The 10 Least, Most Expensive States For Auto Insurance

The price two different motorists will pay for auto insurance is likely to vary, sometimes wildly, and factors such as the vehicle you drive, as well as your driving record can have a big influence on what you’ll shell out for coverage. But another critical factor is where you live. Insurance coverage in Louisiana, for example, averages nearly three times as much for the average motorist, $2,699 a year in the Bayou States compared to just $934 for those living "down East."

The numbers from a new survey actually don’t reveal the full extent of how insurance can vary by location. Residents of big cities, such as New Orleans, pay even bigger premiums than those living in most suburban and rural areas. But even in relatively low-cost regions, motorists are often penalized for driving the "wrong" vehicle, cars, trucks, or crossovers that insurance companies consider to be high-risk. A Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG coupe registered in Oregon will have the highest bill in the country, according to the new survey, at $5,687 annually. That’s about four times as much as the average $1,387 cost of insuring a car in Oregon.

At the other extreme, Insure.com found you’ll only pay $698 to cover a Toyota Tacoma pickup in Wyoming – or less than half the state’s average $1,496.

According to the survey, the 10 most expensive states are:

1. Louisiana – $2,699
2. Michigan – $2,520
3. Georgia – $2,155
4. Oklahoma – $2,074
5. Washington, D.C. – $2,006
6. Montana – $1,914
7. California – $1,819
8. West Virginia – $1,816
9. Rhode Island – $1,735
10. Kentucky – $1,725

At the other extreme, these are the 10 least expensive of the 50 states and the District of Columbia:

42. Arizona – $1,227
43. Washington – $1,226
44. Indiana – $1,183
45. Vermont – $1,176
46. Idaho – $1,133
47. New Hampshire – $1,112
48. Ohio – $1,106
49. North Carolina – $1,085
50. Iowa – $1,028
51. Maine – $934