Best Car Insurance in Georgia in 2024

GEICO’s prices placed it on our list of best auto insurance companies in 2024. GEICO doesn’t have many local agents because it’s a national provider that does most of its business online, but for Georgia drivers with poor credit—or who are just looking for cheap auto insurance rates—we definitely recommend getting a quote.

Reasonable Rates for Drivers with Poor Credit

Our market analysis revealed that GEICO offered the lowest average rate for drivers with poor credit in Georgia with a full coverage annual average of $2,549. GEICO’s average rate for drivers with poor credit is only 1.3% higher than its rate for a full coverage policy, which means you shouldn’t expect your auto insurance premium to increase too much if your credit score takes a dip, all other things equal.

GEICO’s DriveEasy Program

If you’re paying increased rates due to your credit score, it’s worth taking advantage of every discount option. GEICO DriveEasy, the company’s usage-based insurance discount can lower your rate for safe driving. The company advertises DriveEasy as a way to reward safe drivers with savings. It’s integrated into the GEICO mobile app and offers feedback on your driving habits (braking, late night driving, speeding, and other habits that can increase your risk of an accident).

DriveEasy is available in Georgia and could offer a break on your premium as opposed to a traditional safe driving discount if you also have poor credit. You get up to 10 percent off for signing up and, depending on your driving habits, up to 25 percent off. Be warned, however: if your driving is subpar you might end up with a higher rate than you started with!

One of the major providers in Georgia, Allstate is a good option for families planning to bundle home and auto insurance and insure multiple vehicles on the same policy. While its baseline rates are not necessarily the cheapest for teens, families can save with multiple student discounts and benefit from Allstate’s accident forgiveness and digital service offerings.

Home and Auto Bundling with Allstate

Allstate made our list of the best auto insurance companies for bundling home and auto insurance. It’s tied with Liberty Mutual for the biggest home-bundling discount at up to 25 percent.

If you’re one of the 36 percent of homeowners in Georgia who rent out their homes (1,382,142 units total), you’ll also benefit from Allstate’s HostAdvantage plan.² The plan offers theft protection, property damage protection up to $10,000 per rental host period (above what your home insurance covers), and a discount to a cleaning service.

Allstate Accident Forgiveness

Unlike State Farm, Allstate offers accident forgiveness. There is no waiting period to join, so Allstate’s accident forgiveness ensures your premium won’t increase even if you or a teen driver is at fault in an accident. Allstate also gives a bonus to teens without an accident but enrolled in accident forgiveness: for every six months without an accident, your teen will receive a safe driving bonus of up to 5 percent.

Benefits for Teen Drivers

Your teen doesn’t need to be the valedictorian to get a student discount from Allstate. Drivers qualify for a discount if they are unmarried, a full-time high school or college student under 25, and fulfill one of the following requirements:

• Maintain a GPA of 2.7 (B- average) or higher
• Complete the TeenSMART driver education program
• Attend school at least 100 miles away from where the car is garaged (note: this is only available for drivers younger than 21)

If your teen is anything like I was, they are probably chronically on the phone and/or computer. You will want an auto insurance provider with above-average digital tools to help your teen contact roadside assistance or access their insurance ID card. J.D. Power’s U.S. Insurance Digital Experience Study evaluates consumers’ digital experiences with auto insurance companies based on navigation, speed, visual appeal, and information/content. The study revealed that satisfaction is highest when customers have digital-only interactions with insurers.

Allstate ranks the highest (fourth place, with 713 out of 1,000) of providers on this list in the Service category of the Digital Experience Study. State Farm also has a score above the segment average of 698 with 703.³

Allstate’s website and mobile app allow you to file a claim, pay a bill, access an ID card, and get roadside assistance.

State Farm is the best car insurance company for safe drivers in Georgia. As the largest car insurance company in the country based on market share, State Farm is well known for its affordable premiums, highly rated customer service, and network of local agents.⁴

The company has all of the staple auto insurance coverages and offers several ways for good drivers to save money.

Savings for Safe Drivers

State Farm offers several ways for you to save money based on your driving habits. First, when you sign up for Drive Safe & Save, you’ll save money just for signing up (generally around 5 percent, though the company doesn’t disclose exactly how much). Then, the Drive Safe & Save app and a Bluetooth device record your driving and assess how safe of a driver you are based on your acceleration, braking, turning, speed, and phone use. Depending on your driving habits, you could save up to 20 percent on your premium.

Next, State Farm offers a program for teen drivers called Steer Clear. If you’re a new driver or under age 25, you can save money if you have had no at-fault accidents or moving violations within the past three years and complete a driver-focused training program that teaches safe driving habits.

For drivers of all ages, State Farm offers other safe-driving discounts for:

• Taking a driver safety course
• Going at least three years without an at-fault accident or moving violation

Affordable Annual Premiums

State Farm has some of the lowest average rates of any insurer, both in Georgia and across the country. The company has an average annual premium of $2,551 for full coverage auto insurance in Georgia. In addition to being one of the most affordable companies overall, State Farm offers some of the best rates to drivers with violations on their record. At $2,100, State Farm offers the lowest rate we found for drivers after an at-fault accident.

Highly Rated Customer Service

State Farm has a reputation for excellent customer satisfaction in the auto insurance industry. First, the company has an above-average customer satisfaction ranking in J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Auto Insurance Study for the Southeast region, which includes Georgia. Along with USAA, State Farm earned an above-average rating with 673 out of a possible 1,000 points.⁵

Additionally, State Farm ranked fourth in J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study in the service category with 695 out of 1,000 points. Allstate and USAA also ranked above-average in this category. State Farm ranked below average in the shopping category, likely because the company does not offer online quotes.

Finally, State Farm has a good reputation when it comes to claims. In another J.D. Power study — the 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study — the company ranked in the top five overall, with a rating of 891 out of 1,000, compared to the industry average of 878. This is two spots and 9 points above its ranking in the 2022 study, and three spots above Allstate, which is now ranked eighth.⁶

If you have violations on your driving record or struggle to get affordable insurance coverage (or any coverage) for another reason, Direct Auto is worth considering. While the company offers car insurance for anyone, it’s particularly attractive to high-risk drivers. In fact, Direct Auto prides itself on offering insurance coverage, regardless of your insurance history. It won’t be the cheapest for safe drivers, but if you’re having trouble getting a policy from another standard insurer then it’s worth checking out Direct Auto.

Coverage for Drivers with a Bad Record

Violations such as speeding, reckless driving, and driving under the influence can cause your insurance premium to rise significantly. And depending on your record, those violations could cause insurers to deny you coverage altogether. Additionally, you may struggle to find affordable car insurance coverage if you have a poor credit score. There’s a correlation between credit scores and auto insurance premiums: drivers with poor credit are more likely to file insurance claims.

But whether you’re considered high-risk because of your driving record or your credit history, Direct Auto still wants you as a customer. In fact, Direct Auto even offers SR-22 certificates, which are certificates of financial responsibility that Georgia requires when you have a probationary license after a license suspension or revocation.⁷

You might have your license suspended in Georgia due to a DUI, failure to appear in court, driving without insurance, exceeding the maximum number of points on your record, or failing to pay your child support. You must file these certificates with the Department of Driver Services (DDS) to prove you have insurance coverage.

Many Discounts Available

Direct Auto may not have particularly cheap car insurance rates, but it does have many discounts to help you save up to 25 percent on your car insurance premium. Here are some of the company’s biggest discounts:

• Military discount (25 percent): Helps you save if you’re an active service member who can provide a copy of your current orders
• Multi-car discount (25 percent): Available if you have more than one car on your auto insurance policy
• Prior savings coverage (25 percent): Gives you a discount when you switch to Direct Auto from another company you’ve had service with for at least six months
• Homeowner discount (15 percent): Available if you or your spouse owns a home where you keep your vehicles
• Safe driver discount (10 percent): Available if you’ve gone at least three years without a violation
• Good student discount (10 percent): Helps you save if you’re unmarried, a student, and on the honor roll or have a B average or better
• DynamicDrive (10 percent): Gives you a discount if you join the DynamicDrive program, which allows Direct Auto to track your driving habits through the Routely app
• Vehicle equipment discounts (10 percent): Available if you have certain safety and anti-theft features on your vehicle, including anti-theft devices, anti-lock brakes, and airbags
• Multi-policy discount (10 percent): Available when you purchase two or more insurance policies from Direct Auto

Flexible Payment Options

Another of Direct Auto’s biggest selling points is its flexible payment options. First, when you sign up for your policy, you can choose your payment date and plan it around your own paycheck to ensure you’ll always have the money in your account.

Next, Direct Auto allows you to choose how you pay each month. You can pay your bill online, in person, over the phone, or via mail. And you don’t have to pay the same way each month. Direct Auto doesn’t require you to keep a credit card or checking account on file.

USAA is the best-known financial services company that serves military families exclusively. And among the many services it offers is auto insurance, with some of the lowest rates and best customer service on the market.

Affordable Insurance Premiums

First and foremost, USAA has some of the most affordable insurance rates in the industry. It’s the cheapest provider on our list with an average annual full coverage cost of $1,608 in Georgia. And depending on your circumstances, your premium could be considerably lower. If you have a clean driving history, a good credit score, and other characteristics that make you a low-risk driver, your premium could be among the lowest in the country.

Highly Rated Customer Satisfaction

USAA is well known for its top-notch customer satisfaction. The company has the highest rating of any company in J.D. Power’s overall customer satisfaction study for the Southeast region. It has a rating of 759 out of 1,000, which is a whopping 66 points higher than the next-closest company and nearly 100 points higher than the regional average. Among our top picks for Georgia, the next-highest rated company after USAA is State Farm.

Additionally, USAA has one of the top scores in J.D. Power’s claims satisfaction study, falling behind only Amica Mutual and Erie Insurance, tying NJM Insurance Co. for third place. This score shows us that customers who have had to file auto claims with USAA have been pleased with their service.

Unique Savings Options

USAA offers many great ways for you to save on your insurance premium. Of course, USAA offers many of the discounts you’d find with any other insurer, including a discount for being a student with good grades, having a clean driving record, and bundling multiple policies.

But USAA also offers discount options unique to military members. For example, if you’re deployed and are storing your vehicle on a military installation, you could get up to 15 percent off your comprehensive coverage and up to 60 percent off your policy overall.

Next, USAA offers its SafePilot program, which allows you to save up to 30 percent on your policy. You’ll allow USAA to track your driving habits, including your braking and phone use, with the USAA SafePilot app. If you make safe driving choices, you can get a discount on your policy. No matter how safe a driver you are, you can get up to 10 percent off your policy just for signing up.

Finally, USAA allows you to save on car insurance through its pay-per-mile auto insurance, Noblr. Rather than paying a flat rate each month, you can pay based on the number of miles and how safely you actually drive. However, to enjoy this perk, you must enroll when you sign up for auto insurance.