The words “cheap” and “auto insurance” really should not be used together, in particular when comparison shopping for the cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI. Because of the high cost, let’s lead off by showing you a few of the factors that impact auto insurance prices, and see how we can help you reduce the cost of your next policy.
The vehicle you are trying to insure is a large consideration that determines if you can find the lowest-priced coverage for drivers with a DUI. Vehicles with lower acceleration and performance, good crash test ratings, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost substantially less to insure than adrenaline junky models. The next table estimates insurance prices for a selection of the most affordable vehicles to buy insurance for.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $6,088 |
| Ford Escape Limited 2WD | $6,223 |
| Ford F-150 STX Regular Cab 4WD | $6,815 |
| Ford Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $7,216 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $7,225 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $7,216 |
| Toyota Prius | $7,235 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $7,267 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $7,351 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 2WD | $7,356 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport Islander Package 4WD 4-Dr | $7,379 |
| Ford Edge SEL AWD | $7,696 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $7,702 |
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Price data assumes single male driver age 30, two speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Michigan minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Premium amounts do not factor in garaging location in Detroit, MI which can decrease or increase premium rates considerably.
Looking at the numbers, models like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and Ford F-150 are likely to be a few of the more affordable vehicles to insure after getting a DUI. The price for an auto insurance policy will be more expensive just because there is more liability exposure for drivers with a DUI, but overall those vehicles will probably have the least expensive rates that you’ll find.
One of the more important considerations that aid in calculating the annual cost of car insurance is your address. Areas with more people or more claims tend to have higher rates, whereas areas with less congestion tend to receive cheaper rates.
The next table lists the highest-priced areas in Michigan for drivers with a DUI to buy an auto insurance policy in. Detroit is listed at #1 with a yearly premium of $5,009 for car insurance, which is around $417 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit | $5,009 |
| 2 | Dearborn | $4,082 |
| 3 | Southfield | $3,980 |
| 4 | Pontiac | $3,639 |
| 5 | Flint | $3,371 |
| 6 | Warren | $3,322 |
| 7 | Dearborn Heights | $3,207 |
| 8 | Taylor | $3,116 |
| 9 | Sterling Heights | $2,924 |
| 10 | Westland | $2,850 |
| 11 | St. Clair Shores | $2,819 |
| 12 | Farmington Hills | $2,786 |
| 13 | Livonia | $2,688 |
| 14 | Troy | $2,640 |
| 15 | Rochester Hills | $2,567 |
| 16 | Saginaw | $2,557 |
| 17 | Novi | $2,539 |
| 18 | Royal Oak | $2,487 |
| 19 | Battle Creek | $2,426 |
| 20 | Lansing | $2,391 |
| 21 | Kalamazoo | $2,282 |
| 22 | Grand Rapids | $2,275 |
| 23 | Kentwood | $2,183 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $2,151 |
| 25 | Ann Arbor | $2,128 |
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Premium costs are estimated as specific Detroit garaging address can lower or raise premiums substantially.
Full coverage versus liability-only
Reducing the cost of car insurance is the goal of most people, and an easy way to find cheap insurance for drivers with a DUI is to only buy liability coverage. The information below visualizes the comparison of auto insurance rates when comparing full coverage to liability only. The premium estimates are based on no claims, a clean driving record, $250 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are factored in.
As an overall average, full coverage on your policy costs an extra $3,603 per year more than just buying liability insurance. That brings up the question if paying for full coverage is worth it. There is no exact rule that works best for making the decision to drop full coverage, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the annual cost of coverage is about 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
There are a few situations where only buying liability is not recommended. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you must maintain physical damage coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not opt for liability only.
Michigan car insurance companies
Selecting a highly-rated car insurance provider can be a challenge considering how many companies sell coverage in Detroit. The rank data displayed below could help you pick which providers to look at when shopping your coverage around. The rankings below only include companies who write in the majority of U.S. states, so companies that may only write in Michigan are not factored into these rankings.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Hartford | 88 | 96 | 91 | 93% | A+ | 92.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 94 | 99 | 90% | A+ | 92.4 |
| State Farm | 84 | 93 | 95 | 87% | A++ | 91 |
| Farmers Insurance | 87 | 92 | 90 | 85% | A | 90.6 |
| Safeco Insurance | 85 | 91 | 87 | 86% | A | 88.4 |
| USAA | 71 | 93 | 98 | 87% | A++ | 88 |
| GEICO | 73 | 93 | 95 | 85% | A++ | 87.1 |
| 21st Century | 85 | 85 | 91 | 89% | A | 86.9 |
| Liberty Mutual | 72 | 91 | 97 | 83% | A | 86.4 |
| AAA Insurance | 85 | 85 | 88 | 86% | A | 85.8 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
The diagram below demonstrates how deductibles can increase or decrease insurance costs when getting quotes for cheap insurance for drivers with a DUI. The data is based on a single male driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
In the chart above, a 50-year-old driver could cut expenses by $770 a year by switching the physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $1,158 by changing to a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, like the 20-year-old, could save $2,562 each year by choosing larger deductibles on their policy.
When using a larger deductible, it is essential to have enough savings to enable you to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense, which deters some drivers from choosing higher deductibles.
What aren’t you shopping around?
Detroit car insurance rates are influenced by many factors that will increase or decrease the price of coverage. Getting older, increasing deductibles, or having an at-fault accident can produce rate changes that can cause some rates to be cheaper than competitors. Not only may your risk profile change, but insurance companies change prices without warning to help ensure profitability. Higher than normal claim frequency or severity can cause higher priced premiums, while lower claims may produce more affordable Detroit car insurance rates.
As an example, the data below shows which companies have the cheapest car insurance in Detroit, MI for a 30-year-old female driver with no violations or accidents, and solid credit. Based on her personal profile, USAA offers the best car insurance rates in Detroit at $2,279 a year. This is $114 less than the average rate paid by Michigan drivers of $2,393. GEICO, Safeco, MetLife, and Chubb round out the rest of the top five cheapest Detroit, MI auto insurance companies.
Let’s now give the driver from the first set of rates a chargeable claim, a lower credit score, and a stop sign violation. Because each insurer has a proprietary method for determining rates in each state, comparing insurance quotes could result in a different list of cheap Detroit auto insurance companies as shown below.
Pioneer State Mutual now has the best auto insurance rate in Detroit with GEICO, USAA, Safeco, and Hastings Mutual completing the list. This example demonstrates why it is important to take the time to shop around when trying to get the most budget-friendly auto insurance rates for drivers with a DUI. Prices are calculated by many risk factors and change substantially, so the best price the last time you shopped your coverage around may now cost much more than other companies.