Secured with SHA-256 EncryptionCheapest Car Insurance in Utah
When it comes to shopping around for the cheapest car insurance in Utah, it’s important to look at several factors.
Yes, finding a company that offers premiums that you can afford is necessary, but there are additional things to consider.
Take a quick look at how providers handle claims, their customer service scores, complaint records, and financial strength ratios.
To get the best coverage for your needs and budget, obtain quotes from at least three different insurance providers.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Utah
Here are the 4 top providers offering cheap auto insurance in Utah:
Liberty Mutual Auto Insurance
Liberty Mutual, the fourth-largest auto insurance provider in the world, was founded in 1912.
Policyholders have access to a wide variety of coverage options, including better car replacement coverage, rental car coverage, and towing and labor coverage.
The insurer also offers discounts for drivers who own hybrid vehicles or cars with safety features.
Learn More: Liberty Mutual Car Insurance Review
Progressive Auto Insurance
Progressive is the third largest auto insurance provider in Utah, serving nearly 8.5 percent of the market.
Progressive is also listed on our overall top 10 best car insurance companies list.
Among its most popular features is the Name Your Price® tool, which lets customers find coverage options that fit their budget.
Learn More: Progressive Car Insurance Review
Allstate Insurance
Allstate is the fourth largest auto insurance provider in the state, capturing almost 7.4 percent of the market.
Widely recognized for its “You’re in good hands with Allstate” slogan, this publicly traded company offers a unique program called Drivewise®, which provides personalized feedback for participating policyholders and may even help them score discounts for safe driving.
Learn More: Allstate Car Insurance Review
Esurance Auto Insurance
Esurance, which operates as a subsidiary of Allstate, was founded in 1999.
The company has numerous insurance products available, including medical payments coverage, personal injury protection, and loan and lease gap coverage.
Learn More: Esurance Auto Insurance Review
How Much is Car Insurance in Utah?
Premiums on average in this state increased by $16 every year.
Utah’s insurance rates are below the national average which is great for Utah residents:
- Average Cost of Car Insurance in Utah: $784.10
- National Average Cost of Car Insurance: $889.01
What Factors Affect the Cost of Car Insurance in Utah?
Just as you have personal factors that directly and indirectly affect your premium, your state of residence has factors associated with higher or lower average premiums.
These factors include traffic conditions, the rate of vehicle thefts, population density, and disposable income.
Traffic Conditions
The more cars there are on the road, the greater the chances of collisions.
Insurers must charge higher premiums to offset the higher exposure to risk.
The NAIC rates traffic density by how many vehicle miles there are per highway mile.
In 2014, the national average was 724,348. Utah’s vehicle miles per highway mile was considerably less at 597,023.
Additionally, the rate of fatal accidents in Utah was 0.93 in that same year, which is less than the national average of 1.08.
Because Utah’s highways are less congested and the rate of fatalities is lower, insurers can charge drivers less for coverage.
Vehicle Theft Rates
According to the FBI’s 2016 Crimes in the United States report, the rate of vehicle theft in Utah was 307.7 per 100,000 residents, rather high compared to the national average of 236.9.
Most of Utah’s thefts occur in Salt Lake City or West Valley City where two cars are stolen for every 1,000 people.
The Hot Wheels Report shows that the vehicles most commonly stolen in Utah are:
- 1998 Honda Civic
- 1997 Honda Accord
- 2006 Ford Pickup
- 1999 Chevrolet Pickup
- 2005 Dodge Pickup
- 2018 GMC Pickup
- 1993 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
- 2007 Toyota Camry
- 2015 Nissan Altima
- 1997 Subaru Legacy
Policyholders with these vehicles and those who live in the state’s larger cities may have higher premiums than other residents of Utah due to the higher theft rates.
Read more: Subaru
Population Density
According to the NAIC, Utah’s population was relatively sparse with just 36 people per square mile in 2014, and 76 percent of people residing in metropolitan areas.
The countrywide average is just 90 people per square mile, with roughly 88 percent of those individuals living in metropolitan areas.
Policyholders who live in rural areas may be able to negotiate lower rates than those living within city limits.
Disposable Income
While a state’s average disposable income doesn’t directly influence premiums, it does have an indirect effect on how much it costs to insure vehicles.
In regions where the average person has more disposable income, drivers typically have expensive cars that are costly to insure.
According to the NAIC, the nationwide average for per capita disposable income per person was $40,859 in 2014.
In comparison, Utah’s was $33,566.
This lower figure may indicate that on average, Utah residents drive cars that are more affordable to insure.
What Is Mandatory for Car Insurance in Utah?
Nearly every state, including Utah, requires that drivers carry auto insurance.
In Utah, drivers must carry no-fault car insurance or personal injury protection coverage at a minimum limit of $3,000 per person.
Additionally, drivers must have liability insurance, which covers property damage and medical expenses incurred by the other driver when the policyholder is responsible for a collision.
The minimum liability limits are stated below:
- $25,000 for bodily injury per person per accident
- $65,000 for bodily injury total per accident
- $15,000 for property damage per accident
Or:
- $80,000 total for bodily injury and property damage
If you are pulled over by a police officer for a traffic violation, you are required to provide proof of insurance.
Valid proof of insurance includes an insurance card, an insurance binder, or an insurance declaration page.
Utah also permits proof of insurance by a smartphone.
How to Reduce the Cost of Your Car Insurance in Utah
As you’re shopping around for the cheapest car insurance in Utah, you may notice that many companies offer discounts for a variety of things.
Some discounts pertain directly to your driving habits and your vehicle’s features while others are seemingly unrelated.
For example, some insurers offer price breaks for homeowners, for paperless billing, and for a teen driver’s good grades.
In addition to looking for eligible discounts, there are other ways to trim down your bill:
Increase Your Deductible
Raising your deductible, that is, how much you’d pay toward repairs in the event of a collision, can be a good way to lower your premium.
Just remember that your deductible should be affordable; if your $1,000 deductible is too high for you to afford in the event of a collision, then it’s not worth the few dollars you save each month on your premium.
Reducing Optional Insurance on Older Vehicles
In most cases, older vehicles have a lower market value and total more easily than newer vehicles.
Therefore, high policy limits are unnecessary.
While the state mandates liability coverage and no-fault insurance coverage, collision and comprehensive insurance are not required, which gives you room to adjust your policy to fit your needs.
Bundle Insurance Policies
By having multiple lines of insurance with one insurance provider, you may be able to save money.
Talking to an insurance agent is a good way to determine how much coverage you need and for what discounts you qualify.
To make sure that you’re getting an accurate, competitive quote, keep several pieces of information on hand.
Car Information
- The make, model, and year of your vehicle
- The VIN
- Safety features
- Anti-theft features
- Annual miles
Household Information
- Where you live
- Where you park your car (garage, parking lot, driveway, street, etc.)
- How much liability coverage you need
- How much of a deductible you can afford
- How many drivers are in your household
Personal Information
- Your age
- Your driving record
- Whether you’ve completed any defensive driving courses
What Can Increase the Cost of Your Car Insurance in Utah?
Just as there are things that can reduce the cost of your insurance coverage, there are elements that can cause your insurance premium to go up.
Insurance companies use complex algorithms to determine how risky you are to insure.
In other words, the more likely you are to file a claim, the higher your deductible will be.
Thousands of pieces of personal information are put into the algorithm, each with a varying degree of impact on your premium.
Here are some of the biggest influencers:
- Driver Age: Statistically, drivers under the age of 21 and over the age of 70 are more likely to be involved in a collision and therefore typically pay higher premiums.
- Driving Record: Drivers who have received tickets for traffic violations or who have driven under the influence of a substance are more likely to file a claim and therefore pose a greater risk to insurers.
- Claims Record: Insurers look at your claims history to evaluate your likelihood of filing a claim in the future. If you’ve filed multiple collision claims in the past, then you can expect to have a higher premium.
- Vehicle Make, Model, and Age: An older vehicle that is only worth a couple of thousand dollars poses a low risk for insurers because the maximum amount that they would pay out to repair or replace it in the event of a collision is relatively low. A newer luxury vehicle that would cost tens of thousands of dollars to replace costs more to insure, as the risk to the insurer is greater.
Shopping For Car Insurance In Utah
The cost of auto insurance depends on many factors.
Some factors, such as your credit score, your claims history, and what car you drive, are directly influenced by your actions.
In these cases, you can take measures to score a more affordable premium, such as completing a defensive driving course.
Other factors, such as your age and gender, are outside of your control.
In addition to these variables, where you live has a significant impact on what you pay for your car insurance coverage.
Equipping yourself with knowledge of what others are paying for insurance in Utah and gathering quotes can give you a realistic view of what you can expect to pay and help you negotiate the best rate.