Best Cheap Car Insurance in Columbus, Ohio
Erie has the best cheap car insurance in Columbus, Ohio, at $29 per month for a minimum-coverage policy.
Compare Car Insurance Rates in Columbus
Best cheap car insurance in Columbus, OH
To find the best cheap auto insurance in Columbus, ValuePenguin collected quotes from the largest car insurance companies in Ohio. Quotes for minimum-coverage car insurance meet Ohio's minimum requirements of $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person and $50,000 per accident, plus $25,000 in property damage coverage. Full-coverage quotes include higher liability limits than state minimums, plus collision and comprehensive coverage.
Additionally, we rated the best insurance companies in Columbus, Ohio, based on customer service reviews, coverage availability and affordability for different drivers.
Cheapest car insurance in Columbus: Erie
Erie has the cheapest minimum-coverage car insurance in Columbus, Ohio.
At $29 per month, minimum coverage from Erie is 43% cheaper than the average rate among insurance companies in Columbus. Drivers with military ties can find even cheaper rates with USAA, but you must be a military member, veteran or family member to buy a policy.
Compare Car Insurance Rates in Columbus
The average cost of car insurance in Columbus, Ohio, is $51 per month for a minimum-coverage policy. That's 24% more expensive than the Ohio state average, which is $41 per month.
Cheap car insurance quotes in Columbus, Ohio
Company | Monthly rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $29 |
| Progressive | $35 |
| Geico | $46 |
| Grange | $53 |
| Nationwide | $62 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Minimum-coverage car insurance is the cheapest option for drivers in Columbus. However, it's not the best choice for most drivers.
The liability limits included in minimum coverage may not be high enough to cover the cost of a major accident, so you could end up paying a lot more in the long run. In addition, minimum-coverage insurance doesn't offer any protection for your own car.
For that reason, we recommend full coverage for most drivers — especially people who own a car that's less than 10 years old or worth more than $5,000.
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Columbus: Erie
Erie has the best cheap full-coverage car insurance in Columbus, Ohio. A full-coverage policy from Erie costs $80 per month, which is 30% cheaper than the Columbus average. It's also $23 less per month than the second-cheapest company, Geico.
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Erie | $80 |
| Geico | $103 |
| Progressive | $103 |
| Nationwide | $127 |
| Grange | $153 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Full-coverage auto insurance includes higher liability limits than the state minimum as well as collision and comprehensive insurance, which protect your own car against damage.
Collision coverage helps pay for damage to your car if you crash into another vehicle, an object or a building, regardless of whose fault it is. Comprehensive coverage will help pay for repairs if your car is damaged by something outside of your control, like hail, theft or an accident with an animal.
Cheap car insurance for drivers with prior incidents
Erie, Progressive and Geico have the best cheap car insurance for Columbus drivers with traffic violations and poor credit.
A driver with incidents on their record — like an accident, a speeding ticket or a DUI — will usually have to pay more for car insurance than a driver with a clean record. Insurance companies consider these drivers more likely to cause an accident in the future, making them more expensive to insure.
Columbus drivers with poor credit tend to pay more for car insurance, as well. This is because insurance companies believe they're more likely to file a claim in the future.
Cheapest car insurance after a speeding ticket: Erie
Erie has the cheapest full-coverage quotes for drivers in Columbus with a speeding ticket, at $87 per month. That's 41% cheaper than average.
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Erie | $87 |
| Geico | $130 |
| Progressive | $131 |
| Grange | $157 |
| Nationwide | $157 |
Car insurance quotes in Columbus increase by an average of 30% after a single speeding ticket, which is a difference of $34 per month.
Cheapest car insurance after an accident: Erie
Erie has the cheapest car insurance for a driver after an at-fault accident. A full-coverage policy from Erie costs around $111 per month, which is 40% cheaper than average.
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Erie | $111 |
| Progressive | $161 |
| Nationwide | $187 |
| Geico | $198 |
| Grange | $209 |
On average, drivers in Columbus with an accident on their records pay 64% more for car insurance than those with clean records.
However, not all insurance companies treat accidents the same way. For example, State Farm only raises car insurance rates by 21% after a single at-fault accident, while Geico's quotes nearly double.
Cheapest quotes in Columbus after a DUI: Progressive
Progressive has the most affordable full-coverage quotes for a driver with a DUI in Columbus, at $122 per month. That's 32% cheaper than the Columbus average — a difference of $122 per month.
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $122 |
| Erie | $134 |
| State Farm | $199 |
| Grange | $200 |
| Geico | $233 |
Columbus drivers with a DUI on their records typically pay 58% more for car insurance than drivers with clean records. In addition, people who get caught driving under the influence may need to get SR-22 insurance in Ohio, which can increase the cost of your car insurance even more.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with poor credit: Geico
Geico has the cheapest car insurance quotes in Columbus, Ohio, for drivers with poor credit. A full-coverage policy from Geico costs an average of $154 per month, which is 29% cheaper than average in Columbus.
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Geico | $154 |
| Erie | $181 |
| Progressive | $182 |
| Nationwide | $192 |
| Grange | $200 |
Columbus drivers with a bad credit score pay nearly twice as much for car insurance as drivers with good credit. That's a difference of $103 per month for full coverage.
Although your credit score doesn't have anything to do with your driving abilities, car insurance companies believe drivers with poor credit are more likely to be in an accident or file a claim in the future. That makes them more expensive to protect, which is why companies charge these drivers more for insurance.
Cheapest quotes for teen drivers in Columbus: Erie
Erie has the most affordable car insurance for young drivers in Columbus, Ohio.
A minimum-coverage policy from Erie costs around $72 per month for an 18-year-old driver. That's 61% cheaper than the Columbus city average. Erie also has the cheapest quotes for teens looking for full coverage, at $204 per month, which is 52% less than average.
Young drivers in Columbus with military ties can find even cheaper rates with USAA. However, you can only buy car insurance from USAA if you're enlisted in the military or have a family member who served.
Monthly car insurance quotes for teens in Columbus, OH
Company | Liability only | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $72 | $204 |
| Geico | $143 | $296 |
| Progressive | $147 | $402 |
| Grange | $210 | $568 |
| Allstate | $225 | $472 |
On average, an 18-year-old driver in Columbus can expect to pay three and a half times more for car insurance than a 30-year-old. Car insurance for young drivers is typically more expensive because they have less experience behind the wheel, so they're more likely to cause an accident.
The best way for Columbus teens to save money on their car insurance is by sharing a policy with their parents, which is usually much cheaper than buying two separate policies.
Cheapest quotes for young drivers with traffic violations: Erie
Erie has the cheapest car insurance quotes for young drivers in Columbus with incidents on their records.
A minimum-coverage policy from Erie for an 18-year-old driver with a single speeding ticket on their record costs $86 per month, which is 55% cheaper than average. Erie is also the most affordable option for teens with an at-fault accident on their records, at $96 per month for minimum coverage. That's 39% cheaper than the Columbus city average.
Monthly minimum-coverage quotes for Columbus teens
Company | Speeding | Accident |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $86 | $96 |
| Progressive | $157 | $174 |
| Geico | $160 | $210 |
| Grange | $210 | $263 |
| Nationwide | $249 | $255 |
Young drivers in Columbus with a single speeding ticket on their records can expect to pay 4% more for car insurance than those with clean records. Car insurance rates for teens increase by an average of 13% after an at-fault accident in Columbus.
Cheapest car insurance for married drivers: Erie
Erie has the best cheap car insurance in Columbus for married drivers. A full-coverage policy from Erie costs $73 per month for a single vehicle, which is 39% less than the citywide average.
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Erie | $73 |
| Progressive | $79 |
| Geico | $101 |
| Nationwide | $124 |
| Grange | $153 |
Married drivers in Columbus pay 5% less for car insurance than unmarried drivers, on average. Progressive offers the largest discount for married drivers in Columbus, at 29%. That's because married drivers are less likely to be involved in an accident, making them less expensive to insure.
Best auto insurance in Columbus, Ohio
Erie is the best car insurance company in Columbus, based on its excellent customer service reviews and affordable quotes.
Erie earned a high score on J.D. Power's annual claims satisfaction survey, which means customers are generally happy with the service they receive from Erie after an accident. Erie also receives fewer customer complaints than competitors of a similar size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Best insurance companies in Columbus, Ohio
Company |
Editor's rating
|
|---|---|
| Erie | |
| USAA | |
| State Farm | |
| Geico | |
| Nationwide |
Drivers in Columbus should consider customer service scores along with car insurance rates when shopping for the best policy.
Companies with great customer service scores can help you get back on the road quickly after an accident by providing an easy and fair claims process. On the other hand, a company with poor service scores may take longer to pay for repairs, and you could end up spending more money to fix your car.
Average car insurance cost in Columbus, by ZIP code
Powell residents in the 43065 ZIP code pay the cheapest car insurance rates in Columbus. The most expensive quotes can be found in 43224, which includes the neighborhood of North Linden.
Full-coverage rates in Columbus vary by up to $27 per month from one ZIP code to the next. While insurance rates tend to be fairly consistent across a city, some areas can be more expensive due to factors like population density, traffic and crime.
Full-coverage car insurance quotes by Columbus ZIP code
ZIP code | Monthly cost | % from average |
|---|---|---|
| 43004 | $119 | 5% |
| 43016 | $112 | -1% |
| 43017 | $112 | -1% |
| 43026 | $115 | 2% |
| 43035 | $114 | 0% |
Frequently asked questions
How much is car insurance in Columbus, Ohio?
Minimum-coverage car insurance costs an average of $51 per month in Columbus, which is 24% more expensive than the Ohio state average. Full-coverage insurance in Columbus costs $113 per month, on average.
What is the cheapest car insurance company in Columbus, OH?
Erie has the best cheap car insurance in Columbus. A minimum-coverage policy from Erie costs around $29 per month, while full coverage costs $80 per month. That makes Erie insurance 30% to 43% cheaper than average.
What is the best car insurance in Columbus, Ohio?
Erie is the best-rated car insurance company in Columbus. Erie has reliable customer service and affordable rates, making it a great option for most Columbus drivers. USAA also offers excellent service and cheap rates, but it's only available to drivers in the military, veterans and their families.
Methodology
To find the best cheap auto insurance in Columbus, OH, ValuePenguin pulled rates from the largest car insurance companies in Ohio. Quotes are for a single, 30-year-old driver with good credit and a clean record, who drives a 2015 Honda Civic EX.
Full-coverage quotes include comprehensive and collision coverage, along with higher liability limits than the Ohio state minimum requirement.
- Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $25,000 per accident
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident
- Medical payments coverage: $10,000
- Comprehensive and collision deductible: $500
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should only be used for comparison purposes. Quotes from these insurers may vary.