Rhode Island has an average annual auto insurance rate of $1,021 for minimum coverage. State Farm sells the cheapest car insurance in the state, at $373 a year for a policy that covers the state liability minimums. The average cost of full-coverage auto insurance in Rhode Island is $1,776 per year.
These costs are significantly higher than the national average rate for auto insurance. This makes doing some research a priority if you want to find good coverage at the best price for you. We put this guide together based on the most recent car insurance industry and state government data in order to help you find the best quote for you. This article includes:
- Average cost of auto insurance in Rhode Island
- Cheapest auto insurance providers in Rhode Island
- Who are the favorite car insurers in Rhode Island?
- Why auto insurance in Rhode Island costs so much
- Rhode Island car insurance laws
Rhode Island's average car insurance rates
How much is auto insurance in Rhode Island? Based on our findings, Rhode Island's average annual rate for the state-required minimum coverage is $1,021, and $1,776 for full coverage. Rhode Island's average rates are higher than the national average of $641 for minimum auto insurance coverage and $1,255 for full-coverage auto insurance. There are other factors such as where you live, your driving record and previous insurance claims that can affect your car insurance rate as well.
Who has the cheapest car insurance rates in Rhode Island?
The table below lists the average annual cost of auto insurance from the main providers operating in Rhode Island. Allstate has the highest average minimum insurance rate at $1,872, while State Farm has the lowest average cost of $373 annually.
With so many auto insurance companies with rates well above the state average, it's important to compare quotes from multiple providers to find your optimal combination of cost and coverage.
A good way to cut down your car insurance costs is to take advantage of the discounts that insurers provide. The auto insurance industry is highly competitive, and discounts are a large part of how most companies are able to stay in the race. Make sure to ask your provider about the discounts for which you qualify. They can knock a decent chunk off your annual rate.
Compare quotes from Rhode Island's cheapest car insurance companies
Best auto insurance companies in Rhode Island
The table below ranks the best car insurance companies currently operating in Rhode Island based on their state market share and rating in J.D. Power's 2020 U.S. auto insurance study when available. The higher the market share, the more drivers have auto insurance with that provider. Combined with the customer satisfaction ratings from J.D. Power's study, you can get a good overview of who the most popular auto insurers in Rhode Island are.
| Company | Rhode Island market share | 2020 J.D. Power satisfaction rating (out of 1,000) |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive | 18% | 819 |
| GEICO | 14% | 841 |
| Amica Mutual Insurance | 12% | 863 |
| Allstate | 10% | 807 |
| USAA | 8% | 895 |
| Metlife | 5% | 807 |
| Nationwide | 5% | NA |
| Travelers | 3% | 808 |
| State Farm | 2% | 855 |
| Quincy Mutual | 0.5% | NA |
Why is auto insurance in Rhode Island so expensive?
While there are personal factors that increase your car insurance premium, such as insurance claims you've made in the past and driving history, there are factors that affect all drivers in Rhode Island fairly equally. These include:
Population density
Rhode Island has the third-highest population in the U.S. This means there are more people driving, therefore greater chances of car accidents. Auto insurance companies factor this into their base calculations of quotes.
Uninsured drivers
Fourteen percent of Rhode Island drivers are uninsured. This is more than the most recent national average of 13%. This cost is passed onto insured drivers. Besides the increase in your auto insurance rate, it also increases the chances of being in an accident with an uninsured driver.
Rhode Island car insurance laws
What is the minimum required auto insurance in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island requires drivers to have the following minimum car insurance limits:
- Bodily injury liability per person: $25,000
- Bodily injury liability per incident: $50,000
- Property damage liability: $25,000
Due to the state's high uninsured driver rate, auto insurance policies in Rhode Island also include uninsured/underinsured coverage, with limits of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per incident. You may decline this coverage, but it may put you at risk. Rhode Island also allows drivers to purchase liability coverage with a combined single limit of $75,000 per incident.
Recommended car insurance limits
The Rhode Island minimum liability limits may seem like a lot of money, but one long hospital stay or prolonged litigation can quickly eat through your minimum coverage limits. If costs surpass your limits, you're left on the hook to pay whatever costs accrue afterward. This could leave you owing thousands of dollars.
To make sure you're not left in a financial bind, we strongly suggest raising your liability limits to the following:
- Bodily injury liability per person: $100,000
- Bodily injury liability per incident: $300,000
- Property damage liability: $100,000
Increasing your auto liability limits to the recommended amounts really doesn't increase your premiums a lot. If you can work it into your budget, we recommend increasing your bodily injury per incident to $500,000. The increase from $300,000 to $500,000 is usually affordable and can give significant peace of mind.
Rhode Island DWI law
If you are pulled over in Rhode Island and found to have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, you are guilty of driving while intoxicated (DWI). If convicted, first-offense penalties include:
- Up to one year in jail.
- $100 to $400 in fines.
- 30 days to 12 months license suspension.
These are just the legal penalties you may face. You will also likely see an increase in your annual auto insurance rates. Our data shows that it's possible to see an annual $5,000 car insurance premium increase after a DWI. What's worse is that you may not be able to get auto insurance after a DWI. Insurers consider DWI offenses to be high-risk and reserve the right to not offer auto insurance coverage.
Rhode Island Department of Insurance
- Insurance commissioner: Elizabeth Kelleher Dwyer
- Website: Division of Insurance Regulation
- Filing a consumer insurance complaint: Complaint page
- Phone number: (401) 462-9500
- Address: 1511 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, RI 02920
Methodology
For this article, QuoteWizard compiled averages based on the following variables:
- A 35-year-old single driver.
- Employed, with a bachelor's degree college education.
- Excellent credit score and zero accidents.
- Drives a 2012 Honda Accord LX with an annual mileage of 16,000 miles.
Sources:
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