7 Best Car Insurance Companies in Connecticut of 2023

Connecticut is a quintessential New England state and is considered one of the wealthiest states in the US as well as one of the safest. There are tony suburbs like Greenwich and Ridgefield, but there are also urban cities like New Haven and Hartford.

Even though Connecticut has more suburban roads than highways, there’s always a chance you can get into a car accident if you’re not careful or if the other driver is not careful.

That’s why, if you live in Connecticut, you should purchase auto insurance.

Besides being mandatory, it’s very important to have.

The average cost of minimum coverage in Connecticut is $95 per month or about $1,140 per year. The average cost of full coverage car insurance in Connecticut is around $150 per month or $1,800 per year.

Auto insurance will cover you, your passengers, and your car, if you get into an accident.

And it will also cover you if you injure another driver during a collision. It will pay for any medical bills that the injured person experiences.

And if you damage someone’s property while driving, such as if you back into someone’s fence, auto coverage will pay to fix or replace it.

However, many insurers cover the state, and it can be daunting to pick the one that meets your exact needs. So, what do you do?

We’re here to help. We’ve put together a list of the best car insurance companies in Connecticut that may give you an idea of what’s out there. Here too is a guide about everything you need to know about auto insurance so you can pick the right coverages, and so you know when and when not to increase your property coverage and liability.

Compare Car Insurance Rates in CT

Progressive: Best Car Insurance That Rewards You with Good Driving

Progressive is known for its excellent auto coverage, and that’s why it’s popular with many car drivers.

Progressive is also known for personalizing your auto rate based on your driving.

Called Snapshot—which other insurers call “usage-based” insurance—can save you a lot of money because you pay based on how much you drive, as well as how you drive, such as if you are a fast driver or keep getting violation tickets.

Based on your good driving habits—you’re driving up to the speed limit, for example--you’ll get an automatic discount in most states. The discounted rate will be applied to your policy when you renew your auto policy with Progressive.

Snapshot is easy to use. You enroll in the program and use a plug-in device that fits in your car or your mobile app to track your driving habits.

You can check your status in the app or online.

Using the mobile app, you can get tips based on your driving to boost your driving score to get a discount.

In addition, the app can track you on a certain trip, whether that’s driving to work or picking up your kids from school, which gives you info about how you’re driving. If you hard brake a lot of speed, you have an incentive not to do these things because you won’t get a discount or price break.

Read a full Progressive car insurance review.

Amica: Best Car Insurance for Supplemental Coverage

Amica is one of the oldest car insurance companies in the U.S. It has been around since 1907.

Amica is known for its supplemental coverage options which can make your auto policy more comprehensive. But keep in mind that these coverages all have a price, just like add-ons or riders.

Accident Forgiveness

If you insure your car for a long period of time or refer new customers, or add other policies, you can earn points that can apply to accident forgiveness, which prevents an increase in your rates if you happen to be involved in a car accident.

Disappearing Deductible

The points you earn for good driving can also be used to reduce or eliminate your deductible.

Identity Fraud

Identity fraud monitors your financials such as credit files and your personal business information, and the coverage even comes with a fraud specialist to assist you if your identity is being used fraudulently.

Full Glass Coverage

Unlike other insurers, glass repair or replacement comes with no deductible.

Prestige Rental Coverage

Pays up to $5,000 when you rent a car that’s similar to your car and which is being repaired in a garage due to an accident.

Amica also offers free benefits that come with the standard policy. These include lock replacement, airbag repair, wage reimbursement if you have to appear in court, bail bonds, and depreciation protection.

GEICO: Best Car Insurance for Cheapest Rates

GEICO was founded in 1936 and, offers the most affordable coverage overall in Connecticut.

GEICO’s phenomenal rates are 25% lower than the national average.

GEICO’s full coverage is $150 per month and the minimum coverage is $75 per month.

And GEICO has the cheapest average rates for customers with poor credit.

Keep in mind that these average rates will differ in cost with each driver.

So, the best thing to do is get multiple car insurance quotes and compare them with GEICO.

Read a full GEICO car insurance editorial review.

Travelers: Best Car Insurance for New Car Replacement

Travelers is best known for their auto coverages. From the insurer, you can get accident forgiveness, roadside assistance, and gap insurance.

But the company’s best coverage is its new car replacement.

If your car is totaled in the first five years of ownership, the new car will replace your new and new-ish car with a brand-new vehicle of the same make and model.

A new car is unique because comparable insurers offer coverage for just the first two or three years.

Since you are basically getting your old car back, it doesn’t work in your favor if you don’t want the same car. But if you are happy with your car, then you should get this coverage.

If you want a new car replacement, keep in mind that you may not get it if the car was stolen, damaged due to fire, and has a loss from floods.

New car replacement coverage is actually a coverage package and is also designed to include gap coverage and a glass deductible.

State Farm: Best Car Insurance for Bundling

The average rate in CT for State Farm’s full coverage is $125 per month or $1,500 per year.

State Farm’s minimum coverage is $110 per month.

State Farm can offer cheap rates because the company has more customers than any other provider, and its large market share allows the insurer to keep its prices competitive.

Liberty Mutual: Best Car Insurance for Full Coverage

Liberty Mutual has been in the auto insurance business for over 100 years. It’s a trusted brand name that offers basic renters insurance, as well as full coverage.

Full coverage is made up of collision coverage and comprehensive coverage

Collision coverage covers you, someone, or something that collides with your vehicle. The coverage allows your insurer to repair or replace your car due to damages.

Comprehensive coverage covers damage done to your vehicle by natural disasters or vandalism.

The coverage has nothing to do with a collision. Instead, the coverage protects your car from fire, a storm, or a flood, as well as hitting an animal or falling trees.

If you paid off your car, comprehensive coverage is optional.

But if you’re financing or leasing your car, your lender may require you to have comprehensive coverage.

Farmers: Best Car Insurance with the Most Discounts

Farmers auto policy has slightly higher rates than its competitors. However, Farmers' rates can be more competitive if you qualify for discounts that the insurer offers, which will lower your premium.

Farmers has the most discounts available in comparison to other insurers.

How Does Car Insurance Work?

Auto insurance pays for bodily injuries or property damage resulting from a car accident for which you are legally responsible.

Do All US States Require Car Insurance?

No. Virginia and New Hampshire are the only two states where car insurance is not mandatory.

What Does Car Insurance Cover?

Your coverage will vary by state. However, to drive your car in Connecticut, there are two main components of an auto insurance policy that you need to have: bodily injury liability and property damage liability.

These are covered in your basic policy.

Liability

Liability insurance covers property damage or injuries you may have caused to others in an accident. Liability also includes medical payments if you or your passengers were injured in a car accident.

Bodily Injury

Bodily injury liability pays for injuries you cause to another driver if you are at fault in the accident. It covers a driver’s medical expenses and lost wages if the driver can’t work due to injuries.

Property Damage

Property damage liability kicks in when you damage another person’s property while driving, such as colliding with a fence or ruining a garage, or other structure. Property damage will cover any expenses related to repairs or replacements.

What Type of Auto Insurance is Required in CT?

Connecticut drivers must carry the following required minimum car insurance coverages and limits:

Bodily injury liability

$25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.

Property damage liability

$25,000 per accident.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist

$25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.

Should I Increase My Limits?

The above minimum limits aren’t enough to cover expensive medical treatments or extensive damages to another car.

If you have bodily injuries after crashing your car, or your car is totaled and you need medical attention, more liability will help you out.

If your policy limits are exhausted or you have reached your accident limits, you will be held responsible for the remaining out-of-pocket costs.

As such, it is strongly suggested to increase your liability limits beyond the required amount.

Personal Injury Protection Coverage

If you want coverage for you and your passengers if any of you gets injured in an accident, regardless of fault, you may need to add personal injury protection coverage (PIP).

In fact, in certain states, personal injury protection coverage may be a requirement for a driver.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

Another coverage that is typically offered under an auto insurance plan is uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

This protects you when you have an accident where the other driver is at-fault and either doesn’t have insurance or else has insurance but the limits on the policy are not enough to reimburse you for damages the other driver caused.

If you are involved in a collision with an uninsured/underinsured motorist, your auto policy will pay you the difference between your expenses and the policy limit of the other motorist.

The coverage for bodily injury for uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in Connecticut is as follows:

• $25,000 per person
• $50,000 per accident

Do You Need Uninsured/Underinsured Coverage in Connecticut?

Yes, and it’s mandatory to have. Every auto policy issued in Connecticut is required, by law, to provide uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Physical Damage

The physical damage portion of an auto policy is optional. Your state will not require you to carry this coverage to register a car, but your lender may require it if you loan or lease the car.

Physical damage contains the following coverages:

Comprehensive

Comprehensive coverage covers events such as fire, theft, vandalism, glass breakage, and natural disasters like hail and falling snow.

So comprehensive coverage pays for your vehicle when you cause physical damage due to a non-collision-related incident.

For example, if you hit a deer with your car, comprehensive coverage will pay for any repairs needed on the car.

Collision Coverage

Collision coverage protects your car against accidents.

Collision coverage is what pays for the repairs to your car if you come into contact with another car or an object or a structure on someone’s property such as a mailbox, trees, lamp posts, and other inanimate objects.

What Does Car Insurance Not Cover?

Most insurers, regardless of the company, will not pay or replace any personal property left inside your car.

For example, if someone broke into your car and stole your expensive stereo equipment, auto insurance will not cover the loss.

To get items in your car covered, you need either a renters or a homeowners insurance policy.

In addition, auto insurance will not cover the wear or tear of your vehicle, any damage you cause intentionally, or any mechanical failures that are unrelated to a covered peril.

Should You Buy Standard Coverage or Full?

If you buy a standard auto policy with minimum coverage, you’ll save money. But if you are at fault in an accident, you may have to pay a pricey amount of out-of-pocket expenses.

Full coverage is recommended, as it comes with higher liability limits. You will have more financial protection and this is the reason why most auto insurers recommend higher limits.

What Factors Determine My Car Insurance Rates in Connecticut?

• Vehicle Type: SUVs, convertibles, performance vehicles, and high-cost cars typically cost more to insure.
• Where you Park: If you park your car in a garage or a locked parking lot, this will decrease the likelihood that your vehicle will be stolen.
• Car Safety: Anti-theft devices on your car can lower your premium.
• Where you Live: If you live in an area that is susceptible to extreme weather conditions, heavy traffic, and risk of theft, these will cause your rate to increase.

Auto insurance policies also consider your driving record (your rate will be lower if yours is clean), your claims history (the more claims you make will increase your rates), and your credit history (if you say, have a great score above 650, insurers will assume you are reliable and pay your premium on time.)

Connecticut is one of the safest states in the US, but your premium will increase if you live in certain towns that have high crime rates.

These cities include New Britain, Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven.

How Can I Get a Lower Premium?

Shop Around

The best way to get a rate that fits your budget is to shop around and get quotes from several insurers.

A quote is an estimate of your premium cost. If you compare multiple quotes for the same coverage from different companies, you may likely find the best insurer for you.

Be a Careful Driver

If you can avoid an accident, or if you drive carefully so you won’t get into one your rate will drop. It will also drop if you don’t get any tickets.

Your insurer will consider you to be a low-risk driver to insure you if you stay safe on the road.

Multi-Policy/Multi-Car

If you take advantage of the multi-policy (bunding auto with home, for example) or the multi-car (multiple cars with the same insurer) discount, your premium will be lowered.

Other Discounts

Most insurers offer discounts for certain things that relate to your policy. For example, if you are a good driver, make no claims, or have safety devices in your car, for example, you’ll get discounts for each.

Raise Your Deductible

If you raise your deductible, this means you’ll have a lower premium.

But know that when you lower your deductible, this will increase the amount you pay if you file a claim.

Improve Your Credit Score

To insurers, you are a less risky driver if you have a great credit score. If you have bad credit, try to increase it by paying down a credit card with a high balance, paying bills on time, or paying more than the minimum amount on a loan or credit card.

How Much Does Auto Insurance Cost in Connecticut?

The cost of your auto policy varies depending on different factors.

An auto insurer will look at the area where you live, your driving experience or history, the type of car you drive, and any past claims you may have filed to determine the price of your policy.

That said, the average cost of full coverage car insurance in Connecticut is $1,442 per year or about $120 per month.

And the average cost of minimum coverage in Connecticut is $884 per year or $73 per month.

Though drivers in Connecticut don’t have the lowest rates in the nation, their average rates are on par with the national average of $1,320.

The cheapest car insurance companies in Connecticut are Geico and State Farm.

How We Picked the Best Auto Insurance Companies in CT

We researched auto insurance companies to find the best ones using such factors as discounts, coverage, technology, customer reviews, and price.

Discounts

We looked at companies with the most discounts so you can save on your policy. The multi-policy and multi-car discounts were the most important to us. Each gives you the highest discount available.

Coverage

We also looked at an insurer that had extra or unique coverages so that you had a choice of which ones to add to tailor your policy, such as better car replacement, new car replacement, and gap insurance.

Most times, coverage comes at a cost, but the plus side is that your policy becomes more comprehensive.

Technology

We considered whether an insurer had an intuitive and easy-to-use website and mobile app that could provide you with convenience.

If you could easily get a quote, buy a policy, file a claim, track a claim, check up on your policy, pay a bill, and more on an insurer’s website and mobile app, then that was a company we considered.

Customer Reviews

We looked at verified customer reviews from various websites that catered to reviewing auto policies.

Price

There are many auto insurers out there, so the cost of a policy helped us narrow down our list when we chose only the most affordable.