- Cheapest car insurance in Tennessee for a bad driving record
- How much is high-risk car insurance in Tennessee?
- Cheapest car insurance in Tennessee with a DUI
- Cheapest car insurance in Tennessee with multiple tickets
- Cheapest car insurance in Tennessee with a reckless driving conviction
- Cheapest car insurance in Tennessee with bad credit
- Cheapest car insurance after an accident in Tennessee
- Cheapest car insurance in Tennessee by city
- How to reduce car insurance rates in Tennessee for a bad driving record
- Tennessee car insurance laws for high-risk drivers
Cheapest car insurance in Tennessee for a bad driving record
If you have a bad driving record in Tennessee, Progressive, Erie Insurance, Travelers offer affordable car insurance. However, Progressive has the lowest average rate of $2,054.
Traffic infractions, accidents and DUIs wind up on your driving record, meaning you’ll pay higher car insurance rates in addition to any fines assessed. While most violations only affect your insurance rates for a few years, a DUI may affect rates for a decade and never be removed from your record.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for high-risk driver |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $1,550 | $2,054 |
| Erie Insurance | $1,598 | $2,194 |
| Travelers | $1,395 | $2,209 |
| State Farm | $1,677 | $2,697 |
| Nationwide | $1,632 | $2,729 |
| Geico | $1,565 | $2,888 |
| Farmers | $1,770 | $3,383 |
| Allstate | $3,032 | $3,956 |
| USAA | $1,194 | $1,751 |
How much is high-risk car insurance in Tennessee?
A problematic driving record or poor credit score may mean higher insurance rates, but affordable options exist. In Tennessee, high-risk car insurance costs $2,744. However, you can get rates as low as $2,054 from Progressive.
Many things can make you a high-risk driver, but some affect your rates more than others. For example, having multiple speeding tickets or a ticket for speeding in a school zone will increase your rates more than a single basic speeding ticket.
Read on as we explain high-risk car insurance factors and rates below.
Select your state and risk factor below to see the insurance company and its
average annual full coverage rates.
| Company | Annual premium for clean record | Annual premium after violation |
|---|---|---|
| USAA | $1,194 | $1,808 |
| State Farm | $1,677 | $1,969 |
| Erie Insurance | $1,598 | $2,125 |
| Travelers | $1,395 | $2,125 |
| Progressive | $1,550 | $2,458 |
| Nationwide | $1,632 | $2,674 |
| Geico | $1,565 | $2,994 |
| Farmers | $1,770 | $3,044 |
| Allstate | $3,032 | $4,805 |
Cheapest car insurance in Tennessee with a DUI
While many insurers offer coverage after a DUI, State Farm has the lowest rate at $1,823.
Driving under the influence (DUI) is a major traffic violation that will hurt your driving record. It can increase auto insurance rates for almost a decade in addition to fines and other penalties. Multiple DUIs will increase your premiums even more, but improving your driving habits can help you get better rates over time.
The table below shows the average car insurance rates for a clean record vs. a DUI in Tennessee.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for a DUI |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,677 | $1,823 |
| Progressive | $1,550 | $1,916 |
| Travelers | $1,395 | $2,219 |
| Erie Insurance | $1,598 | $2,519 |
| Geico | $1,565 | $2,921 |
| Nationwide | $1,632 | $3,364 |
| Farmers | $1,770 | $3,729 |
| Allstate | $3,032 | $4,173 |
| USAA | $1,194 | $2,309 |
Cheapest car insurance in Tennessee with multiple tickets
The cheapest insurer for drivers with multiple traffic tickets is Erie Insurance, with rates averaging $1,729 or $144.
While one traffic ticket can affect car insurance rates, multiple tickets can significantly increase those rates. Failure to obey speed limits and traffic laws leads insurers to believe they will eventually have to pay claims due to risky driving.
This table shows Tennessee drivers how much multiple tickets increase premiums.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium with a speeding ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Erie Insurance | $1,598 | $1,729 |
| State Farm | $1,677 | $1,823 |
| Progressive | $1,550 | $1,889 |
| Travelers | $1,395 | $2,131 |
| Nationwide | $1,632 | $2,438 |
| Geico | $1,565 | $2,869 |
| Farmers | $1,770 | $2,891 |
| Allstate | $3,032 | $3,405 |
| USAA | $1,194 | $1,425 |
Cheapest car insurance in Tennessee with a reckless driving conviction
Erie Insurance has the cheapest rates for drivers with reckless driving convictions at $1,729.
If you engage in hazardous driving behaviors that endanger others, you may be charged with reckless driving. A reckless driving conviction will increase your car insurance rates.
The table below shows car insurance rates for drivers with a clean record vs. drivers with a reckless driving conviction.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for reckless driving |
|---|---|---|
| Erie Insurance | $1,598 | $1,729 |
| State Farm | $1,677 | $1,823 |
| Progressive | $1,550 | $2,154 |
| Travelers | $1,395 | $2,219 |
| Nationwide | $1,632 | $3,364 |
| Geico | $1,565 | $3,389 |
| Farmers | $1,770 | $3,877 |
| Allstate | $3,032 | $4,173 |
| USAA | $1,194 | $1,604 |
Cheapest car insurance in Tennessee with bad credit
The cheapest Tennessee insurer for bad credit is Nationwide, with rates averaging $2,332 or $194. The good news is that drivers with bad credit can still get affordable auto insurance.
Your credit score may not be related to your driving skills, but it can affect your car insurance rates and put you in a higher-risk category. From an insurer’s perspective, higher risk means an increased chance of filing a claimAn insurance claim is a request you make to your insurance company for coverage after your car is damaged or you have an accident. You can file a claim online, by phone, or in writing., and statistics show that drivers with lower credit scores are in this category.
Check the table below to see how your credit score affects Tennessee car insurance.
| Company | Annual premium for good credit | Annual premium for bad credit |
|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | $1,632 | $2,332 |
| Geico | $1,565 | $2,417 |
| Travelers | $1,395 | $2,428 |
| Progressive | $1,550 | $2,585 |
| Erie Insurance | $1,598 | $3,726 |
| Farmers | $1,770 | $4,017 |
| Allstate | $3,032 | $5,173 |
| State Farm | $1,677 | $7,063 |
| USAA | $1,194 | $2,316 |
Cheapest car insurance after an accident in Tennessee
State Farm has the lowest average rates after an accident at $1,969. Travelers also offers affordable rates, averaging $2,071.
Drivers with accidents on their driving records see higher rates than drivers who avoid crashes. While car insurance increases after one accident, multiple accidents significantly increase rates.
This table compares rates for drivers with a clean driving record, one at-fault accident, and multiple accidents.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for one at-fault accident | Annual premium for multiple accident |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,677 | $1,969 | $1,969 |
| Travelers | $1,395 | $2,071 | $2,724 |
| Erie Insurance | $1,598 | $2,125 | $3,047 |
| Progressive | $1,550 | $2,458 | $3,277 |
| Nationwide | $1,632 | $2,674 | $3,687 |
| Farmers | $1,770 | $2,923 | $4,191 |
| Geico | $1,565 | $2,994 | $4,478 |
| Allstate | $3,032 | $4,805 | $6,068 |
| USAA | $1,194 | $1,808 | $3,026 |
Cheapest car insurance in Tennessee by city
Watertown has the cheapest car insurance rates in Tennessee at $2,586. But the most expensive city is Memphis with rates of $3,512.
Your location in Tennessee also matters. For example, if you live in an area with heavy traffic or a high vehicle theft rate, rates will reflect the increased chance of claims.
| City | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for high-risk driver |
|---|---|---|
| Watertown | $1,592 | $2,586 |
| Sevierville | $1,598 | $2,587 |
| Knoxville | $1,580 | $2,589 |
| Dayton | $1,591 | $2,628 |
| Kingston | $1,631 | $2,690 |
| Ashland City | $1,694 | $2,754 |
| Paris | $1,730 | $2,784 |
| Nashville | $1,708 | $2,798 |
| Hermitage | $1,751 | $2,856 |
| Germantown | $1,908 | $3,100 |
| Memphis | $2,161 | $3,512 |
How to reduce car insurance rates in Tennessee for a bad driving record
Finding affordable car insurance in Tennessee is possible, even with a bad driving record. Ways to lower car insurance rates include:
- Carefully consider filing claims. Paying for minor damage out of pocket may be cheaper than filing an insurance claim and increasing rates for years.
- Avoid costly infractions. Drive carefully to avoid adding traffic infractions to your record. Tickets only affect insurance rates for a few years, which will decrease if more tickets aren’t added.
- Improve your credit score. Raising your credit score lowers car insurance rates. Make on-time payments and consider credit usage to improve your rating.
- Take a defensive driving course. Many insurance companies offer a discount for doing so, and some states remove driver's license points for successfully completing the class.
- Shop around for coverage. Every car insurance company weighs factors differently and offers different rates. Compare quotes to find the cheapest rates.
Tennessee car insurance laws for high-risk drivers
If you're a high-risk driver in Tennessee, you might need to file an SR-22. This is a form that your car insurance company sends in to show you have the required minimum insurance coverage. The court will let you know how long you need to keep the SR-22.
An SR-22 isn’t a type of insurance; it’s just a form. You don’t need special coverage, but your rates might be higher because you’re considered high-risk. Also, not all insurance companies offer coverage for high-risk drivers or handle SR-22 filings.
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