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Cheap Auto Insurance in Rhode Island (2023)
Drivers in Rhode Island pay rates starting at $127/mo. for car insurance.
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Written by
Anna Baluch
Insurance Writer
Anna Baluch is a Cleveland-based personal finance and insurance expert. With an MBA from Roosevelt University, she enjoys writing educational content that helps people make smart financial decisions. Her work can be seen across the internet on many publications, including Freedom Debt Relief, Credit Karma, RateGenius, and the Balance. Connect with Anna on LinkedIn.
Edited by
Katie Powers
Insurance Writer
Katie Powers is an insurance writer at Insurify with a producer’s license for property and casualty insurance in Massachusetts and expertise in personal finance and auto insurance topics. She strives to help consumers make better financial decisions. Prior to joining Insurify, she completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Emerson College. Her work has been published in St. Louis Magazine, the Boston Globe, and elsewhere. Connect with Katie on LinkedIn.
Data reviewed by
Konstantin Halachev
VP of Engineering
Konstantin has led data science and engineering projects across multiple domains: biology, travel and insurance. He loves finding data nuggets that help people.
Updated November 28, 2022
Why you can trust Insurify: As an independent agent and insurance comparison website, Insurify makes money through commissions from insurance companies. However, our expert insurance writers and editors operate independently of our insurance partners. Learn more.
Rhode Island is the 10th most-expensive state for car insurance, with an average rate of $300 per month, according to our data. States with similar average rates include California and Delaware. Average rates in the Ocean State exceed the national average of $233 per month. Covering just 1,214 square miles, Rhode Island is the smallest state by size in the country.[1] To find cheap car insurance and score a great deal on a policy in Little Rhody, shop around and compare quotes.
Quick Facts
The average cost of car insurance in Rhode Island is $300/mo.
USAA is the cheapest top provider in Rhode Island, with average rates of $127/mo.
The easiest way to cut car insurance costs is to compare quotes online.
Table of contents
- Best cheap car insurance in Rhode Island: USAA
- Minimum car insurance requirements in Rhode Island
- Tips for getting cheap car insurance in Rhode Island
- Liability-only vs. full-coverage insurance in Rhode Island
- How your driving history affects Rhode Island car insurance rates
- How credit scores affect Rhode Island car insurance quotes
- How your city affects Rhode Island insurance quotes
- How your age affects your Rhode Island car insurance rates
- Rhode Island car insurance FAQs
- Insurify Insights
Best cheap car insurance in Rhode Island: USAA
1
USAA
Best Cheap Car Insurance in Rhode Island
If you’re looking for cheap auto policies in Rhode Island, you can find them through a variety of companies. USAA, Erie, and State Farm offer some of the lowest auto insurance rates, with average monthly quotes of $127, $160, and $161, respectively. The table below can give you an idea of some of the best deals on car insurance in Rhode Island.
| Car Insurance Company | Insurify Composite Score | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|---|
| USAA | 96 | $127 |
| State Farm | 88 | $161 |
| American Family | 89 | $212 |
| Progressive | N/A | $240 |
| GEICO | 88 | $260 |
| Erie | 85 | $160 |
| Safeco | 86 | $197 |
| Nationwide | 89 | $260 |
| Travelers | 80 | $289 |
| Farmers | 85 | $333 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | 82 | $311 |
| Liberty Mutual | 82 | $360 |
| Allstate | 85 | $398 |
| Amica | N/A | $714 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Learn More: Best Car Insurance Companies
Insurify Composite Score (ICS)
To calculate the Insurify Composite Score, a proprietary rating, Insurify data scientists weigh multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company.
Inputs to the score include J.D. Power ratings, Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints, mobile app reviews, user-generated company reviews, and financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch.
Minimum car insurance requirements in Rhode Island
All motor vehicles operated or parked on Rhode Island roadways are required to be insured. Proof of insurance must be carried in your car at all times and must be available when:
Requested by law enforcement
Renewing vehicle registration
The vehicle is involved in a car accident
The minimum liability insurance requirements for private passenger vehicles in Rhode Island[2] are:
$25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury: As a major part of your liability insurance, bodily injury coverage covers medical bills for people other than the policyholder who are injured during an accident. Rhode Island is an at-fault state, meaning the driver who is responsible for the collision is also responsible for paying for any resulting expenses, either through their car insurance provider or out of pocket.
$25,000 per accident for property damage: If it’s determined that an insured driver is at fault for an accident, this coverage pays for repairs to the property of the other involved parties. Additionally, property damage coverage can cover legal costs if the insured driver is involved in a lawsuit following the accident.
Rhode Island DMV information
The Rhode Island DMV is headquartered in Cranston with offices in Middletown, Wakefield, and Woonsocket. It’s the place to go if you’d like to apply for or renew your driver’s license, register a car, navigate your adjudication if your license is suspended or revoked, and meet similar needs. Many services are also available online.[3]
Public transportation in Rhode Island
Operating out of Kennedy Plaza in Providence, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) runs buses in and around Providence as well as statewide. Express buses connect Providence daily with Woonsocket, Warwick, Westerly, Narragansett, Newport, and elsewhere. In addition, RIPTA created a program called Vanpool to help commuters with carpooling.
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Tips for getting cheap car insurance in Rhode Island
If you’re looking for a cheap auto insurance policy in Rhode Island, using a car insurance comparison tool will help you compare quotes from multiple insurers offering coverage suited to your insurance needs.
You can lower your insurance premiums in several ways, including:
Increasing your deductible
Completing a defensive driving course
Bundling insurance policies
Maintaining a good credit score
Liability-only vs. full-coverage insurance in Rhode Island
If you live in Rhode Island, you can opt to carry liability-only auto insurance, which pays for expenses related to injuries and damage to the other party’s car if you cause an accident. Each state sets its own minimums for how much liability insurance it requires drivers to carry. Liability-only insurance can make sense if:
You have a low-value vehicle.
You can afford to repair or replace your car out of your own pocket.
Getting the cheapest insurance possible is your top priority.
For a higher level of protection, you can choose full-coverage insurance, which includes basic liability plus collision and comprehensive coverage. Collision coverage pays for damages to your car, even if you’re at fault for an accident. Comprehensive pays for damages caused by events out of your control, like vandalism, weather, and animals. Auto lenders and leasing companies typically require drivers to carry full coverage on a car they’ve financed.
You may also opt for full coverage if:
You have a high-value vehicle.
You wouldn’t be able to afford to repair or replace your car out of pocket.
Your car’s actual cash value (the payout you’d likely get if your car is totaled) exceeds your annual premium to carry full coverage.
Here’s a look at the cheapest auto insurance in Rhode Island by policy type.
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: Liability | Average Monthly Quote: Full Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| American Family | $178 | $212 |
| Progressive | $202 | $240 |
| State Farm | $136 | $161 |
| Travelers | $220 | $289 |
| USAA | $107 | $127 |
| Allstate | $335 | $398 |
| Amica | $601 | $714 |
| Erie | $134 | $160 |
| Farmers | $280 | $333 |
| GEICO | $219 | $260 |
| Liberty Mutual | $294 | $360 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $197 | $311 |
| Nationwide | $226 | $260 |
| Safeco | $120 | $197 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
See More: Bad Credit Car Insurance Rhode Island
How your driving history affects Rhode Island car insurance rates
Your driving history is the factor that most influences your car insurance costs. Good drivers — whose records are free of serious traffic violations like speeding tickets or reckless driving — tend to get the best car insurance rates in Rhode Island. But infractions like driving under the influence or at-fault accidents can significantly increase insurance costs.
Here’s a look at average monthly quotes for the cheapest car insurance in Rhode Island based on driving and accident history.
See More: High-Risk Car Insurance Rhode Island
| Car Insurance Company | Clean Record | At-Fault Accident | With a DUI | Speeding Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Family | $135 | $325 | N/A | $416 |
| Farmers | $102 | $245 | N/A | $314 |
| GEICO | $212 | $511 | N/A | $655 |
| Progressive | $153 | $368 | N/A | $472 |
| USAA | $103 | $247 | N/A | $317 |
| Allstate | $254 | $611 | N/A | $784 |
| Amica | $455 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Erie | $336 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Liberty Mutual | $364 | $326 | $309 | $448 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $264 | $475 | $281 | $495 |
| Nationwide | $257 | $209 | $181 | $186 |
| Safeco | $198 | $188 | N/A | $233 |
| State Farm | $166 | $398 | N/A | $511 |
| Travelers | $281 | $300 | N/A | $439 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
See More: Best Cheap Car Insurance After a DUI
SR-22 insurance in Rhode Island
An SR-22 is a form that shows you meet the minimum car insurance requirements in your state. While most states require it after a serious offense like a DUI or reckless driving, Rhode Island does not. However, if you’re convicted of an offense in Little Rhody, you’re still required to purchase liability insurance and should expect your car insurance premiums to go up.
How credit scores affect Rhode Island car insurance quotes
Rhode Island state law allows car insurance companies serving drivers in the state to consider credit scores when determining premiums. Generally, people with excellent or good credit scores can qualify for lower car insurance premiums than people with average or poor credit scores.
| Credit Tier | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Excellent | $176 |
| Good | $229 |
| Average | $384 |
| Poor | $321 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
See More: Bad Credit Car Insurance Rhode Island
How your city affects Rhode Island insurance quotes
The city you live in will affect what you pay for a car insurance policy. If you live in a larger city like Providence, for example, you’ll likely pay more due to more crowded roadways and an increased risk for accidents. Here’s a look at average auto insurance quotes in Rhode Island’s most populous cities.
| City | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Bristol | $138 |
| Central Falls | $262 |
| Coventry | $239 |
| Cranston | $239 |
| Cumberland | $252 |
| Johnston | $311 |
| Lincoln | $192 |
| Middletown | $133 |
| Newport | $139 |
| North Providence | $295 |
| Pawtucket | $326 |
| Portsmouth | $168 |
| Providence | $372 |
| Smithfield | $246 |
| Warwick | $225 |
| Westerly | $207 |
| West Warwick | $225 |
| Woonsocket | $278 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
How your age affects your Rhode Island car insurance rates
Because insurers generally equate age with experience level, your age will significantly affect how much you pay for car insurance. New drivers, who tend to be teens or people in their early 20s, typically pay more for insurance than drivers 25 and older.
The following table gives a high-level view of how age can affect insurance rates.
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Quotes for younger drivers
Multiple other factors influence how much drivers in each age group will pay for car insurance. Some will increase rates for one age group more than another, while others will impact all age groups evenly.
The following table compares how different insurance factors affect average monthly rates for drivers younger than 30. Safeco, Nationwide, and Progressive offer young drivers in Rhode Island the cheapest rates. Teenagers and drivers under 25 pay some of the highest rates in the state due to their lack of driving experience.
| Car Insurance Company | Liability Only | Full Coverage | With an Accident | With a DUI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | $206 | $367 | N/A | N/A |
| Progressive | $241 | $368 | N/A | N/A |
| Travelers | $430 | $333 | N/A | $635 |
| Liberty Mutual | $440 | $477 | $475 | $963 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $295 | $395 | $538 | $679 |
| Safeco | $203 | $255 | $216 | $535 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Quotes for middle-aged drivers
The following table compares how different insurance factors affect average monthly rates for drivers between 30 and 59. At $180 per month on average, Safeco offers the cheapest full-coverage rate for middle-aged drivers in Rhode Island. Progressive and Nationwide also offer some of the most affordable rates for a full-coverage policy.
| Car Insurance Company | Liability Only | Full Coverage | With a DUI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty Mutual | $211 | $315 | $657 |
| Nationwide | $228 | $267 | N/A |
| Travelers | $195 | $293 | $579 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $181 | $298 | $505 |
| Progressive | N/A | $226 | N/A |
| Safeco | $106 | $180 | $354 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Quotes for senior drivers
The following table compares how different insurance factors affect average monthly rates for drivers 59 and older. The cheapest average monthly rates for liability insurance include $87 from Safeco, $129 from Midvale Home & Auto, and $149 from Liberty Mutual. Senior drivers in Rhode Island tend to earn the cheapest rates by age group.
| Car Insurance Company | Liability Only | Full Coverage | With a DUI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty Mutual | $149 | $193 | $195 |
| Nationwide | N/A | $152 | $152 |
| Travelers | N/A | $199 | $186 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $129 | $211 | $189 |
| Safeco | $87 | $140 | $140 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Rhode Island car insurance FAQs
The cheapest coverage from top insurers in Rhode Island includes USAA, State Farm, and American Family. These companies offer rates lower than the state’s monthly average rate of $300 and the national average rate of $233 per month. Rhode Island drivers pay average monthly rates of $127 with USAA, $161 with State Farm, and $212 with American Family.
Safeco is a smaller auto insurance provider offering a highly affordable rate of $197 per month to Rhode Island drivers. USAA offers the cheapest coverage for drivers choosing either full-coverage or liability-only insurance, as well as drivers with good records or a past accident or speeding ticket on their record. Your age, driving history, and more determine your rates.
Since Rhode Island is the second most-densely populated state after New Jersey, accidents are quite common. Roughly 16% of drivers in the state have a recent driving incident on their record, and the state ranks 10th in number of drivers with a recorded accident. A greater accident risk often leads to higher car insurance rates, which is true in Rhode Island.
The state also ranks 20th for rude drivers and 24th for drivers with reckless driving charges. DUIs and speeding tickets are well below average. About 16.5% of drivers in Rhode Island are uninsured, according to the Insurance Information Institute.[4] The state has the 11th-highest number of uninsured drivers, which certainly increases risk levels.
A number of reputable and highly rated car insurance providers are available in Rhode Island. But in this case, the cheapest insurers also tout the highest Insurify Composite Scores (ICS). Our data-driven process for determining ICS ratings considers financial and industry rankings, as well as customer and claims satisfaction.
USAA, with an ICS of 96, offers low monthly rates of $127. State Farm has an ICS of 88 and average monthly rates of $161, and American Family has an ICS of 89 and an average monthly quote of $212. These companies all earned strong financial ratings and offer quality coverage to Rhode Island drivers. The correct company for you depends on your insurance needs.
No, personal injury protection (PIP) coverage is not required in Rhode Island. However, it can still make sense to purchase if you’d like extra protection. PIP coverage is also known as no-fault insurance, and it covers medical expenses and lost wages for you and your passengers after an accident, no matter who is at fault.
Another coverage type called MedPay, or medical payments insurance, offers similar coverage to PIP coverage and is another option worth considering.
Yes, the state of Rhode Island requires all drivers to carry minimum liability coverage. Specifically, drivers need to have coverage for $25,000 per person for bodily injury liability, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury liability, and $25,000 for personal property damage liability. Underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage is optional for Rhode Island drivers.
Bodily injury liability coverage goes toward medical bills for non-policyholders involved in an auto accident. Property damage liability covers the costs of repairs and replacements for property damaged by the policyholder.
In Rhode Island, car insurance policies follow the car instead of the driver. This means if you let someone, like a family member or friend, drive your car and they get into an accident, they’ll be covered by your policy. If the borrower has their own insurance policy, it may kick in to cover costs not covered under your specific policy.
As long as the person who borrowed your vehicle is licensed, you shouldn’t have an issue receiving coverage through your auto insurance provider’s claims-filing process.
While liability-only car insurance will pay for damage to other vehicles or injuries to other people when you’re behind the wheel, full-coverage policies include liability coverage plus comprehensive and collision protection. This extra protection will cover damage to your own vehicle from an accident or any other cause.
Collision coverage specifically applies to vehicle collisions, while comprehensive coverage covers damages from theft, vandalism, and natural disasters. Not every driver needs full-coverage insurance, but it’s worth considering if you have a new or particularly expensive vehicle.
Insurify Insights
How Rhode Island Drivers Measure Up
While most drivers know that car insurance quotes are determined in part by your personal driving history, many may be unaware that rates are also impacted by the average risk of the drivers around you as well. Check out Insurify's latest analysis of driving records in Rhode Island below:
Methodology
Drawing from an internal database of over 4 million car insurance applications, the research team at Insurify analyzes patterns in car ownership and driver behavior - including how Rhode Island drivers measure up to their fellow motorists across the United States in areas including speeding, DUIs, and more.
Insurify Insights publishes data-driven articles, trend analyses, and national rankings each week on all factors related to cars and those who drive them.
Honda Accord
Most Popular Car in Rhode Island
#43
State with the Most Speeding Tickets Rank
#33
State with the Moving Violations Rank
#49
State with the Most DUIs Rank
#44
State with the most Suspended Licenses
While car accidents are a sadly unavoidable feature of time spent on the road, rates of accidents do vary from city to city and from state to state. Rhode Island is the #19 state in the country for drivers with an at-fault accident on their driving record.
- Rank among states: #19
- Percent of drivers in Rhode Island with an accident: 9.2%
While driving while intoxicated is never acceptable, it’s a more common offense than many assume. Rhode Island is the #49 state in the country for drivers with a prior drunk driving conviction.
- Rank among states: #49
- Percent of drivers in Rhode Island with a DUI: 0.6%
Reckless driving refers to a specific traffic violation: when drivers willfully act dangerously in spite of the risks they’re imposing on both themselves and others. Rhode Island is the #21 state in the country for drivers with a reckless driving offense on record.
- Rank among states: #21
- Percent of drivers in Rhode Island with a reckless driving offense: 1.4%
The Insurify team classifies rude drivers as those who commit one or more of the following driving offenses: failure to yield or failure to stop, improper backing, passing where prohibited, tailgating, street racing, or hit-and-run. Rhode Island is the #21 state in the country for drivers with a rude driving violation on record.
- Rank among states: #21
- Percent of drivers in Rhode Island with a rude driving violation: 1.6%
Exceeding the speed limit can endanger others and have a serious impact on your insurance costs. Rhode Island is the #43 state in the country for drivers with a speeding ticket on record.
- Rank among states: #43
- Percent of drivers in Rhode Island with a speeding ticket: 6.5%
Failing to yield the right of way isn’t just frustrating for other drivers; it’s dangerous, too. Rhode Island is the #28 state in the country for drivers with a failure to yield violation on record.
- Rank among states: #28
- Percent of drivers in Rhode Island with a failure to yield violation: 0.1%
Insurify Insights
Insurify's team of data scientists and content specialists presents Insurify Insights, a series of automotive, home, and health studies focusing on the topics that impact us all. through expert analysis of over 4 million car insurance applications and an array of top data sources, the Insurify Insights team produces new data-driven articles, trend analyses, regional superlatives, and national rankings every week. See Insurify Insights as featured in Forbes, Fox News, USA Today, NPR, and more.
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Data scientists at Insurify analyzed more than 40 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partner providers across the United States to compile the car insurance quotes, statistics, and data visualizations displayed on this page. The car insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers' vehicles, driving records, and demographic information. Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Service's database of auto insurance rates. With these insights, Insurify is able to offer drivers insight into how companies price their car insurance premiums.
Sources
- State of Rhode Island. "Fun Facts and Trivia." Accessed November 28, 2022
- Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation Insurance Division. "State Minimum Car Insurance Requirements." Accessed November 28, 2022
- State of Rhode Island. "Division of Motor Vehicles." Accessed November 28, 2022
- Insurance Information Institute. "Uninsured motorists ." Accessed November 28, 2022
