Trying to find reasonably-priced auto insurance is easier said than done, and deciding which companies offer the cheapest car insurance rates for drivers with a bad driving record involves even more rate comparisons. Coverage prices should be significantly more than the average rate in Kentucky, with the extra cost attributed to the potential for more claims associated with selling insurance for bad drivers, but reasonably-priced coverage should be available if you do a thorough comparison. Every auto insurer has their own guidelines to set premium rates, so let’s begin by taking a look at the car insurance companies with the overall best prices in Kentucky.
It’s important to know that Kentucky car insurance rates are determined by lots of factors which can significantly increase or decrease the policy price. Price variation is why drivers need to shop around when trying to find cheap car insurance quotes for drivers with a bad driving record. Prices are made up of many risk factors and can change substantially, so the most economical company three years ago may now not even be in the top five.
Cheapest Insurance Rates for Imperfect Drivers
Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | Cincinnati Insurance | $1,126 |
2 | Kentucky Farm Bureau | $1,163 |
3 | USAA | $1,175 |
4 | Auto-Owners | $1,413 |
5 | Motorists Mutual | $1,569 |
6 | Grange Mutual | $1,625 |
7 | Travelers | $1,680 |
8 | State Farm | $1,812 |
9 | Westfield | $1,814 |
10 | Safe Auto | $1,991 |
11 | Nationwide | $2,003 |
12 | Progressive | $2,140 |
13 | Electric | $2,160 |
14 | State Auto | $2,188 |
15 | Encompass | $2,312 |
16 | GEICO | $2,365 |
17 | Safeco | $2,763 |
18 | MetLife | $3,053 |
19 | Shelter | $3,231 |
20 | Liberty Mutual | $3,634 |
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Cincinnati Insurance may offer some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Kentucky at around $1,126 annually. Kentucky Farm Bureau, USAA, Auto-Owners, and Motorists Mutual would also make the list of some of the cheaper Kentucky insurance companies.
As illustrated above, if you have coverage with Auto-Owners and switched to Cincinnati Insurance, you might realize a yearly savings of about $287. Policyholders with Motorists Mutual may save as much as $443 a year, and Grange Mutual insureds might cut rates by $499 a year.
To find cheap car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record in Kentucky for your vehicle, click here to start your free quote or click several companies below for low rates.
Be aware that those policy prices are averaged for all drivers and vehicles and do not factor in a price surcharge for drivers with a bad driving record. So the auto insurance company that has the cheapest price for you may not even be included in the above list. That point stresses why you need to get rate quotes from many companies using your own individual information.
The vehicle model needing coverage is probably the biggest factor when looking for low-cost insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. Vehicles with lower acceleration and performance, an excellent safety record, or a low likelihood of liability claims will cost less to insure than higher performance models.
The next list presents coverage premiums for a number of the more afforable automobiles to insure.
Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
---|---|
Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $2,933 |
Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $2,976 |
Ford F-150 XLT Regular Cab 2WD | $3,072 |
Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $3,109 |
Hyundai Tucson GLS 4WD | $3,119 |
Toyota Prius | $3,158 |
Chevrolet Traverse LTZ 2WD | $3,168 |
Ford Edge Limited 2WD | $3,244 |
Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 2WD | $3,252 |
GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $3,281 |
Chevrolet Malibu LT | $3,318 |
Subaru Outback 3.6R | $3,326 |
Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $3,318 |
Subaru Forester X Limited Edition W/Navigation AWD | $3,365 |
Chevrolet Equinox LS 2WD | $3,423 |
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Cost estimates assume married female driver age 50, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Kentucky minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Premium costs do not factor in vehicle location which can revise coverage rates noticeably.
Based upon the table data, makes and models like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and Ford F-150 are most likely to be some of the more affordable vehicles to insure for bad drivers. The price for car insurance will tend to be more expensive just because there is more liability risk for drivers with a bad driving record, but overall those vehicles will probably have the lowest insurance rates that you are likely to find.
When buying insurance for bad drivers, one of the key things that establish a rate quote is where your home is located. Areas with more people like Louisville, Ashland, and Saint Matthews tend to have more expensive car insurance rates, whereas areas that are not as densely populated generally pay lower insurance rates.
The illustration below ranks the higher priced cities in Kentucky for drivers with a bad driving record to purchase car insurance in.
Rank | City | Annual Rate |
---|---|---|
1 | Louisville | $2,176 |
2 | Frankfort | $1,778 |
3 | Ashland | $1,707 |
4 | Jeffersontown | $1,685 |
5 | Saint Matthews | $1,643 |
6 | Paducah | $1,631 |
7 | Murray | $1,613 |
8 | Radcliff | $1,606 |
9 | Madisonville | $1,568 |
10 | Elizabethtown | $1,563 |
11 | Winchester | $1,563 |
12 | Georgetown | $1,551 |
13 | Henderson | $1,541 |
14 | Danville | $1,534 |
15 | Hopkinsville | $1,523 |
16 | Richmond | $1,520 |
17 | Covington | $1,517 |
18 | Florence | $1,471 |
19 | Erlanger | $1,463 |
20 | Nicholasville | $1,459 |
21 | Lexington | $1,454 |
22 | Bowling Green | $1,433 |
23 | Owensboro | $1,432 |
24 | Independence | $1,422 |
25 | Fort Thomas | $1,412 |
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Premium costs are estimated as the specific Kentucky residence address can impact premiums considerably.
Finding cheap car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record in Kentucky is probably important to the majority of people, and an easy way to buy cheap insurance is to only buy liability coverage. The chart below compares insurance premiums when comparing full coverage to liability only. The costs are based on no violations or claims, $100 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are factored in.
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If all age groups are averaged, full coverage on your policy costs an additional $2,508 per year over having just liability coverage. That brings up the question if paying for full coverage is a waste of money. There is no clear-cut rule for excluding physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is 10% or more of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your vehicle’s book value is $4,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, you would only receive $3,000 after the deductible is paid. If it’s costing you more than $300 annually for full coverage, then it might be time to buy liability only.
When shopping around for car insurance, four companies to take a look at are Progressive, State Farm, Allstate, and Geico. When combined, they insure about half of all policies written. The table below rates ratings for price, service, and claims, in additional to some of the optional coverages .
Progressive | State Farm | Allstate | Geico | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Customer Satisfaction | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | 1st |
Discounts Offered | 4th | 3rd | 1st | 2nd |
Handling of Claims | 4th | 2nd | 1st | 3rd |
Price Overall | 3rd | 2nd | 4th | 1st |
Breakdown insurance | Yes | No | No | Yes |
New car replacement coverage | No | No | Yes | No |
Rating based on usage | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Accident forgiveness | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Roadside assistance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Rideshare coverage | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Offered in Kentucky | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Where to buy | Online or from independent agents | State Farm-only agents | Only buy from Allstate agents | Can buy online or use a Geico agent |
Number of agents | 30,000+ | 18,000+ | 11,000+ | 150+ |
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Due to technology, there are many ways to buy car insurance in Kentucky, but the most prevalent methods are from a captive (or exclusive) agent like Liberty Mutual or State Farm, an independent or non-exclusive agent, or from a direct company like Geico or Progressive.
They all follow the same basic process, but it’s important to point out the distinctions in how they function.
Independent insurance agents write business for many companies and can do rate comparisons with all of them. These agents have the option to give you more rates, which may provide you with the best idea of how your rates compare. If the agent locates a cheaper price, an independent agent can move your coverage which prevents you from having to switch agents.
An exclusive agent is limited to a single company like State Farm and Auto-Owners agents. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide prices from multiple companies, so you might not find the best rates.
Buying from a direct company means forego local insurance agents and instead shop direct from companies such as Progressive or Geico. This car insurance option may be the best choice drivers who have an average risk profile and know what specific coverages they need.
Which method works best for finding cheap car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record in Kentucky? Most drivers assume that buying from a direct car insurance company results in the best prices because there are no middleman commissions, but that is generally not the case. We could also assume that using an independent agent guarantees the cheapest rates since they can provide multiple quotes, but again, it’s not a sure thing. For the right applicant, the exclusive agents have price quotes that are the cheapest in Kentucky.
Since car insurance prices are based on many different factors, the best way to get the cheapest rates is to compare, compare, and compare some more. Industry experts recommend getting prices from all three to have a good selection of rates to choose from. For a list of companies with cheap rates in Kentucky, click here to view.
The list below summarizes a few penny-pinching ideas that can help you get lower-cost coverage.
The last tip is extraordinarily valuable, as we discussed in this write-up. Insurance prices in Kentucky can change considerably in a year, so drivers shouldn’t be resistant to change insurance companies if a better deal can be had. Many drivers have brand loyalty and that’s fine, but we do not recommend it if that loyalty ends up costing a fortune every year. In just a few minutes you could shop around and find cheaper auto insurance for drivers with a bad driving record.