Georgia is among the 10 most expensive states for car insurance. But some auto insurance buyers are getting a better deal.

July 23, 2023

One of the top 10 most expensive states for auto insurance, Georgia’s average car insurance cost is $1,638 for full coverage per year.

There are several reasons car insurance is more expensive in Georgia than in other states. Blame healthcare costs, car repair costs, the higher frequency of accidents in Georgia, and, even, lower average credit scores.

But just because the average cost is higher, that doesn’t doom you to years of painful premiums. In fact, if you put your mind to it, you can wind up with an auto insurance premium that is lower than your fellow Georgians and, even, people in other states.

Let’s take a look at the causes of the higher costs and what you can do about them.

It’s not quite a demolition derby here in Georgia, but some days it seems close

We all carry auto insurance. We do it not because we look forward to using it, but because the day might come when we need to use our car insurance.

Here in Georgia, that need for car insurance is higher than in other states.

That’s because, in recent years, Georgia has increasingly become a state where accidents happen.

Serious accidents have also increased along with the fender-benders: Georgia has the fourth-highest number of fatal auto accidents in the country.

Add to that the fact that Georgia is part of a region where miles traveled have been growing in double-digits, and you begin to see why insurance rates are so high. And why your rate might be higher than in another state, even if you’ve never filed a claim or been in an accident.

It’s easier to raise insurance prices in Georgia than in other states

We love Georgia. It’s our home. But when it comes to protecting consumers against insurance rate increases, Georgia offers less help than other states.

In fact, most annual increases that are lower than 10% are unlikely to be reviewed by the insurance commissioner.

That means, even if you’re comparing quotes, unless you’re working with a service that helps you generate competitive quotes, you might find your costs creeping up over time.

High healthcare costs are even higher in Georgia

Another element that insurance companies consider when setting rates for a region is healthcare cost.

Why would overall healthcare costs affect the cost of auto insurance instead of, say, health insurance? Simply: If there’s an accident where a person is injured, the healthcare costs for the injured will likely be paid out by the insurance company. Over time, as healthcare costs increase, that can have a big effect on baseline auto insurance rates in a state or a region.

Georgia has some of the highest healthcare costs in the nation. That factors into the cost of insuring your vehicle in Georgia.

Fixing an accident-damaged car costs more in Georgia

Georgia auto repair costs are among the highest in the country.

Whether it’s a simple bumper replacement or a complicated project in the body shop, the numbers don’t lie: repairing a car in Georgia is more expensive than in most other states. Insurance companies take that into consideration when writing baseline rates and when generating a specific policy even if you’ve never been in an accident or filed a claim.

Sometimes where you live is just more expensive. That includes your auto insurance policy.

How expensive, on average, is auto insurance in Georgia?

While the average annual auto insurance cost in the United States is $1,951, in Georgia, according to the Experian credit rating firm, that annual cost is $2,544. That’s 30% higher.

What can Georgia drivers do to lower their auto insurance rates?

First, forget loyalty. This is a hard one for many of us to accept. But your loyalty to a particular carrier is not always rewarded in kind. When it comes to auto insurance, it’s always a good idea to compare costs whenever it’s time for your policy to renew.

According to Wallethub, when you shop for insurance, “you should always get three or more quotes to compare. And you can maximize your savings by comparison shopping every 6-12 months.”

Other paths to savings:

Search for discounts. Are you a safe driver? Does your car have modern safety equipment? Are you willing to go completely paperless for your policy? How about premium auto-payments from your bank account? Any of these could add up to substantial savings to your policy.
Increase your deductible. The higher your out-of-pocket cost for a covered claim, the lower your ongoing insurance premium will be. It’s a bit of a gamble, but if you’re a person who doesn’t typically have auto insurance claims, it might pay off for you in the long run.
Buy an insurance-friendly car. Muscle cars and high-end luxury cars are fun to drive, but the model you choose could raise your rates if that model is one that statistically is more likely to be involved in a claim. You can also look at a list of the most affordable cars to insure. https://wallethub.com/edu/ci/cheapest-cars-to-insure/65580
Improve your credit score. On average, Georgia drivers have a credit score in the high 600s, typically referred to as “Fair.” If you can push your credit score into the “Good” or “Excellent” range, you could start to see your insurance costs drop. Why does your credit score matter? Because statistically, the higher the score, the more likely that the driver won’t be submitting a lot of claims. And low likelihood of claims leads to lower rates overall.

Here’s one more way Georgia drivers are saving money on their auto insurance.

With just a little effort — and a smart agent like you’ll find on the helpful team at Get In The Ring — Georgians don’t need to be stuck paying higher premiums.

You can get started on your money-saving journey right here on this site. All it takes is five minutes to fill out an online form. Based on your needs, budget, and history, a winner is chosen just for you in minutes.

Get in the Ring is the brainchild of Jim Bethea, owner of The Bethea Insurance Group, an independent agency based in metro Atlanta. Get In The Ring embraces an industry-leading technology platform that finally arms consumers with the no-nonsense information they need to quickly and easily find the best pricing and coverage for their specific needs.

Few of us have the time or energy to go from insurance site to insurance site armed with only the knowledge we have of insurance companies from their catchy commercials.

We need the information that will save us money on our insurance. The same insurance that other drivers have at a much lower price.

Get in the Ring makes that information accessible to consumers at a level of accuracy and usefulness that hasn’t been directly available to insurance consumers until this decade.

If you’re interested in auto or home insurance, give it a try. You’ll get a list of insurance companies that are a great match for you, and you’ll hear from an agent who’s ready to help you cut your insurance costs dramatically.

Want to give it a try?