer lower rates for high-risk drivers than The General. Your car insurance bill will likely be more than low-risk drivers, but discounts can help you save. State Farm offers accident-free and defensive driver discounts (depending on your state) to reward you for improving your driving record.

High rates of customer satisfaction

Rideshare insurance available

Not available in Rhode Island or Massachusetts

Doesn’t offer gap insurance for owners of leased or financed vehicles

Overpriced

Good Service

I have no problems at all with State Farm. I am completely satisfied with the service, but the price is what hurts me. I am thinking about stopping driving because of the higher rate! I don't put over 15 miles a week on my car. I go to church and once a week to the grocery store. That is the only purpose I use my car for. I was hoping you could lower my rates before I change! I really do appreciate the service I have with you and hope you don't feel offended because I tried to find a lower rate! That is the only reason I am trying! Thank you very much and I do hope you can help me with that. Okay!

Best for the military community: USAA

military communityUSAA

USAA is a solid option for high-risk drivers. But there’s a catch — it’s only available to active-duty military members, veterans, their spouses and children, and pre-commissioned officers. Still, it’s one of the best car insurance companies, scoring 871 out of 1,000 points for customer satisfaction in the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Insurance Study.

If you meet the membership criteria, you can access discounts and programs like pay-as-you-drive, good student discounts for teens, and on-base military discounts.

High rates of customer satisfaction

Will file an SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility for drivers

Only available for active-duty military, veterans, and their spouses or children

No 24/7 customer phone support

Great

Very Happy Customer

Fantastic

Our editorial team spent 350 hours developing the IQ (Insurify Quality) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. Criteria are weighted 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-5 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. We update ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.

Third-party financial ratings: We use 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 considered 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 United States, 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 identified the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share to score availability and reach.

How to get car insurance if you’ve been denied coverage

If standard auto insurers deny you coverage, you might qualify for coverage with a high-risk insurance company. You can look at The General, Mercury, SafeAuto, and Alpha Insurance. Remember that non-standard auto policies typically come with a higher price tag and that not all companies offer coverage in every state.

While non-standard insurance can be a lifeline if you’re a greater risk to insure, it’s not your only option. Here are a few steps to try if an insurance company won’t offer you a policy:

Shop around and apply for coverage with another standard insurance company. You might look at State Farm and others to find one that will insure you.

Consider asking a family member to add you to their car insurance policy. It can help you get the protection you need but can drive up their premiums.

Get quotes from non-standard auto insurance companies. If standard insurers won’t cover you, compare non-standard prices and coverage options to find the most affordable car insurance.

Take steps to lower your risk. Improve your driving record to increase your odds of a company approving you for standard car insurance in the future.

Find Affordable High-Risk Auto Coverage

Minimum coverage starts at $23/mo. for drivers with incidents on their records

What makes someone a high-risk driver?

High-risk drivers are generally more likely to file auto insurance claims. An insurance company might give you this label if you have a history of at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, or DUIs on your driving record. But insurers can label someone with a clean record as high-risk based on non-driving factors, like being a teen driver or having poor credit.

Driving factors

Having one or more driving-related incidents on your record can put you solidly in the high-risk driver category. These incidents include tickets (like speeding or running a red light), at-fault accidents, and certain driving-related convictions (such as DUIs or reckless driving). The more severe the violation, the riskier you appear to insurers.

The table below shows average full-coverage rates for drivers with different incidents on their records so you can see how driving history affects your cost.

7+ years experience in data analysis

Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

Read Editorial Guidelines

Non-driving factors

It’s not just your driving record that can make you a greater risk to insurers. Companies also consider non-driving factors:

Teen drivers with little driving experience fall into the high-risk group. Older adults can, too — drivers 70 and older are more likely to have a fatal accident than middle-aged drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.[2]

Living in an area with high vehicle crime rates or a high number of auto accidents can make you more likely to file a claim, increasing your insurance risk.

A gap in your insurance history could suggest you’ve driven without adequate coverage (which insurers view as risky behavior).

Poor credit is linked to a higher probability that you’ll file a claim, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).[3] This increases your risk rating in the eyes of insurers.

Learn More: Can You Get Car Insurance With No Credit Check?

4 ways to lower your risk

Just because you’re high-risk now doesn’t mean you’ll be high-risk forever. The good news is you can lower your risk level — and your insurance premiums. Some actions might lower your risk right away, while others can take some time to have an effect.

Take an approved driving course

A defensive driving course or driver improvement course might be one of the quickest ways to slide into more affordable auto insurance. Some insurance companies offer discounts for taking a course like this, so you could see savings quickly.

It can also reduce the number of points on your license (if you live in a state that uses the point system), leading to cheaper premiums. Here’s why: Insurance companies use points to gauge how risky you are as a driver. For example, if you take an approved driver improvement course, New Jersey can take up to three points off your driving record,[4] while Michigan lets you avoid points after a ticket by taking a course.[5]

Repair your credit

A good credit history can help you qualify for lower car insurance rates. Check your credit report regularly and correct any errors. Pay off any old debts you may have, and pay all your bills on time every month.

It can take time to improve your credit score, but the long-term effect can be better insurance rates and more coverage options.

Erase your traffic ticket

Depending on where you live, you might be able to get your traffic ticket erased from your record. This is called “expungement.” States have different rules about the types of offenses that you can expunge and how the process works, but it’s worth looking into, especially if you have an otherwise clean record.[6]

Check with your state’s department of motor vehicles to see if expungement is an option for you. It’s worth the hassle since it can help you qualify for better insurance rates.

Practice safe driving

Driving safely today won’t change how insurers view you tomorrow. But the more time you put between shopping for car insurance and your latest traffic violation, the better. Accidents, tickets, and DUI convictions can affect your car insurance rates for three to seven years.

Consistency is key. Focus on maintaining a clean driving record, and you could see reduced rates over time.

Save By Comparing Car Insurance Rates

Insurify partners with 100+ top companies to show the most accurate quotes

High-risk car insurance FAQs

If insurers view you as a high-risk driver, you may find this additional information helpful when searching for auto insurance coverage.

How long are you considered a high-risk driver?

How long insurers consider you a high-risk driver varies. It hinges on the risk factors involved. Traffic tickets and convictions could stay on your record for years. But non-driving factors, like age, location, and credit history, may get you out of the high-risk category sooner.

Who is an at-risk driver?

At-risk drivers typically have accidents, tickets, DUIs, or other traffic-related convictions on their driving records. Insurers can also view you as a greater risk if you’re a younger (or older) driver, live in an area with high vehicle theft or accident rates, have poor credit, or have had a lapse in insurance coverage.

What is the best insurance company for high-risk drivers?

One “best” insurance company for high-risk drivers doesn’t exist. The right fit for you depends on your circumstances. Some high-risk drivers might qualify for coverage with a standard insurer like State Farm, while others may need a high-risk auto insurance policy from a company like The General.

Does USAA cover high-risk drivers?

USAA can offer insurance coverage to specific high-risk drivers, but only some drivers qualify for USAA insurance. To be eligible, you must be an active-duty military member, veteran, their spouse or child, or a pre-commissioned officer. It’s worth looking into since your premiums could be cheaper with USAA than with a non-standard insurer.

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:

Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.

Sources

Amy is a personal finance and technology writer. With a background in the legal field and a bachelor's degree from Ferris State University, she has a talent for transforming complex topics into content that’s easy to understand. Connect with Amy on LinkedIn.

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.

Read Editorial Guidelines

Featured in

7+ years experience in data analysis

Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

Read Editorial Guidelines

Compare Car Insurance Quotes Instantly

Latest Articles

How to Get Car Insurance With No Credit History

Some companies offer car insurance without a credit check. Learn how to purchase a car insurance policy if you don’t have a credit history or have poor credit.

Cheapest Car Insurance for Drivers Under 25 (2024)

Finding cheap car insurance for drivers under 25 can be tough, but there are plenty of affordable options if you know where to look.

Best Car Insurance Companies for Teenagers (2024)

Teens are notoriously expensive to insure. Check out the cheapest car insurance companies for teenagers to find a better deal.

Best Car Insurance with a $500 Deductible (2024)

Nationwide has the cheapest full-coverage car insurance with a $500 deductible, at $273 per month. Your deductible is what you pay when you file a claim.

Best Car Insurance Companies for High-Risk Drivers (2024)

High-risk drivers can still find affordable car insurance. Discover the best companies for high-risk insurance policies and the steps to lower your risk.

The Best Car Insurance for Bad Drivers (2024)

Drivers with bad driving records get the best car insurance rates from companies like GEICO, State Farm, and Travelers.