Cheap Car Insurance in Vermont (2023)

Vermont drivers benefit from living in the second-cheapest state for purchasing car insurance, with average rates of just $120 per month. Safe driving habits among Vermont motorists might have something to do with their low insurance rates.

The Vermont State Highway Safety Office published a 2022 Annual Seat Belt Use Survey in October that touted a 90.4% seat belt use rate within the state. The results from 2022 improved from 89.2% in 2021 and 88.8% in 2020.^[1]

Auto insurance costs in the state are comparable to Maine and North Carolina, but fall well below the national average of $233 per month. Rates vary by person and fluctuate over time, so comparing quotes from a number of auto insurers helps ensure you’ll find the cheapest car insurance.

Best cheap car insurance in Vermont: State Farm

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State Farm

Though the cheapest available coverage varies based on each driver, many auto insurers in Vermont offer highly affordable average rates. State Farm, USAA, and American Family provide drivers in the state with the lowest average rates for full-coverage insurance, ranging between $27 and $77 per month. Take a look at what numerous insurers in the state typically charge drivers for car insurance in the table below.

Learn More: Best Car Insurance Companies

Minimum car insurance requirements in Vermont

Vermont requires residents to carry car insurance on all motor vehicles they operate or park on the state’s roads. To drive in Vermont, you’ll need to have proof of insurance in your car at all times and be ready to present it 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 Vermont are:^[2]

• $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. Vermont 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.  

• $10,000 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. 

Vermont DMV information

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles approves address changes, provides temporary registrations and plates, administers permit and license testing, and renews or replaces driver’s licenses. All services provided at the Vermont DMV can be completed by mail or online.

Appointments are required for all locations in Vermont, though walk-ins may be accommodated based on availability. Make appointments online or by phone.

Public transportation in Vermont

Many local bus service routes run throughout Vermont, with specific schedules and routes accessible online. You can also travel by train via Amtrak within Vermont and to farther away places like New York. Vermont ’s two Amtrak rail lines include the Ethan Allen Express and the Vermonter. Because 60% of state residents live in locations with low population density, parts of the state are fairly inaccessible by public transportation.^[3] Personal vehicles are heavily relied upon.

Tips for getting cheap car insurance in Vermont

Drive safely to avoid adding violations or accidents to your driving record, as a clean record leads to affordable rates. Though some factors that influence rates, like age and gender, are out of your control, you can work on maintaining good credit and equipping your vehicle with proper safety and anti-theft devices. 

Other ways to lower your premium include bundling your home and auto policies, increasing your deductible, and taking advantage of discounts.

Comparing quotes before purchasing or renewing a policy, however, serves as the best and most reliable way to find affordable coverage that matches your insurance needs. By comparing quotes from multiple insurers online, you can decide what matters to you when selecting coverage.

Liability-only vs. full-coverage insurance in Vermont

If you live in Vermont, 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 coverage 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 average monthly costs for the cheapest auto insurance in Vermont by policy type. Travelers and Dairyland offer the cheapest full-coverage policies on average, while Kemper and USAA provide the cheapest average liability-only policies.

See More: High-Risk Car Insurance Vermont

How your driving history affects Vermont 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 Vermont. 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 Vermont based on driving and accident history. Some of the lowest rates come from auto insurance providers like American Family, Farmers, and Progressive.

See More: SR-22 Car Insurance Vermont 

SR-22 insurance in Vermont

Not all insurance companies offer an SR-22 form, but the state of Vermont requires your insurance company to file this to prove your financial responsibility when you’ve committed certain serious violations, like a DUI. Below are some of the auto insurance companies that offer an SR-22 in Vermont:

How credit scores affect Vermont car insurance quotes 

Vermont, along with several other states, prohibits insurers from using an absence of credit history as a factor when determining insurance rates. Cost patterns by credit tier still occur in Vermont, per Insurify’s internal data. 

Generally, people with excellent or good credit scores can qualify for lower car insurance premiums than people with average or poor credit scores. 

See More: Bad Credit Car Insurance Vermont

How your city affects Vermont insurance quotes

Even within the same state, car insurance rates can differ between cities. Larger cities tend to have more accidents, making average car insurance rates higher. The most expensive car insurance quotes in Vermont are found in Winooski and Williston, where drivers pay an average of $273 and $311 per month, respectively. The cities with the cheapest average coverage include Shelburne at $97 per month and Northfield for $109 per month.

How your age affects your Vermont 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. 

Quotes for younger drivers

Multiple other factors influence how much drivers in each age group will pay for car insurance. Some increase rates for one age group more than another, while others affect all age groups evenly.

The following table compares how different insurance factors affect average monthly rates for drivers younger than 30. Progressive provides the cheapest average quote for full coverage, at $91 per month.

Quotes for middle-aged drivers

The following table compares how different insurance factors affect average monthly rates for drivers between 30 and 59. Because middle-aged drivers tend to have more experience than drivers under 30, they typically earn much lower rates. However, an at-fault accident or a DUI on your record can make insurance companies unwilling to offer you coverage.

Quotes for senior drivers

Similar to middle-aged drivers, senior drivers benefit from much lower rates than drivers under 30. Though Insurify doesn’t have specific data by auto insurer for senior drivers in Vermont, general cost trends will likely apply. Older drivers will pay less for liability-only coverage than for a full-coverage policy and will face increased rates following an accident or DUI. 

Vermont car insurance FAQs

Drivers in Vermont earn some of the lowest insurance rates in the country. Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about Vermont car insurance.

Insurify Insights

How Vermont 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 Vermont 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 Vermont 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.

Dodge Dakota

Most Popular Car in Vermont

#51

State with the Most Speeding Tickets Rank

#51

State with the Moving Violations Rank

#51

State with the Most DUIs Rank

#51

State with the most Suspended Licenses

• Accidents in Vermont

  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. Vermont is the #51 state in the country for drivers with an at-fault accident on their driving record.

  • Rank among states: #51
  • Percent of drivers in Vermont with an accident: 2.1%
• DUIs in Vermont

  While driving while intoxicated is never acceptable, it’s a more common offense than many assume. Vermont is the #51 state in the country for drivers with a prior drunk driving conviction.

  • Rank among states: #51
  • Percent of drivers in Vermont with a DUI: 0.2%
• Reckless Driving in Vermont

  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. Vermont is the #51 state in the country for drivers with a reckless driving offense on record.

  • Rank among states: #51
  • Percent of drivers in Vermont with a reckless driving offense: 0.1%
• Rude Driving in Vermont

  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. Vermont is the #51 state in the country for drivers with a rude driving violation on record.

  • Rank among states: #51
  • Percent of drivers in Vermont with a rude driving violation: 0.2%
• Speeding in Vermont

  Exceeding the speed limit can endanger others and have a serious impact on your insurance costs. Vermont is the #51 state in the country for drivers with a speeding ticket on record.

  • Rank among states: #51
  • Percent of drivers in Vermont with a speeding ticket: 1.3%
• Failure to Yield Rates in Vermont

  Failing to yield the right of way isn’t just frustrating for other drivers; it’s dangerous, too. Vermont is the #51 state in the country for drivers with a failure to yield violation on record.

  • Rank among states: #51
  • Percent of drivers in Vermont with a failure to yield violation: 0%

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.