Finding Cheap Car Insurance in Tennessee
Shopping around to find cheap car insurance in Tennessee shouldn’t be a time-consuming project. We evaluated companies in Tennessee to find the lowest rates.
Featured Car Insurance Partners
1
Geico
Good
C-
Low
2
USAA
Excellent
C+
OK
3
State Farm
Very good
C
Low
Cheap Tennessee car insurance for good drivers
Penn National and USAA are the cheapest Tennessee car insurance companies for good drivers, among the companies we analyzed.
Cheap car insurance in Tennessee for drivers with a speeding ticket
A speeding ticket increases car insurance rates by 25% in Tennessee. The exact rate increase will vary by insurance company. Even though you’ll get hit with higher insurance rates, you can still shop around for the best car insurance.
Penn National and Tennessee Farmers have the lowest average rates for drivers with a speeding ticket in Tennessee, so make sure to get quotes from those companies if you’re shopping for Tennessee car insurance and have a speeding ticket on your record.
Cheap Tennessee car insurance for drivers who caused an accident with injury
Causing a car crash with an injury to someone else will make it difficult to find cheap car insurance. Our analysis found an average increase of 47% in Tennessee compared to drivers with a good driving record.
If you cause a car crash with an injury, Penn National and Tennessee Farmers may have the most competitive costs among the companies in our analysis.
Cheap Tennessee car insurance for drivers with a DUI
Car insurance rates in Tennessee go up an average of 105% if you have a DUI conviction on your record. You can still compare car insurance quotes to find better rates.
The cheapest Tennessee car insurance companies for drivers with a DUI are State Farm and American National P&C, among the insurers we analyzed.
Cheap Tennessee car insurance for drivers with poor credit
Tennessee auto insurance companies usually charge drivers higher rates if they have poor credit. People with bad credit pay an average of 79% more for car insurance in Tennessee.
State Farm and American National P&C may be good options if you’re looking for cheap Tennessee auto insurance and you have poor credit.
Cheap Tennessee car insurance for adding a teen driver
Adding a teen to your insurance policy increases rates by an average of 94% in Tennessee, compared to rates for a married couple without a teen driver.
Check quotes from Allied and Tennessee Farmers if you’re looking for cheap car insurance for teens in Tennessee.
Cheap Tennessee car insurance for young drivers ages 18 to 25
Getting your own car insurance is an expensive entry into adulthood. Our analysis found that Nationwide and USAA offer the cheapest Tennessee car insurance for young drivers.
Cheap Tennessee Car Insurance for Senior Drivers Ages 60-80
Nationwide and USAA offer the best car insurance for seniors who are looking for cheap rates in Tennessee. Older drivers should also find out if there’s a discount for taking a defensive driver class.
Required Tennessee Car Insurance Discounts
Tennessee car insurance companies must offer these two types of car insurance discounts at a minimum.
Older adult discount
Insurance companies must have a discount for drivers age 55 and over who complete an approved accident prevention course that includes eight hours of classroom instruction. The discount is good for three years and is renewable.
Motorcycle discount
Tennessee insurers must provide a 10% discount for motorcycle liability insurance for riders who complete a state-approved rider training course. The motorcycle insurance discount is good for three years.
Least Expensive Vehicles for Insurance in Tennessee
Your vehicle is factored into your auto insurance costs. In Tennessee, the Honda CR-V LX, Jeep Wrangler JL Sport and Subaru Forester 2.5i are among the most affordable options for insurance, based on average rates for 50 top-selling 2021 models. The 20 least expensive are below.
The most expensive cars for insurance in Tennessee among popular models are the Tesla Model S Performance ($3,260 per year) and Tesla Model 3 Standard Plus ($1,776 per year).
| Vehicle | Average annual premium in Tennessee |
|---|---|
|
Honda CR-V LX
|
$1,102
|
|
Jeep Wrangler JL Sport
|
$1,108
|
|
Subaru Forester 2.5i
|
$1,122
|
|
Subaru Crosstrek
|
$1,126
|
|
Ford Escape S
|
$1,155
|
|
Ford F-150 XL
|
$1,162
|
|
Volkswagen Tiguan SE
|
$1,168
|
|
Hyundai Tucson SE
|
$1,168
|
|
Dodge Grand Caravan SE
|
$1,171
|
|
Chevrolet Equinox L
|
$1,174
|
|
Jeep Compass Latitude
|
$1,177
|
|
Ford Edge SE
|
$1,196
|
|
Chevrolet Trax LS
|
$1,200
|
|
Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring
|
$1,202
|
|
Subaru Outback 2.4i Limited XT
|
$1,202
|
|
Kia Sportage EX
|
$1,202
|
|
Toyota Tacoma SR
|
$1,208
|
|
Toyota RAV4 LE
|
$1,209
|
|
Honda Pilot SE
|
$1,211
|
|
Chevrolet Traverse LS
|
$1,221
|
Required Minimum Tennessee Car Insurance
Tennessee requires car owners to buy liability car insurance. This core coverage type pays for injuries and damages you cause to others in a car accident. It also pays for a legal defense if you’re sued. But it does not pay for your own vehicle damage or your injuries.
You must buy liability insurance coverage with at least:
- $25,000 for bodily injury to one person
- $50,000 for bodily injury to multiple people in one accident
- $25,000 for damage to property in one accident
This is written as 25/50/25.
Tennessee’s minimum requirements can be insufficient. If you have assets, like a house or savings, the state minimum won’t be enough. If you cause an accident with injuries and property damage, the bills could quickly exhaust your insurance coverage and you could be responsible for the rest.
What Other Types of Car Insurance Should I Have in Tennessee?
Collision and comprehensive insurance. Liability insurance covers a lot of problems, but it doesn’t cover damage to your own car. If someone crashes into you, you could sue them for damages, or use your own collision insurance to cover car repair. Collision is also good for your own mishaps, like backing into a pole or hitting a guardrail.
Comprehensive insurance covers problems like car theft, vandalism, floods, hail, fire, falling objects, riots and colliding with animals, like birds and deer.
If you have a loan or lease, you are typically required to carry collision and comprehensive coverage.
Uninsured & underinsured motorist coverage. What happens if you get into an accident with someone who doesn’t have car insurance to cover your medical expenses? Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (UM and UIM) kick in.
Insurance companies in Tennessee must offer you UM and UIM, but you can reject it. But generally, these are good coverages to have. Uninsured motorist (UM) pays medical bills when someone without insurance crashes into you and underinsured motorist (UIM) pays when the driver has some insurance but it runs out.
So UM and UIM pay medical bills. What about your car damage? You can also purchase uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD), or reject it in writing. UMPD pays for property damage when an uninsured driver crashes into your car or property (like your fence or garage).
Medical payments (MedPay). This coverage pays for medical expenses for car accidents, no matter who is at fault. It typically covers expenses like hospital bills, copays and deductibles for you and your passengers. But it’s usually in low amounts such as $1,000 or $5,000.
Summary: Required Car Insurance in Tennessee
| Coverage type | Required minimum in Tennessee |
|---|---|
|
Liability insurance
|
• $25,000 per person for bodily injury liability
• $50,000 per accident for bodily injury liability
• $25,000 for property damage
|
|
Uninsured & underinsured motorist coverage
|
Not required
|
|
Medical Payments
|
Not required
|
|
Collision coverage
|
Not required
|
|
Comprehensive coverage
|
Not required
|
Can I Show My Insurance ID Card from My Phone in Tennessee?
You can use your phone to show an auto insurance ID card in Tennessee. Check to see if your auto insurance company has a mobile app that gives you easy access to an electronic ID card.
Factors Allowed in Tennessee Car Insurance Rates
Car insurance companies will often use your driving record, past claims, vehicle model and more when setting a rate. In Tennessee, insurers can also use these factors.
| Factor | Allowed in Tennessee? |
|---|---|
|
Age
|
Yes
|
|
Credit
|
Yes
|
|
Education & occupation
|
Yes
|
|
Gender
|
Yes
|
|
Marital status
|
Yes
|
|
ZIP code
|
Yes
|
Source: American Property Casualty Insurance Association. Other factors will be used to calculate your rates, including driving record and the amount of coverage you want.
How Many Uninsured Drivers are in Tennessee?
About 24% of Tennessee drivers have no insurance, according to the Insurance Research Council. That puts Tennessee near the top of the list for uninsured drivers, behind Florida, Mississippi, New Mexico and Michigan.
Penalties for Driving Without Auto Insurance in Tennessee
If you’re caught driving without insurance in Tennessee, you can be fined, have your driving privileges revoked and have your vehicle registration suspended.
When Can a Vehicle Be Totaled in Tennessee?
In Tennessee, an insurance company can decide a car is “totaled” when the damage exceeds 75% of its fair market value.
Solving Insurance Problems in Tennessee
The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance is in charge of monitoring insurance companies in the state and approving their rates. If you have an unresolved problem, the department staff may be able to help, or you can file a complaint.
Methodology
To find the cheapest auto insurance companies in Tennessee, we used rates from Quadrant Information Services, a provider of insurance data and analytics. Except where noted, rates are based on a 40-year-old female driver with a clean record insuring a new Toyota RAV4 with $100,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person, $300,000 per accident and $100,000 in property damage liability (known as 100/300/100), uninsured motorist coverage and any other coverage required in the state. Rates also include collision and comprehensive insurance with a $500 deductible.
State averages for Tennessee are based on rates from Allied, Allstate, American Family, Auto-Owners, Farm Bureau Mutual (Iowa Group), Farmers, Farmers Mutual of Nebraska, Geico, Nationwide, North Star, Progressive, State Farm, Kemper, USAA and Western National.
