Here you’ll find everything you need to make smart choices when buying car insurance in Arizona. We explain how to make sure you have enough coverage, as well as provide average Arizona car insurance rates by company and ZIP code.
When setting your rate, insurance companies take into account the cost and number of claims in your neighborhood, your driving record, your credit history, the type of car you drive and other variables. The price for the same coverage can vary significantly among insurance companies — and that’s why you should compare rates. Car insurance rates in Northern Arizona are among the cheapest in the country, but prices rise dramatically in bigger Arizona cities like Phoenix and Tucson. The average rate for Arizona, $1,356, is just $1 more than the nationwide average. The highest rate for Phoenix ZIP code 85017 among six carriers is $2,554. The lowest rate for the same policy is $1,364, so you can save over $1,100 just by shopping around.
But no matter where you live, you can pay less for coverage by comparison shopping. Use our average car insurance rates tool to see how much you can save. Enter a ZIP code to see the average premium for your neighborhood. You will also see the highest and lowest rates from the six major carriers surveyed to get an idea of what the most affordable car insurance price is in your area.
Arizona car insurance requirements | |
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Arizona state law requires the following minimum car insurance coverage: | |
Minimum bodily injury liability | $15,000/$30,000 |
Minimum property damage liability | $10,000 |
Arizona's required liability insurance limits are comparatively low. Bodily injury liability of only $15,000 per person and $30,000 for all persons harmed in one accident, plus $10,000 in property damage liability, means that your limits could be quickly exhausted without even being in a major accident.
The cheapest car insurance in Arizona that you can get will typically be the minimum limits required to drive legally. But more protection that provides a financial safety net should you get in an accident doesn’t cost that much more. You’ll see in the chart below that increasing your insurance coverage from the state minimum to 50/100/50 costs just $77 a year. Jumping up to full coverage with a $500 deductible costs, on average, $860 more, or about $72 a month.
Coverage limits | Average annual rate |
---|---|
Liability Only – state minimum | $496 |
Liability Only - 50/100/50 BI/PD | $573 |
Full Coverage - 100/300/100 BI/PD$500 Comp/Collision deductible | $1,356 |
*The table shows the average annual rate of nearly every ZIP code in Arizona from up to six major insurance companies. Rates are for a male driver, age 40, with a clean record and good credit for a 2016 Honda Accord. Data was provided for CarInsurance.com by Quadrant Information Services.
If you’re on board to buy more than bare-bones coverage, you may be wondering exactly how much more car insurance you need.
Use our How Much Car Insurance Do You Need? tool to get a recommendation.
We recommend you buy more insurance than is required to legally drive a car in your state, especially if you have savings and assets. The more money you have, the more likely you are to be sued following a car accident should your insurance be insufficient to cover all the expenses. If your net worth is:
If you're leasing or financing your car, you must get coverage of 100/300/100 or higher.
Collision coverage pays for damage to your car after an accident that you cause. Comprehensive insurance pays to replace stolen cars and broken glass and for damages from vandalism, flooding, hail, fire and animal strikes. These optional coverages are usually quite cheap. Arizona drivers pay, on average, $269 a year for collision and $186 annually for comprehensive. If your car is:
If you buy comp and collision, check our guide to choosing a deductible amount.
Uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage are optional in Arizona. These coverages pay for damages if you’re hit by a driver with no insurance or a driver with coverage that’s insufficient to pay for your repairs and medical expenses.
Medical payments coverage can help pay for the medical or funeral expenses of covered drivers and passengers after an accident, regardless of fault, starting at $5,000 and up to $25,000. In most states, including Arizona, it's an optional addition to your car insurance policy. MedPay does the following:
If you and your passengers:
If you don’t own your car outright and have an accident, gap insurance pays the difference between the cash value of your car and the current outstanding balance on your loan or lease.
Below you'll see average annual rates for Arizona, ranked cheapest to most expensive, for three coverage levels:
Company | State minimum |
---|---|
Geico | $331 |
State Farm | $460 |
Progressive | $471 |
Allstate | $550 |
Farmers | $569 |
Nationwide | $594 |
Company | 50/100/50 |
Geico | $427 |
Progressive | $544 |
Allstate | $563 |
State Farm | $595 |
Farmers | $643 |
Nationwide | $665 |
Company | 100/300/100 |
Geico | $977 |
Progressive | $1,047 |
Farmers | $1,195 |
State Farm | $1,392 |
Nationwide | $1,719 |
Allstate | $1,807 |
Scores are based on Insure.com’s “Best Insurance Companies” customer review survey of 3,700 customers. Companies not in the top 10 of market share do not qualify. All scores are out of 100.
Best customer service:
1. USAA – 100
2. State Farm – 92.8
3. Geico – 92.6
Best claims service:
1. USAA – 100
2. American Family – 100
3. State Farm – 96
4. CSAA –95.2
Best value for the price:
1. American Family -- 98
2. USAA – 97.7
3. Hartford -- 94
Rank | Company Name | Direct premiums written | Market share % | Overall Customer Review Ranking |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | State Farm | 697,409 | 17.4% | 90.4 |
2 | Geico | 538,346 | 13.43% | 88.1 |
3 | Progressive | 387,400 | 9.67% | 89.6 |
4 | Farmers | 354,125 | 8.84% | 81.1 |
5 | Allstate | 347,410 | 8.67% | 87 |
6 | USAA | 288,486 | 7.2% | 97.2 |
7 | American Family | 231,625 | 5.78% | 89.2 |
8 | Liberty Mutual | 214,790 | 5.36% | 86.5 |
9 | Hartford | 114,120 | 2.85% | 90.2 |
10 | CSAA | 85,104 | 2.12% | 91.3 |
Source: A.M. Best market share rankings are based on direct premiums written in 2015.
Customer review rankings based on Insure.com's 2016 "Best Insurance Companies" survey of 3,700 customers. Scores are out of 100.
To get rates by ZIP code and company visit our Phoenix car insurance page.
Carrying comprehensive coverage on your automobile will be important if you are worried about damage resulting from Arizona's dust devils, monsoon rains or wildfires.
Comprehensive car insurance also covers you if your car is stolen. With Arizona's close proximity to Mexico (there are seven ports of entry along the 354-mile Arizona/Mexico border) and dry, moderate climate (that allows cars to remain rust-free and maintain higher values) the Arizona Insurance Council notes that vehicle theft can be a problem in this state.