How much is car insurance for an 18-year-old?

If you’re wondering how much insurance is for an 18-year-old, you’ve come to the right place. Auto insurance costs $464 per month for full coverage for 18-year-olds.

Most drivers who are 18 have had two years of driving under their belts, and that experience begins to pay off in lower car insurance rates. The average car insurance rate for an 18-year-old on their own policy is $5,565 yearly for full coverage.

That rate is $3,883 higher than the national average of $1,682 for 40-year-old drivers. However, the car insurance rate for 18-year-olds is cheaper than that for 16-year-olds ($7,625 per year and $635 a month) and 17-year-old drivers ($6,272 per year and $523 per month).

As drivers gain more experience and improve their behind-the-wheel performance, car insurance rates are likely to drop, says Carole Walker, the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association executive director.

“While teen drivers will pay more for car insurance even with a clean driving record, steering clear of at-fault crashes and citations will help them keep their insurance premiums lower,” she says.

Read more to learn more about car insurance for 18-year-olds.

Car insurance for teens: How much is car insurance for 18-year-olds?

Annual cost for car insurance for an 18-year-old with their own policy:

How much you pay to insure your teen driver will vary depending on factors like:

The average annual rates by state in the charts below show what you can expect to pay for coverage.

How much is car insurance for 18-year-olds per month?

Car insurance costs an average of $454 per month for an 18-year-old male driver, based on a 2022 CarInsurance.com rate analysis. Female drivers aged 18 pay $410 per month for the same coverage.

Car insurance for an 18-year-old female, by state

The nationwide average cost for insurance for an 18-year-old female on her own policy is $4,918. Teen female drivers aged 18 pay $647 less than males for car insurance. Below, you’ll see average car insurance costs by state for an 18-year-old female compared to the price of a parent policy that adds an 18-year-old.

Car insurance for an 18-year-old male, by state

On average, males aged 18 pay $5,565 annually for their own full-coverage insurance policy, which is $647 more than females their age. The table below compares rates for a male 18-year-old with his own policy to those of being added to a parent’s policy.

Read the methodology

Car insurance for 18-year-olds is expensive on their own policies

Car insurance for young drivers is much cheaper when parents add the teen to their existing policy. As young drivers gain more experience, their rates should drop. You’ll see in the chart below how much it costs to add a teen driver to a parent policy and how much you save.

Check out our parents’ guide on the best and cheapest way to insure teenage drivers.

Cheapest car insurance companies for 18-year-olds

Below, you’ll see how significant carriers compare rates when you add a teen driver age 18 to your coverage.

How much is car insurance for 18-year-old females on a parent’s policy?

In this scenario, Island, North Carolina Farm Bureau, New Jersey Manufacturers, USAA and Nationwide were the cheapest among insurance companies we surveyed for adding a female. See more rates in the table below. Remember to compare the price and key policy elements, like coverage limits and deductibles.

See more rates in the table below.

How much is car insurance for an 18-year-old male with parents?

Island, North Carolina Farm Bureau, New Jersey Manufacturers, USAA and Nationwide have the cheapest car insurance for 18-year-olds. The table below shows more rates.

How much is car insurance for 18-year-old females?

If your teen buys their own policy, Island, North Carolina Farm Bureau, Erie Insurance, USAA and New Jersey Manufacturers came in with the lowest female rates for full coverage; see the rates in the table below.

How much is car insurance for 18-year-old males?

For male drivers aged 18 on their own insurance policies, Island, North Carolina Farm Bureau, USAA, New Jersey Manufacturers and Erie are among the national carriers with the cheapest car insurance rates.

How do you get cheaper car insurance for 18-year-olds?

Rather than skimping on coverage, a better idea is to maximize discounts and shop around regularly for the best insurance coverage. Accident- and ticket-free driving, comparison shopping and maximizing discounts will help you find the cheapest car insurance rates for teens.

“Many big car insurance companies offer discounts to good students. Students are eligible for discounts if they have excellent academic performance, such as a high GPA or high test scores on SAT or ACT,” says Associate Professor Ting Liu of the College of Arts and Sciences at Stony Brook University.

“Some companies offer multiple policy discounts. For example, if a student needs renters insurance and car insurance, buying the two policies from the same company is a good idea and asking for a multiple policy discount.”

Car insurance discounts for 18-year-olds

Here are some typical car insurance discounts for teens:

Shop around for car insurance for 18-year-olds

Adding an 18-year-old to a parent’s insurance policy or getting their own car insurance policy is costly. The best way to minimize the pain is to shop around. Compare car insurance quotes from multiple insurance companies. Each insurer uses its own method for calculating what you pay, so prices for the same policy vary.

There is some good news. Car insurance gets cheaper as you age. Average car insurance rates by age show that premiums decrease significantly when drivers turn 26. CarInsurance.com has guides for car insurance for 16-year-olds, 17-year-olds and 19-year-olds that break down rates for car insurance for teens.

Car insurance for teens: 

Car insurance for young adults: 

Car insurance for adults: 

Car insurance for seniors: 

Resources & Methodology

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. “Teen Drivers: Get the Facts.” Accessed June 2022.

Governors Highway Safety Association. “Teen and Novice Drivers.” Accessed June 2022.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute. “Teenagers.” Accessed June 2022.

CarInsurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services in 2022 to field rates for auto coverage data by ZIP code for 18-year-old and 40-year-old drivers.

– Michelle Megna contributed to this story.

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Laura Longero

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*Carinsurance.com is not affiliated with any state or government agency. Advertised example rates are returned based on the driver's self-reported data, by comparing their current reported premium against their new policy premium, and the driver meeting certain criteria. Also, safe driver and other discounts may have been applied to achieve the advertised rate, which may not be available to the average consumer. Your actual quoted rate may vary greatly and may be subject to adjustment based on verification of your self-reported data.

Advertised example rates are returned based on the driver's self-reported data and the driver meeting certain criteria. Also, safe driver and other discounts may have been applied to achieve the advertised rate, which may not be available to the average consumer. Your actual quoted rate may vary greatly and may be subject to adjustment based on verification of your self-reported data.