Car Insurance Estimate Calculator
Estimate a monthly, six-month and annual car insurance premium from your area’s rate or a 2026 US state average, adjusted for age, gender, driving record, credit, coverage, deductible, mileage, vehicle and discounts, with a factor-by-factor breakdown and comparisons by age, coverage and state.
How it works
Annual premium ≈ starting rate (full coverage, age 35, clean record, good credit) × coverage & deductible factor × age factor × gender × record × credit × marital status × mileage × vehicle × discounts · Monthly = annual ÷ 12 · Full-coverage factor = 0.32 liability + 0.68 × deductible factor for comprehensive & collision
Insurers start from a base rate for your area and multiply it by rating factors. You can enter your area’s rate or start from the 2026 median for your state (NerdWallet’s October 2026 figures for a 35-year-old with good credit and a clean record). The age curve comes from 2026 national averages (CarInsurance.com): a 16-year-old pays almost four times what a 35-year-old pays, and rates bottom out around 60 before rising again after 70. A speeding ticket adds about 28%, an at-fault accident about 49% and a DUI about 88%, and poor credit adds about 67% where insurers may use it. Liability-only cover costs roughly a third of full coverage. The deductible applies only to the comprehensive and collision part. Mileage, vehicle type, marital status and common discounts (bundling, usage-based programs, paying in full, good student, defensive driving) adjust the result further. The breakdown table shows the effect of each factor in turn, and the comparison tables show the same driver at other coverage levels, other ages and, starting from a state average, in every state. Some states ban some factors: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan don’t allow credit, several states ban gender, and Hawaii bans age.
Worked example
A 35-year-old with a clean record, good credit, full coverage and a $500 deductible, in an area where that profile costs $2,400 a year, pays about $2,400 ($200 a month): every factor is 1.00. The same driver after an at-fault accident pays about 2,400 × 1.49 = $3,576. Raising the deductible to $1,000 trims the comprehensive and collision part, giving 2,400 × (0.32 + 0.68 × 0.87) = $2,188. Starting from the Texas median of $3,652, a 20-year-old with otherwise the same profile pays about 3,652 × 1.951 = $7,124 a year, or $594 a month.
Sources: Average cost of car insurance (October 2026 rate analysis) — NerdWallet · Average car insurance rates by age (2026) — CarInsurance.com · How much does car insurance cost? (2026) — ValuePenguin
Frequently asked questions
How much is car insurance on average in 2026?
NerdWallet’s October 2026 analysis puts the US median at $2,361 a year for full coverage and $648 for minimum coverage, for a 35-year-old with good credit and a clean record. ValuePenguin’s average is $2,495. Louisiana, New Jersey and Texas are among the most expensive states, while Wyoming, Vermont and New Hampshire are among the cheapest.
Why do young drivers pay so much more?
Drivers under 25, and especially teens, have far higher crash and claim rates. National 2026 averages show a 16-year-old paying about $10,400 a year for full coverage against $2,650 at 35. Rates drop each year, with a big step at 25, and young men pay about 9% more than young women where gender may be used.
How much does a ticket, accident or DUI raise my rate?
On national averages, one speeding ticket adds about 28%, an at-fault accident about 49% and a DUI about 88%. The surcharge usually lasts three to five years. Choose the record that matches yours to see the effect on your estimate.
Does a higher deductible really lower my premium?
Yes, but only on the comprehensive and collision part, which is roughly two-thirds of a full-coverage premium. Moving from $500 to $1,000 cuts the total by about 9%. Only raise it if you could pay that amount after a crash.
Does my credit score affect car insurance?
In most states, yes. Insurers use a credit-based insurance score, and drivers with poor credit pay about 67% more for the same cover. California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan don’t allow credit to be used this way, and the calculator ignores credit when you pick one of those states.
How accurate is this estimate?
It shows the right ballpark and how each factor moves the price, but it is not a quote. Insurers also price your exact ZIP code, vehicle model and year, claims and insurance history, and their own risk models, so always compare quotes from several carriers.
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Educational estimate only, not insurance, tax or financial advice. Real premiums, contribution limits and costs depend on your carrier, plan, state and personal circumstances — get a quote and check current IRS limits.