The Best Auto Insurance in Connecticut

State Farm is available in all 50 states, but its robust coverage options and discounts make it a great deal for Connecticut drivers. In particular, we found State Farm’s roadside assistance coverage and Steer Clear program to be huge benefits to young drivers, especially those on a policy independent from their parents.

Auto Insurance Options for Teenage Drivers

In Connecticut, you can get your learner’s permit at age 16 by passing a written test and a vision test. Once you’ve held your permit for a specific amount of time and passed an eight-hour Drug and Alcohol Safety Program (D.A.S.P.) and/or received additional behind-the-wheel driver training, you can take your road test and receive your license!¹ Unfortunately, the road doesn’t end (or rather, begin) there. You must get insurance before you can legally drive.

Insurance companies consider young drivers high risk because they are inexperienced and have no driving history, so it’s generally recommended to go on your parents’ insurance policy so you can benefit from their driving history, credit score, etc. In some cases, like when you own a vehicle solely in your name (i.e., your parents’ names are not listed on the paperwork), you must get an independent auto insurance policy.

State Farm is ranked our best auto insurance for teens on an independent policy because it offers competitive rates and discounts — especially if you’re a student with good grades. Teen drivers with a GPA of 3.0 or higher can save up to 25 percent on auto insurance until they turn 25. Homeschooled students also qualify if they rank within the top 20 percent on certain national standardized tests.

Safety Discounts

State Farm offers savings for good driving habits, including one specially designed for teen drivers:

• Steer Clear: This offers a 15 percent discount to drivers under age 25 with no at-fault accidents or moving violations in the past three years.
• Drive Safe & Save: This driving behavior monitoring app can be used by any driver who enrolls; it offers up to a 30 percent discount for safe driving habits.

Roadside Assistance

State Farm’s roadside assistance, or emergency road service coverage, pays for common expenses to get your vehicle back in service after an incident. Statistically, teen drivers are more likely to get into an accident, so it’s useful coverage to have when purchasing a policy for an inexperienced driver. Roadside assistance covers the following in the event of an emergency resulting in your vehicle breaking down:

• Mechanical labor at the breakdown site (up to one hour)
• Towing to the nearest repair location if the covered vehicle is not drivable
• Towing if the covered car is stuck on or next to a public road
• Delivery of gas, oil, battery, or spare tire (excluding the cost of items)
• Locksmith labor to unlock a covered car if its key is lost, stolen, or locked inside (up to one hour)

GEICO provides robust digital tools and plenty of discounts to aid a wide range of customers. It also nabbed the top customer service score in the New England region in J.D. Power’s 2023 auto insurance customer satisfaction survey.² We found that GEICO offered very affordable rates to drivers with poor credit, who typically pay more in Connecticut than drivers with good credit.

DriveEasy

Credit score is an important factor that could increase or decrease your auto insurance premium. Most insurance companies check them unless you live in a state where it’s not allowed (sorry, Connecticut’s not one of them). Another way to get around this issue if you have poor credit is to use a telematics-based auto insurance program like GEICO’s DriveEasy program.

DriveEasy saves you money based on your driving habits as tracked by GEICO’s mobile app. After you complete the initial setup, just stay logged in to the app and your driving data will be automatically recorded (no need to open the app every time you drive).

Cheap Rates for Every Driver

Our analysis revealed that GEICO offers the cheapest rates on average for full coverage and minimum coverage auto insurance in Connecticut, as well as for drivers with poor credit. Of course, how much you pay is based on your specific circumstances.

Bundling Discount

Another way to save money on your auto insurance premium if it’s higher than average due to your credit score is to bundle multiple policies or vehicles through GEICO. Customers who have home insurance, condo insurance, or renters insurance can take advantage of GEICO’s multi-policy discount. You also get a discount if you insure multiple cars or trucks through GEICO.

Good2Go is a highly specialized auto insurance provider focusing on minimum limits requirements and high-risk auto insurance. It sells insurance online and over the phone, acting as both an insurance carrier and a broker for other car insurance companies, including Bristol West, Dairyland, and Progressive.

Minimum Coverage Insurance

The minimum required auto insurance coverage differs across states; however, as a general rule, we recommend purchasing as much coverage as your budget allows to protect your assets in case of an accident. That being said, it is better to purchase the minimum coverage than drive without insurance. Good2Go offers only liability, collision, and comprehensive insurance.

Payment Options

Good2Go offers flexible payment options that help high-risk drivers who are paying more for auto insurance. You’ll pay a low down payment and choose the plan that works best for you and your budget, then pay your bill online when it’s due.

SR-22s

An SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility that proves you meet the minimum state requirements for auto insurance after driving without insurance, a DUI, reckless driving, or other serious traffic violations. In Connecticut, the estimated cost of an SR-22 is $25.

Good2Go advertises quick and easy SR-22 documentation. Once you purchase a policy, it will email or fax you proof of insurance while you wait for your paper copy to arrive by mail. Good2Go will also take care of sending the necessary documents to the Connecticut DMV on your behalf.

Allstate is a well-regarded large-scale auto insurance provider in the United States, but that doesn’t mean it caters to the average driver only. We ranked Allstate as one of our best providers for auto insurance after a DUI because it offers low-mileage auto insurance, accident forgiveness, and other ways for you to save after a DUI causes your auto insurance premium to rise significantly.

Milewise

In Connecticut, it is a criminal offense to operate a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of more than 0.08 percent. For drivers under 21, that limit is 0.02 percent. Drunk driving in Connecticut comes with several penalties and fees, and the incident will remain on your record for 10 years.³

Allstate offers a pay-per-mile plan that can save high-risk drivers with low annual mileage money. If you drive under 10,000 per year, Allstate’s Milewise program charges you a daily rate and a per-mile rate at each payment period. DUI offenders who are staying off the road may benefit from this lower-cost option.

Discounts for High-Risk Drivers

High-risk drivers generally pay more for auto insurance, but some designations are costlier than others. On average, a DUI will raise your insurance premium by 75 to 80 percent. If your DUI happened a while ago and you’ve proven yourself to be a safe driver, Allstate offers several discounts that can help you reduce the burden of your high-risk auto insurance premium:

• Drivewise: Earn up to a 40 percent discount for tracking your driving habits through Allstate’s app
• Deductible rewards: For every year you drive without an accident, Allstate will reduce your collision deductible by $100, up to $500 total.
• Safe driving bonus: Allstate issues a credit to your policy for every six months you drive without an accident.

Accident Forgiveness

Causing an accident is another serious incident that will often increase your insurance costs by 50 percent or more. If you’re already designated high risk, Allstate’s accident forgiveness coverage can help you avoid further increases to your premium. Depending on the coverage you choose, you can have one accident forgiven every three years or an unlimited number of accidents without an increase in rates. It’s important to understand that even if you purchase this coverage, Allstate is entitled to drop your coverage if it considers you a reckless driver.