Car insurance in Colorado

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Colorado drivers pay an average of $1,290.34 per year for car insurance according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), that’s about $107.53 per month. Colorado drivers pay about 8% more than the countrywide national average of $1,189.64.

The NAIC takes into account all car insurance policies within the state such as drivers who select only state minimum coverage, as well as policies that include various levels of comprehensive and collision coverage. Because car insurance rates are influenced by personal factors, you could find yourself paying significantly less.

Colorado state minimum car insurance requirements

Drivers in Colorado are required to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage to legally drive. You may see it written as 25/50/15, but we’ll break down what that means.

Finder tip: State minimum coverage isn’t enough

These state-mandated requirements are the lowest amount of coverage you need to legally drive in Colorado, but may fall short if you’re in a major accident. To avoid high out-of-pocket costs after an accident, consider raising your liability limits by balancing coverage, your budget and what you can afford to pay out of pocket for certain damage.

Cheapest rates by age in Colorado

Once again, Progressive offers the lowest rates across the major companies we compared for most drivers. However, Geico may be your best bet for senior drivers. Those ages 55 to 64 may pay around $111 per month with Geico, while drivers age 65+ may pay $117 per month.

Age	Allstate	Progressive	Geico	USAA
16-24	$224.53	$201.20	$230.13	$213.57
25-34	$184.25	$151.14	$156.51	$172.95
35-44	$179.43	$135.20	$141.63	$154.74
45-54	$161.57	$132.18	$142.53	$146.93
55-64	–	$133.69	$110.91	$117.07
65+	$174.11	–	$116.92	–

Cheapest rates by gender in Colorado

When comparing rates based on gender, we found Progressive to offer solid value for both men and women. However, women tend to pay $10 less per month in Colorado.

Company	Allstate	Progressive	Geico	USAA
Men	$195.28	$147.99	$165.77	$175.70
Women	$178.51	$137.82	$156.73	$153.73

Sample rates in Colorado from major car insurance companies

“Geico lays the lowest cost on the table at $134 per month, according to our analysis of major insurers’ rates from Savvy.

However, you could go with Progressive and join its Snapshot program to save up to 30%. Snapshot tracks your driving and sets rates based on your skills.”

Company	Allstate	Progressive	Geico	USAA
Rate	$185.96	$142.91	$133.70	$165.94

Best car insurance in Colorado

Coloradans don’t have the luxury of cheap car insurance premiums on average, but that doesn’t mean you can’t lower yours. Start with these companies and price-match with your preferred insurers to get the best deal.

We vetted these companies by looking at their ratings from J.D. Power, Better Business Bureau, AM Best and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Then, we checked each company’s coverage options and discounts to give you the best value for coverage.

Best for bundling policies: Progressive

Best for low mileage: Nationwide SmartMiles

Best customer service: American Family

Best local company: AAA Colorado

7 factors that affect car insurance rates in Colorado

Factors are characteristics specific to you that car insurance companies use to set how much you’ll pay for car insurance. The less risky each of your factors is the less you pay, the riskier you are the more you’ll pay. We’ll break down Coloradan’s rating factors to keep in mind.

Factor	How it affects your rates
Age	How old you are is a top factor in determining your car insurance rates. With each passing year, you earn more experience on the road. More experience can equal cheaper rates. Teen drivers pay the most, but rates begin to level off around your 20’s with drivers over 50 paying the least.
Gender	Colorado takes gender into account when determining your rates. Our analysis of Quadrant data found that men under 18 pay 17% more for car insurance compared to women of the same age. But, between 31 and 45, women see rates 5% higher than men. After 45, rates differ between men and women by only 1%, with women on the higher end.
Location	Where you live affects your rates, including where you park your car. High theft rates, high traffic and a high number of uninsured drivers could mean higher rates. Especially in Colorado, which holds the highest vehicle theft rate across the US of 524.3 vehicle thefts per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the FBI’s most recent report on vehicle theft rates. As for uninsured drivers, 16.3% of Coloradans on the road are uninsured. That’s the 13th highest percentage of uninsured drivers in a state across the US according to Insurance Information Institute.
Vehicle and mileage	Your car’s make, model and trim directly affect how much you’ll pay for car insurance. Things like its cost, safety ratings, the likelihood of theft and sportiness all help insurers determine its cost to insure. Safer and cheaper vehicles score the lowest rates, with luxury vehicles with higher repair costs resulting in higher premiums. And, the more you’re on the road, the more at-risk you are to get in an accident, which means higher premiums. According to the Bureau of Transportation, Coloradans drive an average of 40.7 miles per day, that’s above the average across the US of 36.1 miles per day.
Credit score	Your credit score is included in your credit-based insurance score which insurers use to help calculate rates. According to the Insurance Information Institute, there is a strong correlation between your insurance score and claims filings.A good credit-based insurance score could mean lower rates. Coloradans have many protections under state laws, if you’ve been denied insurance or have a premium increase because of credit information you believe is wrong, you can notify the Credit Bureau to verify your information, and ask your insurer to re-compute your premiums based on an updated credit report.
Coverage	The more coverage you get and the higher limits you choose, the more protection you’ll have and the more you’ll pay in monthly premiums. And, if you opt for full coverage car insurance that includes comprehensive and collision, the amount of your deductible weighs into your costs too, higher deductibles mean lower monthly premiums.
Driving Record	The better your record, the lower your premium. If you’re in an at-fault accident you could see rates increases from 20% to 50%. And DUI’s in Colorado can increase your rate by around 34%. These types of violations typically stay on your record for about three years.

Can I get SR-22 insurance in Colorado?

You might need an SR-22 in Colorado if you’ve gotten a DUI, lost your license or have too many points on your driving record. SR-22 tells the state you have the minimum coverage required to get back behind the wheel. You’ll be notified by your state DMV if you’re required to file an SR-22.

Coverage we recommend for Colorado drivers

Your car insurance policy is in place to help you recover financially after a car accident. While your state requires a minimum level of coverage, in most cases it won’t be enough to keep you from out-of-pocket costs. High vehicle theft rates, harsh weather and a high percentage of uninsured drivers on the road make additional car insurance coverage an important consideration for Colorado drivers.

Higher liability limits

Colorado requires 25/50/15 for liability coverage, this is standard for many states. However, it’s a low amount of protection if you end up paying someone else’s medical bills and property damage. You need higher protection in most cases, especially if another driver takes you to court. Talk with your insurance agent to weigh how much out-of-pocket costs your budget can afford after an accident. You’ll want to set liability limits that balance your monthly budget and offer the coverage you need to protect your assets.

Collision

For accidents where you’re at fault, your collision coverage pays for your own car’s damage — if you buy this optional coverage. Otherwise, repairs to your own vehicle could cost you out of pocket.

Remember that your required liability coverage doesn’t pay for your car damage. Instead, it pays for damage to someone else’s property.

Consider collision coverage if . . .

• Your car loan requires it.
• It costs less than your car’s value.
• You can’t pay for car repairs or another car out of pocket.
• You drive your car regularly, such as for commuting.

Comprehensive

Because Colorado holds the highest vehicle theft rate across the US, consider adding comprehensive coverage to your policy. You’re covered for the outright theft of your vehicle, plus any damages that might occur during a break-in.

Harsh Colorado winters also make this coverage more appealing for Colorado drivers, since the coverage can kick in to cover damages from harsh weather, falling tree branches or animals.

Consider this coverage if . . .

• It’s required for your car loan.
• You can’t repair or replace your car out of pocket.
• Your area has a high risk of theft or serious storms.

Uninsured or underinsured motorist

This coverage isn’t required in Colorado, but as a state with the 13th highest percentage of uninsured drivers on the road, you may consider opting in. If you’re in an accident with a driver who doesn’t have proper coverage, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage pays for your medical expenses, car repairs or other property damage.

Consider this coverage if . . .

• You can’t pay for car repairs or another car on your own.
• You don’t have health insurance.
• Your health insurance has high out-of-pocket costs.

Roadside assistance

Roadside assistance could be a huge perk for Colorado drivers who experience a mix of sometimes unpredictable snowy weather, winding mountain roads and chilling temperatures that make being stranded more dangerous. Plus, Coloradans drive more miles per day than average for the US. Adding on roadside assistance gives you a dedicated customer service number to call if your car breaks down, with features like tire changes, towing or fuel delivery.

Consider this coverage if . . .

• You rely on your car to get around.
• You own an older or less reliable vehicle.
• You don’t have roadside assistance through your car warranty.
• You’d rather not research service providers on your own after a breakdown.

Top 10 auto insurance companies in USA that serve Colorado

We’ve pulled the top 10 companies by market share that offer coverage in Colorado according to S&P Global. Compare top companies by three major rating agencies along with our overall score.

• Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating measures how a business interacts with its customers, with the highest rating being A++.
• J.D. Power determines customers’ overall satisfaction with their car insurer’s price, billing, claims and customer support. The higher the J.D. Power score out of 1,000, the better.
• NAIC complaint index shows how a company’s number of complaints compares to similar companies of its size. Scores lower than 1.00 show the company receives less than the average number of complaints, and scores above 1.00 show more complaints than average.
• Finder’s score shows you an overall look at the company by taking into account scores from each of these agencies as well as the coverage and discounts each company offers.

Provider	BBB Rating	J.D. Power Rating	NAIC complaint ratio	National market share %	Finder score	Go to site
State Farm	A+	847/1000	1.93	16.2	★★★★★ 4/5	Read review
Geico	A+	832/1000	1.42	13.6	★★★★★ 4/5	Read review
Progressive	A+	830/1000	1.05	13.3	★★★★★ 4/5	Get Quotes
Allstate	A+	827/1000	2.71	10.4	★★★★★ 4/5	Read review
USAA	A+	884/1000	1.9	6.3	★★★★★ 4/5
Farmers	A-	820/1000	1.64	4.9	★★★★★ 4/5	Read review
Liberty Mutual	A+	827/1000	2.2	4.7	★★★★★ 4/5	Get Quotes
Nationwide	A+	814/1000	2.08	2.3	★★★★★ 4/5	Read review
American Family	A+	815/1000	1.35	2.1	★★★★★ 4/5	Read review
Travelers	A+	820/1000	3.28	2	★★★★★ 4/5	Read review

In Colorado, the driver at fault pays for damage

Colorado is an at-fault state, meaning that the driver who caused the car accident pays for the damage. Your insurance company and legal authorities will determine which driver is at fault, based on the details of the accident.

However, Colorado also looks at whether both drivers are partially at fault under a law called modified comparative fault, according to the legal website Nolo. Under this law, drivers can get reimbursed for damage as long as they don’t hold more responsibility than other drivers.

For example, let’s say that you hit another car and are found 90% at fault. The other driver is 10% at fault due to speeding. In Colorado, your insurance would pay 90% of the other driver’s damages. However, since you share a higher level of fault, the other driver isn’t required to pay for your damages.

Which city has the cheapest car insurance in Colorado?

Of Colorado’s largest cities, Greeley has the cheapest rates and Aurora has the most expensive car insurance rates. Aurora drivers could face rates 10 times more than Greeley drivers.

• Aurora
• Longmont
• Parker
• Denver
• Greeley

Compare car insurance providers in Colorado

Car insurance for high-risk drivers in Colorado

Can’t get covered with a traditional or affordable provider? If you’ve been denied coverage because you’re considered a high-risk driver, you can still find insurance through the Western Association of Automobile Insurance Plans (WAAIP).

WAAIP assigns you an affordable provider in its network of insurance companies. Any extra risks you pose to the insurer are negated by spreading it out across the network of participating companies.

Colorado car insurance and driving laws

States vary in their driving laws, insurance requirements and driving restrictions for teens. When driving in Colorado, here are some things you should know:

• Colorado requires insurance. To drive your car in Colorado, you need 25/50/15 in liability auto insurance. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is not required.
• Proof of insurance. Acceptable proof of insurance in Colorado is a current insurance card, copy of policy, letter or email from insurance company, faxed copy of card/binder/policy, or electronic proof.
• Cell phone driving laws. Adults can use phones for calls while driving. However, texting, browsing the internet or any manual entry is not allowed while driving.
• Teens can’t use a phone at all. If a teen under 18 is found using a phone at all while driving, they could risk losing their license. Emergency calls are exemptions.
• Teens have a curfew. Teens under 18 can’t drive between midnight and 5 a.m., unless they’re with a parent or guardian. Exceptions are driving to/from work, school, or medical emergencies.
• Smog and emission testing. Nine counties in Colorado require emissions testing to register a vehicle. Colorado’s DMV will send you a notice if it’s required to register your vehicle.
• Colorado and WAAIP. Colorado participates in the Western Association of Automobile Insurance Plans (WAAIP), which helps high-risk drivers find car insurance. If you’re a high–risk driver, ask an insurance agent to help you apply. However, WAAIP policies tend to be much more expensive than typical insurance rates, so make sure that you’ve looked into your other options before deciding to use WAAIP.
• Out-of-state insurance. Depending on your car insurance provider, you may be able to keep your plan when moving into Colorado. Contact your insurance agent for more information on moving policies.

Bottom line

Minimum car insurance requirements in Colorado can be affordable if you’re willing to shop around and compare providers, policies, discounts and rates. Plus, given Colorado’s substantial consequences for uninsured drivers, it hardly makes sense to go without auto insurance.

Compare your car insurance options, from costs to regulations to little-known discounts and deals, to find the best insurance for you.