One of the benefits of getting older is that your car insurance rates can go down, which means drivers in their forties are likely paying much less for car insurance than they did in their twenties. We found that the average rate for a 25-year-old driver is $1,929 per year, but the average cost of insurance for a 45-year-old driver is several hundred dollars cheaper, at $1,582 per year.
Even with their lower average rates, 45-year-old drivers can still save money on their insurance. Shopping around is one way to find the cheapest car insurance out there — we found that USAA, Erie, and State Farm have some of the lowest rates for 45-year-old drivers.
How much is car insurance for a 45-year-old?
The average 45-year-old driver pays $1,582 a year for a full coverage insurance policy, but rates vary by company, which is why it’s important to shop around to find your best rates.
According to Policygenius analysis, here’s what 45-year-old drivers pay for full-coverage car insurance at ten of the top insurance companies in the U.S.:
Company | Average rate for 45-year-old drivers | JD Power Score |
|---|---|---|
Allstate | $1,961 | 876 |
American Family | $1,330 | 862 |
Erie | $1,047 | 880 |
Farmers | $1,902 | 872 |
GEICO | $1,175 | 871 |
Nationwide | $1,405 | 876 |
Progressive | $1,691 | 856 |
State Farm | $1,155 | 881 |
Travelers | $1,415 | 861 |
USAA | $982 | 890 |
Rates vary from one company to the next, so you can potentially save hundreds of dollars (or more) by comparing quotes from multiple companies.
Cheapest car insurance companies for 45-year-olds
According to our research, the best rates for 45-year-old drivers are with USAA at $982 per year, Erie at $1,047 per year, and State Farm at $1,155 per year.
USAA
We found that USAA offers the lowest average rates for 45-year-old drivers, $65 less per year than Erie and $173 less than State Farm. But while USAA may be the most affordable, coverage is only available to members of the military (both active and retired) and their families. This means not everyone will qualify for a USAA policy.
Erie
Erie has the next-lowest rate for 45-year-old drivers, but they only offer insurance in 13 states. Only drivers in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia and Wisconsin are eligible for coverage through Erie.
State Farm
We found that State Farm has the third-lowest average rate for 45-year-old drivers and, unlike USAA and Erie, State Farm is available to most drivers — it offers coverage in all 50 states and doesn’t have any required group affiliation to purchase coverage.
Average car insurance costs for 45-year-old drivers by gender
Car insurance companies take your gender into account when determining your rates in almost every state.
A small handful of states, including California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania have laws in place that stop insurance companies from using gender to decide how much you pay for car insurance, but drivers everywhere else can pay either slightly more or slightly less for car insurance based on their gender.
Gender | Average annual premium |
|---|---|
45-year-old female | $1,652 |
45-year-old male | $1,668 |
The difference in rates for male and female drivers is biggest among teens and drivers in their early twenties. For 45-year-old drivers, the gender-based difference in rates is pretty small, and male drivers pay, on average, just $16 more per year for coverage than female drivers.
Average car insurance costs for 45-year-old drivers by credit score
No matter how old you are, you will likely pay more for car insurance if you have bad credit, which means improving your credit score can help you save money on car insurance.
Credit score | Credit rating | Average annual cost |
|---|---|---|
Excellent | 823+ | $1,420 |
Very Good | 795-822 | $1,569 |
Good | 769-794 | $1,718 |
Fair | 710-740 | $2,084 |
Poor | 524-577 | $3,107 |
Working to improve your credit score can save you a significant amount of money— the difference in car insurance rates between a poor credit score and an excellent credit score is a whopping $1,687 per year. Even just raising your credit rating from poor to fair is enough to save you more than $1,000 per year.
Average car insurance costs for 45-year-old drivers by state
Where you live plays a big part in how much you pay for insurance. We found that Ohio was the cheapest state for 45-year-old drivers, at an average cost of $982 per year for a full-coverage policy, while Florida was the most expensive state for 45-year-old drivers at an average of $2,812 per year for car insurance.
State | Rates for 45-year-old drivers |
|---|---|
$1,311 | |
$1,648 | |
$1,704 | |
$1,500 | |
$1,785 | |
$1,691 | |
$1,734 | |
$2,058 | |
$2,812 | |
$1,664 | |
$1,200 | |
$1,099 | |
$1,053 | |
$1,320 | |
$1,147 | |
$1,529 | |
$2,059 | |
$2,807 | |
$1,548 | |
$1,721 | |
$1,084 | |
$2,314 | |
$1,366 | |
$1,492 | |
$1,591 | |
$1,817 | |
$1,000 | |
$1,331 | |
$1,657 | |
$1,172 | |
$2,209 | |
$1,432 | |
$2,054 | |
$2,133 | |
$982 | |
$1,839 | |
$1,403 | |
$1,509 | |
$1,782 | |
$1,782 | |
$1,565 | |
$1,265 | |
$1,754 | |
$1,451 | |
$1,220 | |
$1,080 | |
$1,600 | |
$1,015 | |
$1,625 | |
$1,354 |
How to save money on car insurance for 45-year-old drivers
While 45-year-old drivers already see lower average rates for car insurance than younger drivers, there are still other ways to save even more money on car insurance.
1. Compare quotes
Each car insurance company sets their own rates, which is why the same driver can get very different quotes from different companies. Shopping around for car insurance can help you find your cheapest option and save hundreds of dollars (or more) each year.
2. Take advantage of discounts
Most insurance companies offer multiple car insurance discounts, including bundling discounts, customer loyalty discounts, employer discounts, safety feature discounts, and military discounts. Check with an insurance agent to make sure you are getting all of the discounts that apply to you.
3. Keep your driving record clean
One of the biggest factors insurance companies use to set your rates is your driving record. Avoiding accidents, speeding tickets, DUIs, and other moving violations is one of the best ways to keep your car insurance rates low.
4. Watch your mileage
Most insurance companies consider your yearly mileage when setting your rates, which means drivers who spend more time on the road are likely to pay more for their car insurance. If you can carpool, work from home, or find other ways to reduce your commute, it will help you get the lowest possible rates.
Does insurance get cheaper at 45?
Insurance rates based on your age typically go down over time, but age isn’t the only factor insurance companies use to set your rates. Your ZIP code, driving history, credit score and the other drivers on your policy can all affect how much you pay.
Also, inflation and other industry-wide changes need to be taken into account — what an insurance company charges for a 45-year-old driver today isn’t necessarily going to be the same amount an insurance company charges for a 45-year-old five years from now. This means you may still pay more (or less) than you expect in the future, even if you get a lower rate because of your age.
Frequently asked questions
Will my car insurance go down when I turn 50?
Car insurance rates can go down every year until drivers turn 60, but this is not guaranteed. If you get in an accident, move to a new neighborhood, buy a new car, or have any other big changes in your life, your rates could go up (or down), no matter your age.
Why is car insurance so expensive for older drivers?
Teens typically have the highest insurance rates based on their age, but drivers over the age of 60 will likely see small increases in their rates over time. This is because the risk of age-related issues, like slowed reaction times and declining vision, increase as drivers age. Not everyone will have these problems, but insurance companies raise rates for drivers who are 60 or older to make up for the higher risk.
Why does your address affect what you pay for insurance?
Insurance companies determine rates based on the likelihood that they will have to pay out a claim in the future. Local information, like the number of accidents and moving violations in your area, or the number of reported car thefts near where you live, plays a part in helping insurance companies determine how much to charge you for insurance based on those risks.
Methodology
Policygenius has analyzed car insurance rates provided by Quadrant Information Services for every ZIP code in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C.
For full coverage policies, the following coverage limits were used:
Bodily injury liability: 50/100
Property damage liability: $50,000
Uninsured/underinsured motorist: 50/100
Comprehensive: $500 deductible
Collision: $500 deductible
In some cases, additional coverages were added where required by the state or insurer.
Rates for overall average rate, rates by ZIP code, and cheapest companies determined using averages for single drivers age 30, 35, and 45. Our sample vehicle was a 2017 Toyota Camry LE driven 10,000 miles per year.
Rates for driving violations and “poor” credit were determined using average rates for a single male 30-year-old driver with a credit score under 578.
Some carriers may be represented by affiliates or subsidiaries. Rates provided are a sample of insurance costs. Your actual quotes may differ.
