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

Car insurance for 18-year-olds tends to be more expensive than average, but the good news is that your rates will most likely go down if you’ve already been driving for a few years. 

There are also a wide variety of options available to help you lower your car insurance rates including comparing car insurance companies, getting more experience driving, driving safely, and signing up for programs that reward you for safe driving.

Inexperienced drivers tend to face higher rates, but what are the main factors that influence these rates? And how much is car insurance for an 18-year-old? 

In this article, we’ll explore all the different ways your rates can be impacted and how to get the most affordable car insurance as an 18-year-old.

Looking for affordable car insurance rates for 18-year-olds? Enter your ZIP code above for free quotes from the top car insurance companies near you.

What is the average insurance cost for 18-year-old drivers?

The price you’ll pay for car insurance as an 18-year-old driver will vary depending on several factors, but you’ll most likely pay rates that are higher than average if you’re a new driver. 

The average car insurance rates for an 18-year-old female are $7,030 annually. By contrast, the average annual rates for an 18-year-old male are $7,762. In most cases, male drivers are classified as more high-risk and will pay higher rates. 

However, the difference in rates between females and males is most prominent in teenage drivers. As a male driver, you can expect to pay close to what a female driver would pay for car insurance as you get older.

Although both your age and sex can impact how much car insurance will cost you, there are also other factors like your driving history, annual mileage, the type of car you drive, and your ZIP code that can all affect how much you’ll pay a month on your car insurance rates.

Read more: Who has the best car insurance rates?

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Why do 18-year-olds pay more for car insurance?

As an 18-year-old, many car insurance companies will classify you as a high-risk driver. High-risk drivers in car insurance refer to any type of driver that presents a high liability risk to an insurance company. 

Typically, this can be due to factors like the type of car you drive, your credit history, and any tickets or citations you’ve gotten. However, your driving history can also be a factor that can lead you to be classified as high-risk by your insurance company.

If you are 18 years old and have recently begun driving, you won’t have as much experience on the road as a 25-year-old driver, for example. Because of this, most car insurance companies will classify you as high-risk since you’re more likely to be involved in an accident while driving.

Along with driving history, one of the biggest factors that can impact your monthly rates as an 18-year-old driver is your age. Both teenage drivers and senior drivers are usually classified as high-risk due to age. 

Although your rates as an 18-year-old will be lower than the average rates for a 16-year-old or 17-year-old driver, your rates will still likely be higher than average. For example, 18-year-olds typically pay an average of $7,396 on annual car insurance rates, but car insurance rates for 25-year-olds are $3,348 a year on average. 

Will my car insurance rates go down when I turn 18?

In most cases, if you’ve already been driving for a few years, your car insurance rates will go down slightly when you turn 18. The average annual car insurance rates for an 18-year-old driver are $7,396. 

However, 16-year-old drivers will pay an average of $9,759 a year. Comparing the two, your rates as an 18-year-old will be slightly lower. 

However, there are sometimes exceptions to this. If you are new to driving, your rates as an 18-year-old driver may be higher than the rates of a 17-year-old driver with more driving experience than you. 

However, as long as you drive safely and avoid car accidents, your car insurance rates will likely decrease as you get older. For most people, the age when car insurance rates will start to decrease the most is 25. 

How do I get lower car insurance rates as an 18-year-old?

As an 18-year-old, there are many ways to get cheap car insurance for young drivers. The main way you can help to lower your rates is by gaining more experience with driving and keeping a clean driving record. Your car insurance rates will also become lower as you age.

However, even though both gaining more experience with driving and getting older can help to lower your rates, your car’s mileage will increase the more you drive it.

Many car insurance companies will charge you more for your rates if your annual mileage is high. This is because the more time you spend on the road driving, the more likely it is that you’ll be involved in an accident.

If you want to lower your car insurance rates, reducing the amount of time you spend driving a year may help. To see if you can get lower rates on car insurance for driving less annually, you’ll need to talk with your insurance provider to see what discounts are offered.

Another way to help lower your insurance rates is by comparing car insurance companies. While most car insurance companies will classify you as high-risk if you are a new or young driver, some insurance companies have lower rates than others.

When comparing car insurance companies, you can also keep an eye out for companies that offer programs that track your driving and give you discounts based on how well you drive. Some of the best programs for this include State Farm’s Drive Safe and Save program, Allstate’s Drivewise program, and Progressive’s Snapshot program.

The Bottom Line on Car Insurance for 18-year-old Drivers

18-year-old car insurance rates are usually higher than average, but your rates will depend on factors like your sex, driving history, vehicle make and model, and credit history. 

Car insurance rates for 18-year-old female drivers are $7,030 annually, but male 18-year-old drivers will pay more, averaging at $7,762 annually. Typically, you can expect your car insurance rates to start to decrease the most at the age of 25. (For more information, read our “Does car insurance go down at 25?“).

Although buying car insurance as an 18-year-old is often expensive, you may be able to get lower rates by gaining more experience with driving, comparing car insurance companies and policies, and asking your insurance provider if there are any discounts available for reducing your annual mileage.

Something else you can look out for when comparing car insurance companies is companies that offer usage-based programs that track your driving and give you discounts based on how well you drive.

Although many car insurance companies offer these kinds of programs, some of the best usage-based programs include State Farm’s Drive Safe and Save program, Allstate’s Drivewise program, and Progressive’s Snapshot program.

Enter your ZIP code below to get free car insurance quotes for 18-year-old drivers from the top car insurance companies in your area.

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