Where to Find the Cheapest Car Insurance in Reno, Nevada
The cheapest car insurance in Reno is offered by State Farm, at $39 per month for minimum coverage and $104 per month for full coverage.
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Best cheap car insurance companies in Reno
To find the cheapest rates, your best bet is to shop around. Different companies charge different rates for the same coverage.
Cheapest car insurance in Reno: State Farm
State Farm, Progressive and American Family Insurance offer the most affordable full-coverage policies for Reno drivers. Together, these three companies charge an average of $1,719 per year for full coverage, which is 32% cheaper than the city average of $2,514.
USAA also offers Reno drivers cheap full coverage. Only qualified military members, veterans and some of their family members qualify for USAA insurance but are likely to get a solid deal. Full coverage from USAA averages $1,765 per year, which is $749 cheaper than the city average.
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Cheapest companies in Reno for full coverage
Company | Monthly rate | |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $104 |
| Progressive | $138 |
| American Family Insurance | $188 |
| Geico | $218 |
| Allstate | $266 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in Reno
The most affordable minimum coverage in Reno comes from State Farm.
Annual premiums of $466 from State Farm are 42% cheaper than the city average of $809.
Progressive is the second-cheapest insurance company for Reno residents. The company's annual rates average $657. That's 19% lower than the city average, but $191 more than State Farm.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Reno
Cheapest car insurance companies in Reno, NV
Company | Monthly cost | |
|---|---|---|
|
| State Farm | $39 |
|
| Progressive | $55 |
|
| American Family Insurance | $60 |
|
| Allstate | $75 |
| Farmers | $80 |
Cheapest car insurance for young drivers in Reno: State Farm
Insurance companies view teens and young adults as riskier drivers, because they tend to get into accidents more frequently due to inexperience.
State Farm and Progressive offer the cheapest car insurance for Reno drivers. Average rates from both companies are less than $4,000 annually.
Insurance for teen drivers is more expensive than for adult drivers, but you can compare quotes to get the best deal.
Cheapest car insurance for young drivers
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $114 |
| Progressive | $200 |
| Allstate | $367 |
| American Family Insurance | $373 |
| CSAA Insurance Group | $445 |
*USAA is not ranked, because only military members (current and former) and their families are eligible. The rates are for an 18-year-old man.
If you still can't find affordable coverage after contacting several companies, there are some other steps you can take to get your rates down:
- Talk to your company about discounts.
- Ask your parents if they will allow you to stay on their plan.
Insurance companies often offer discounts for young drivers, such as a good student or a student away from home. And by staying on a parent's policy, you can benefit from their lower rates, as more experienced drivers, to pay less overall.
Cheapest car insurance for Reno drivers with a prior accident: State Farm
Most insurance companies increase rates after an at-fault accident, but to different degrees. In Reno, State Farm, Allstate and Farmers increased rates the least for this situation.
Always shop around when your driving record changes. Insurance companies treat at-fault accidents differently. Some, such as State Farm, raise rates by a few hundred dollars, while others, such as American Family Insurance, nearly double rates.
State Farm increased rates by just 19%, from $1,243 per year to $1,483 per year. Allstate and Farmers, despite charging higher rates overall, did not raise rates too sharply after an accident. Annual premiums from Allstate jumped 38%, from $3,192 to $4,389, while premiums from Farmers jumped 43%, from $3,537 to $5,058.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a prior accident
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $124 |
| Progressive | $220 |
| American Family Insurance | $347 |
| Geico | $358 |
| Allstate | $366 |
*USAA is not ranked, because only military members (current and former) and their families are eligible.
Drivers with an accident history may have a harder time finding affordable insurance than drivers with a clean record. Companies view an at-fault accident as an increased risk and raise rates to compensate for it.
Drivers looking to lessen their rate increase from an accident should ask about discounts. Insurance companies may offer discounts for a number of things, including your occupation, safety features installed in your car, or successful completion of a defensive-driving course. It never hurts to ask.
Cheapest car insurance for Reno drivers with poor credit: State Farm
Nevada insurance companies often consider a driver's credit score when assessing risk and calculating rates. Drivers with higher credit scores are seen as lower risk and usually get better rates. In Reno, drivers with very good credit pay an average of $827 per year, while drivers with poor credit pay $2,991.
State Farm has the most affordable rates for Reno drivers with low credit scores. Annual rates for a full-coverage policy were $1,896 per year, which is $1,095 cheaper than the average rate for drivers with poor credit.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with poor credit
Company | Average annual rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $158 |
| Progressive | $172 |
| Geico | $227 |
| American Family Insurance | $233 |
| Allstate | $279 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Best car insurance companies in Reno by customer service
Cheap rates are a priority for most drivers, but it's also important to find a reliable company. The best process claims quickly, offer customer service 24/7 and communicate clearly with policyholders.
The insurance companies with the best customer service, measured by frequency of customer complaints, are American Family, Allstate, and State Farm.
It's important to balance service and cost. Affordable premiums are important, but you'll also want a company that can promptly pay out claims and answer your questions.
Fortunately, Reno drivers are well positioned to strike this balance. The companies that consistently offered the most affordable rates — State Farm, Progressive and American Family Insurance — also had the lowest number of complaints, proportional to their market share, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Rank | Company | Market share | Complaint index number |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Family Insurance | 0.67% | 0.46 |
| 2 | Allstate | 6.61% | 0.63 |
| 3 | State Farm | 13.22% | 0.66 |
| 4 | Progressive | 7.42% | 0.67 |
| 5 | USAA | 2.02% | 0.68 |
Companies were selected based on market share and quote availability. Complaint index information is drawn from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The national median for the complaint index is 1.0, meaning companies with a lower index provide better customer service, compared with the median company. Market share information is drawn from S&P.
A low complaint index number means that, taking their market share into account, the company had fewer complaints than would be expected.
Cost of car insurance in Reno by ZIP code
Insurance companies partially base rates on not only what city you live in, but also your ZIP code. Certain neighborhoods experience more crime and congestion, which increases risk level and the cost of protecting cars that drive and are parked there.
ZIP code 89501 is the most expensive in Reno for full coverage. Residents there pay an average of $2,613 per year. The cheapest ZIP code is 89510, where drivers pay $2,376 per year, on average.
If you live in one of Reno's more expensive ZIP codes for insurance, shop around for a good deal. Get quotes from at least three local companies before buying. Different companies calculate risk differently, and one might factor in your neighborhood more strongly than another.
ZIP code | Average cost — full coverage | Average cost — minimum coverage |
|---|---|---|
| 89501 | $2,613 | $852 |
| 89502 | $2,572 | $824 |
| 89503 | $2,608 | $840 |
| 89506 | $2,443 | $802 |
| 89508 | $2,470 | $796 |
Minimum car insurance requirements in Nevada
To drive legally in Nevada, you must have an auto insurance policy that meets the mandatory state minimums. The requirements are:
- $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person
- $50,000 of bodily injury liability per accident
- $20,000 of property damage liability per accident
This is the lowest amount of coverage legally, but it's generally best to carry more. Medical payments coverage can help pay for injuries if your health insurance doesn't offer sufficient coverage, while collision and comprehensive coverages help pay for damages to your own car, both on and off the road.
What's the best car insurance coverage in Reno, NV?
Minimum coverage policies might seem appealing, given their low annual premiums. Nevada minimums include two components:
- Bodily injury liability: Covers costs related to physical injuries to another driver and their passengers if you're at fault for an accident.
- Property damage liability: Covers damage you cause to another driver's property.
Minimum coverage in Nevada doesn't include any protection for your own car. So while these policies might be affordable, you risk insufficient protection in the event of an accident.
A full-coverage policy is recommended for all drivers, especially if you drive a new or expensive car.
Minimum coverage only protects you from liability after hitting another driver. Full coverage protects both you and the other driver.
Full coverage can cost three to four times as much as minimum coverage. The increased cost comes from adding comprehensive and collision to the state-mandated liability coverages.
Comprehensive
Covers the cost of "acts of God" or damage caused by circumstances out of your control. This includes damage from animals, falling objects and vandalism.
Collision
Covers the cost of repairs due to a collision with a stationary object or another car or an incident like driving into a ditch.
Full coverage is recommended for drivers who have a car that's less than 10 years old or worth more than $3,000. Collision coverage ensures your own car is fully protected in an accident, while comprehensive coverage accounts for unforeseen incidents beyond your control.
Auto theft statistics in Reno
Reno has the highest rate of auto thefts among major cities in Nevada. 2019 FBI crime data found that 4.64 cars are stolen for every 1,000 residents.
Theft rank | City | Population | Motor vehicle thefts in 2019 | Thefts per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reno | 254,349 | 1,179 | 4.64 |
| 2 | North Las Vegas | 249,854 | 1,113 | 4.45 |
| 3 | Las Vegas | 1,666,803 | 7,311 | 4.39 |
| 4 | Sparks | 106,010 | 376 | 3.55 |
| 5 | Elko | 20,601 | 73 | 3.54 |
| 6 | Carlin | 2,259 | 5 | 2.21 |
| 7 | Henderson | 317,732 | 554 | 1.74 |
| 8 | Lovelock | 1,806 | 3 | 1.66 |
| 9 | Winnemucca | 7,800 | 12 | 1.54 |
| 10 | Boulder City | 16,102 | 16 | 0.99 |
Methodology
Quotes for this study were for a 30-year-old single man with a clean driving record, average credit, no accident history, and the following full-coverage limits:
Coverage | Limits |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident |
| Personal injury protection | $10,000 |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident |
| Comprehensive and collision | $500 deductible |
Unless otherwise noted, this was the base policy for the study.
This analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. Publicly sourced from insurance company filings, these rates are intended only for comparative purposes. Your own quotes will likely differ.
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