)
Jess Ullrich is a personal finance writer who’s been creating financial and business content for over a decade. Her work has been published in Investopedia, MoneyWise, NextAdvisor, The HuffPost, and she's been contributing to Compare.com since 2024. Prior to writing full-time, Jess was an editor at Investopedia, The Balance, and FinanceBuzz.
)
)
Lequita Westbrooks is an insurance editor at Compare.com. Her writing and editing experiences span several industries, including insurance, personal finance, higher education, and more. She excels at explaining complex topics like auto insurance in simple, easy-to-understand language and is passionate about helping readers save money. Lequita graduated from the University of South Florida, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in English.
Updated
At Compare.com, it’s our mission to give you the tools to find the best (and most affordable) insurance for your unique needs and budget. We strive to provide information that’s helpful, clear, and unbiased, and we believe that comparing insurance companies should never put you at risk of spam. Our editorial team — which is made up of experienced writers, editors, insurance agents, and data analysts — has spent thousands of hours researching and creating the coverage overviews, side-by-side comparisons, and detailed reviews you see across our site.
While we make money through partnerships with some of the brands we discuss in our articles, our editorial team operates 100% independently, and these partners never influence or affect the topics, reviews, ratings, or recommendations we provide. We never guarantee favorable reviews or mentions in exchange for compensation from any brands or partners, and we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure our content is always independent, truthful, and unbiased.
Table of contents
Tennessee has relatively inexpensive auto insurance costs compared to the rest of the country, and Knoxville is no exception. Drivers in Knoxville pay $110 per month on average for car insurance.
But even with these lower-than-average rates, many companies offer policies for even less. For instance, State Farm, USAA, and GEICO offer the most affordable rates — as low as $23 per month.
If you’re seeking new coverage, this article will discuss the cheapest insurers in Knoxville, how to choose the right company, and tips to save on your insurance.
State Farm offers the average Knoxville driver the cheapest coverage in the area.
The average rate for full-coverage insurance in Knoxville is $145, and the average for minimum coverage is $75.
Seeking out discounts, comparing insurance companies’ rates, and increasing your deductible can help lower your premiums.
The Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Knoxville, Tennessee
While average car insurance rates in Knoxville can give you some insight into costs, they don’t tell the whole story. No matter the average rate, you can still find ways to save money by starting with the cheapest companies in the state.
The table below highlights the cheapest insurers in Knoxville and what you can expect to pay for auto insurance with each, according to Compare.com.
Company | Average Monthly Premium |
---|---|
State Farm | $23 |
USAA | $27 |
GEICO | $30 |
Auto-Owners | $31 |
Travelers | $31 |
Erie | $33 |
Mile Auto | $40 |
Allstate | $42 |
Farmers | $45 |
Nationwide | $55 |
Progressive | $60 |
Direct Auto | $62 |
Chubb | $64 |
Root | $78 |
Safeco | $80 |
Dairyland | $84 |
State Auto | $85 |
The General | $95 |
Elephant | $97 |
National General | $100 |
GAINSCO | $102 |
Bristol West | $127 |
Foremost | $127 |
Liberty Mutual | $132 |
State Farm offers the lowest average rates in Knoxville, with drivers paying $23 per month.
In the following sections, we’ll break down costs further by driver demographics and coverage types to help you make an informed choice about the best car insurance.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Knoxville by Driver and Coverage Type
The car insurance companies above are a great starting point for comparing new auto coverage, but your personal rates will vary depending on your age, driving record, address, credit history, and other factors.
The table below shows the cheapest car insurance companies for a variety of backgrounds and coverage types, according to Compare.com data.
Driver/Coverage Type | Cheapest Insurer | Insurer’s Average Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|
State-minimum coverage | State Farm | $23 |
Full coverage | State Farm | $45 |
Teens | State Farm | $42 |
Seniors | State Farm | $17 |
Drivers with a speeding ticket | State Farm | $30 |
Drivers with an at-fault accident | State Farm | $31 |
Drivers with a DUI | State Farm | $38 |
Drivers with excellent credit | State Farm | $22 |
Drivers with poor credit | State Farm | $30 |
To offer more context on insurance prices, we’ve included further breakdowns for each driver type in the sections below.
Tennessee requires drivers to have liability coverage to legally drive on public roads. The average rate for minimum coverage in Knoxville is $75, according to Compare.com data.
While getting state-minimum coverage can result in cheaper premiums, many experts typically recommend higher limits for greater protection on the road. Buying more coverage can provide peace of mind if you get into a serious accident that can easily surpass your liability limits.[1]
The table below shows the five cheapest car insurance companies for state-minimum coverage, according to Compare.com data.
Average Liability Rates by Company
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Compare.com's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.If you’d prefer more protection behind the wheel, full-coverage car insurance is likely a better choice than minimum coverage. In addition to state-minimum insurance, full coverage typically includes collision insurance and comprehensive insurance.
Lenders and leasing companies typically require full-coverage insurance if you finance or lease your car.[2] This insurance protects you and the insurer’s investment.
The average rate for full coverage in Knoxville is $145. Here are the five cheapest car insurance companies in Knoxville for full coverage, according to Compare.com data.
Average Full-Coverage Rates by Company
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Compare.com's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.Teen drivers lack experience on the road, which often translates to higher car insurance rates. They’re four times more likely to get into car accidents than drivers 20 and older, based on miles driven, according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS).[3]
In Knoxville, teen drivers pay an average of $196 for car insurance coverage. The chart below shows the five cheapest insurers in Knoxville, according to Compare.com data.
Average Rates for Teens
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Compare.com's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.Unlike teen drivers, senior drivers enjoy some of the lowest auto insurance rates of any demographic — and with good reason. Older drivers tend to drive fewer miles and avoid night driving, which helps lower their risk of accidents, according to the IIHS.[4]
The average insurance rate for seniors in Knoxville is $81. The chart below highlights the five auto insurers with the lowest rates for senior drivers in Knoxville, according to our research.
Average Rates for Seniors
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Compare.com's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.A speeding ticket can be a setback from an insurance perspective, as it often results in higher car insurance rates. Once you get a ticket, your risk goes up in the eyes of insurance companies. Our research shows that just one ticket can increase car insurance rates by 28% nationwide.
The average cost of car insurance for Knoxville drivers with a recent ticket is $156 per month, according to our data. The companies in the chart below offer the cheapest coverage, on average, if you have a speeding ticket in Knoxville.
Average Rates With a Ticket
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Compare.com's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.A car accident can lead to higher car insurance premiums. A single at-fault accident results in a 33% average rate increase nationwide, according to our research.
We found that the average Knoxville driver pays a monthly rate of $162 after a speeding ticket. If you’re seeking new auto coverage after an accident, check out the five cheapest companies in Knoxville.
Average Rates With an Accident
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Compare.com's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.If authorities catch you driving under the influence (DUI), expect a dramatic increase in your car insurance rates. A DUI conviction translates to high risk in the eyes of your auto insurer and an average rate increase of 59% nationally, according to Compare.com data.
Knoxville drivers with a DUI conviction pay an average of $184 per month for car insurance coverage, according to our data. Here are the five cheapest insurers for Knoxville drivers with a DUI.
Average Rates With a DUI
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Compare.com's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.Tennessee law allows insurers to consider your credit history when calculating your insurance rates. That said, Tennessee law restricts them from denying or canceling your coverage solely based on your credit.[5]
Still, if you have bad credit, insurance companies could view you as a higher financial risk, which may mean higher rates. Drivers with poor credit pay around 40% more for insurance than drivers with excellent credit, according to our data.
The average rate for Knoxville drivers with poor credit is $122. Here are the cheapest insurers in Knoxville if you have bad credit, according to our data.
Average Rates With Bad Credit
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Compare.com's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Tennessee Auto Insurance Requirements
As with most states, Tennessee requires all drivers to have car insurance to be roadworthy. You’ll need to purchase the following coverage amounts:
$25,000 in bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 in bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 in property damage liability per accident[6]
Bodily injury liability insurance pays the other driver and their passengers for injuries if you cause an accident. Property damage liability coverage pays for repairs to other people’s property or vehicles if you’re responsible for an accident.
Failure to meet Tennessee’s minimum coverage requirements could result in fines and suspension of car registration. Visit the Tennessee Department of Revenue site to learn more.
Car insurance experts typically recommend buying more than the minimum amount of car insurance state law requires. State minimums may not be enough to cover the damages if you get into a serious car accident, especially if the other driver and their passengers suffer severe injuries.
And if you have a car loan or lease a vehicle, your lender or leasing company may require you to have full coverage. That means you’ll need to purchase collision and comprehensive insurance in addition to the state’s minimum required coverages.
Knoxville Auto Insurance FAQs
Below, you’ll find answers to the most common questions Knoxville drivers have about auto insurance to help you find the best coverage at the lowest cost.
What’s the cheapest auto insurance company in Knoxville?
State Farm is the cheapest auto insurance company in Knoxville. Its average liability rate is $23 per month, according to Compare.com data. But it may not be the cheapest company for you, so compare multiple insurers before purchasing your next policy.
How much is car insurance in Knoxville?
Drivers in Knoxville pay an average of $110 per month for car insurance coverage. Minimum coverage costs $75 per month, while full coverage averages $145.
What’s the average cost of car insurance in Tennessee?
The average Tennessee driver pays around $110 per month for car insurance. But keep in mind that your personal rate can vary widely depending on personal factors like your age, driving record, and more.
What’s the minimum amount of car insurance you can buy in Tennessee?
Tennessee requires all drivers to purchase basic liability insurance with limits of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury coverage, as well as $25,000 in property damage protection. That said, many experts recommend purchasing higher limits. And if you can’t afford to repair or replace your vehicle out of pocket, a more robust full-coverage policy is worth considering.
Methodology
Data scientists at Compare.com analyzed more than 50 million real-time auto insurance quotes from more than 75 partner insurers in order to compile the rates and statistics seen in this article. Compare.com’s auto insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers’ vehicles, driving records, insurance histories, and demographic information.
All the rates listed in this article have been collected from a combination of real Compare.com quotes and external insurance rate data gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. Compare.com uses these observations to provide readers with insights into how auto insurance companies determine their premiums.
Sources
- III. "How much auto coverage do I need?."
- Naic.org. "What You Should Know About Auto Insurance Coverage."
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). "Teenagers."
- Iihs.org. "Older drivers."
- LexisNexis. "Tennessee Code § 56-5-202 (2021) - Use of Credit Information for Personal Insurance Policies."
- Tn.gov. "Why You Should Have Insurance."
Compare.com's #1 goal is to save you money. We publish resources that are based on hard-hitting data and years of industry experience to help you make more informed decisions with your wallet.
- All of Compare.com's content is written and reviewed for accuracy by a team of experienced writers and editors who are experts on the topics they cover.
- None of Compare.com's content is ever influenced by the companies and brands we partner with.
- Compare.com's editorial team operates independently of any of the company's partnership or business development interests. We publish unbiased information strictly for the benefit of our readers.
- All of the content you see on Compare.com is based on comprehensive analysis and all data is gathered and vetted from trustworthy sources.
Learn more about us, our team, and what makes us tick.
)
Jess Ullrich is a personal finance writer who’s been creating financial and business content for over a decade. Her work has been published in Investopedia, MoneyWise, NextAdvisor, The HuffPost, and she's been contributing to Compare.com since 2024. Prior to writing full-time, Jess was an editor at Investopedia, The Balance, and FinanceBuzz.
)
)
Lequita Westbrooks is an insurance editor at Compare.com. Her writing and editing experiences span several industries, including insurance, personal finance, higher education, and more. She excels at explaining complex topics like auto insurance in simple, easy-to-understand language and is passionate about helping readers save money. Lequita graduated from the University of South Florida, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in English.