Here you’ll learn everything you need to know to buy the best car insurance policy in Atlanta for your particular situation. You’ll see which carriers are rated as the best car insurance companies for customer satisfaction and what the average car insurance rates are for your neighborhood.
You’ll also discover how much you can save from knowing how to make smart choices about coverage. And, find out how rates for Atlanta drivers are affected by tickets, accidents and adding teen drivers.
- The average car insurance rate for Atlanta drivers for minimum coverage is $700 a year, according to Carinsurance.com analysis.
- The liability coverage in Atlanta, GA costs $886 per year.
- In Atlanta, full coverage car insurance policy costs $1,781 a year.
- As per Carinsurance.com research, in Atlanta, comparing quotes from companies can help you save an average $1,958 on your car insurance rates annually.
How Much Does Car Insurance Cost in Atlanta, GA?
We all know that the cost of car insurance varies depending on your individual needs. But how much does it actually costs? CarInsurance.com analysed major insurers including Geico, Progressive Insurance Company (Progressive), State Farm, Allstate Co. and others, to determine average Atlanta coverage costs for different levels and types.
The average rate for Atlanta drivers for a year of minimum coverage is $700 according to our rate analysis. If you increased your coverage to 50/100/50, you would pay just about $15.50 more a month, or $186 more a year.
You can get full coverage (100/300/100) by paying $90.08 more a month, or an additional $1,081 a year more than minimum-level coverage.
Average Auto Insurance Rates in Atlanta, GAThe following data shows, what you can expect to pay for car insurance in Atlanta, on average.
- State Minimum Policy: $700 per year
- Liability Coverage (50/100/50): $886 per year
- Full Coverage (100/300/100): $1,781 per year
Who Has Cheapest Car Insurance in Atlanta, Georgia?
GEICO and Owners Ins Co have the cheapest car insurance rates in Atlanta, based on our rate analysis for three different coverage levels.
The driver profile is for age 40, with good credit and a clean driving record. You can see how major insurers rank for price in the chart below.
| Company | Liability Only – State Minimum BI/PD | Liability Only – 50/100/50 BI/PD | Full Coverage – 100/300/100 BI/PD – 500 Comp/Coll |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEICO General Ins Co | $362 | $497 | $1,326 |
| Owners Ins Co | $412 | $534 | $1,472 |
| State Farm Mutl Automobile Ins | $531 | $705 | $1,777 |
| Progressive Mountain Ins Co | $565 | $788 | $1,638 |
| Allstate P&C Ins Co | $698 | $819 | $2,134 |
| Mercury Ind Co of GA | $709 | $821 | $1,942 |
| Nationwide General Ins Co | $1,076 | $977 | $1,478 |
| Metropolitan Casualty Ins Co | $1,522 | $2,296 | $3,110 |
Who Has The Best Car Insurance in Atlanta, GA?
Deciding who has the best car insurance to suit your needs depends on what is most important to you. For some it may be price, while others may value customer service the most. Still others may be looking for the convenience of mobile apps, or a company that offers the most car insurance discounts.
Below we list car insurance companies in Atlanta, and who they are the best at serving, based on CarInsurance.com’s customer satisfaction survey of current policy holders and rate data analysis.
| Best for | Company |
|---|---|
| Claims | Esurance |
| Value/Price | Safeco |
| Customer Service | Safeco |
| Websites/Apps | Safeco |
| Recommend | Safeco |
| Low Annual Mileage | Allstate F&C |
| Good Student | Nationwide Mutual |
| Bundle | Allstate F&C |
| Paid in Full | Progressive Mountain |
How Much Car Insurance do I Need in Atlanta, GA?
Below we’ll explain what coverage you need to drive legally, which is your state required minimum liability limits, and what types of car insurance you may need to be truly protected.
Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Atlanta, GA
Georgia car insurance laws require only that you insure yourself against bodily injury and property damage liability, so it’s your choice whether to add coverage for yourself, your passengers, and your vehicle.
If you have a newer model car, it makes sense to get comprehensive insurance and collision coverage. In Georgia, comprehensive costs $192 and collision costs $643, on an average per year, according to a rate data analysis done by CarInsurance.com.
These optional coverages come with a deductible. That’s the amount you pay before your insurance company pays. Typical deductibles amounts are $1,000, $500 and $250 – you choose which one you want. The higher the deductible is, the lower your rate will be.
The best car insurance coverage usually isn’t the cheapest. You may be used if you’re in an accident and your insurance doesn’t cover all of the damages. That means your home or savings could be in jeopardy.
To protect your assets, you should buy liability insurance in the following amounts:
- $1,00,000 to pay for others’ medical bills
- $3,00,000 to pay for injuries to others in an accident you cause
- $1,00,000 to pay for damage to others’ property
You should also consider buying these optional coverages:
- Comprehensive, which replaces stolen cars and covers damage to your car from floods, fire, hail, vandalism.
- Collision, which pays for damage to your car from accidents.
Compare Car Insurance Quotes in Atlanta, GA & Save Money
You can save an average of $1,958 annually on a full coverage policy in Atlanta by comparing car insurance quotes, according to CarInsurance.com’s rate analysis. While savings will depend on your particular circumstances, this shows that there is a significant benefit to shopping your policy.
Atlanta, GA Car Insurance FAQ’s
How much does insurance go up after a speeding ticket in Atlanta, GA?
A speeding ticket in Atlanta will hike your car insurance rates by an average of 36% , or about $924 yearly. CarInsurance.com’s rate analysis shows how much more drivers in Atlanta can expect to pay, on average, for speeding and other common violations.
Minor traffic violations, such as speeding, typically stay on your record for about three years, and you can expect to see the rate increase upon your policy renewal date. More severe infractions, such as DUI, typically stay on your record much longer.
How much does insurance go up for tickets in Atlanta, GA?
Atlanta drivers can expect to see a hike in their rates in the range of 36% for minor moving violations such as tailgating or blowing through a stop sign, 64% for more severe infractions such as DUI.
Below you’ll see how much rates increase, on average, for common traffic violations.
Remember, though, that because insurance companies assess risk differently, you can still save by comparison shopping, because one carrier may ding you a lot for a citation, while another may spike your rate by much less.
| Violation | Average rate | Rate after violation | $ Increase | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 speeding tickets 11 mph or over | $2,548 | $3,817 | $1,269 | 50% |
| Careless driving | $2,548 | $3,579 | $1,031 | 40% |
| Distracted driving ticket | $2,548 | $3,342 | $794 | 31% |
| Driving without a license or permit | $2,548 | $2,924 | $376 | 15% |
| Driving without insurance | $2,548 | $2,901 | $353 | 14% |
| DUI/DWI first offense | $2,548 | $4,202 | $1,654 | 65% |
| DUI/DWI second offense | $2,548 | $6,554 | $4,006 | 157% |
| Failure to stop | $2,548 | $3,118 | $570 | 22% |
| Failure to yield | $2,548 | $3,118 | $570 | 22% |
| Following too closely | $2,548 | $3,118 | $570 | 22% |
| Improper turn | $2,548 | $3,118 | $570 | 22% |
| Improper/illegal pass | $2,548 | $3,145 | $597 | 23% |
| Operating a vehicle in a race (highway racing) | $2,548 | $3,969 | $1,421 | 56% |
| Reckless driving | $2,548 | $4,043 | $1,495 | 59% |
| Seatbelt infraction | $2,548 | $2,727 | $179 | 7% |
| Talking on cellphone ticket | $2,548 | $3,118 | $570 | 22% |
| Texting ticket | $2,548 | $3,118 | $570 | 22% |
How much will an accident raise my insurance in Atlanta, GA?
An accident will increase car insurance rates by 49% to 105%, on average, for drivers in Atlanta. When you file a claim for an accident that’s your fault, typically your car insurance rates will increase.
However, claims under your comprehensive coverage, if you have it as it’s optional, typically won’t trigger an increase. That’s because comprehensive claims are for damage insurers consider to be beyond your control, for instance due to hail, fire, flooding, falling objects or collisions with an animal.
The table below shows how much for drivers in Atlanta can expect to pay for common car insurance claims.
| Accident | Average Rate | Rate after claim | $ Increase | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 At-fault property damage accident over $2K | $2,548 | $3,795 | $1,247 | 49% |
| 1 At-fault property damage accident under $2K | $2,548 | $3,795 | $1,247 | 49% |
| 2 At-fault property damage accident over $2k | $2,548 | $5,220 | $2,672 | 105% |
| At-fault bodily injury accident | $2,548 | $3,573 | $1,025 | 40% |
How much does it cost to add a teen driver to your insurance in Atlanta, GA?
In Atlanta, adding a 16-year-old daughter to your policy will hike your rates by $1,896 annually, or 106% It’s more for boys. Insuring your 16-year-old son will increase your yearly rate by $2,268, or 127% according to CarInsurance.com rate data.
Teen drivers are inexperienced, and are involved in more accidents than older drivers, according to federal research, and insurance companies categorize them as high-risk drivers, so they cost more to insure.
If you’re insuring a teen driver of any age, you can get expert tips, more rate data by age and details from our “Parents guide to insuring a teen driver.”
How much is SR-22 insurance in Atlanta, GA?
CarInsurance.com data show that for drivers in Atlanta, your rate will go up by an average of $1,439 or 56%. If you’re convicted of a serious offense, such as DUI or reckless driving, you may be required to have your insurance company file an SR-22 form on your behalf.
An SR-22 is a car insurance company’s guarantee to the state that you are carrying the legally mandated coverage. If you are required to have an SR-22 filed, your car insurance rates will increase.
Atlanta Commuters
The average drive time for Atlanta workers 16 and older to their job is 27 minutes, which is almost even with the national average of roughly 27.1 minutes (the 2018 average), according to the U.S. Census,
The mean time calculated by the Census based on figures from 2014-2018. It includes time spent waiting for public transportation, picking up passengers in carpools and on other activities related to getting to work.
Numbers compiled by Data USA showed that 4.04% of the workforce in Atlanta are “super commuters.” That means they drive an excess of 90 minutes to their job. Data USA found that the average drive time for Atlanta commuters in 2018 was 25.6 minutes; that’s still very close to the national average.
Of the commuters:
- Drive alone: 65.6%
- Public Transit: 9.98%
- Work at home: 9.62%
The percentage of commuters using public transit in Atlanta is higher than many other metropolitan areas. However, it doesn’t come close to public transportation-heavy areas, such as San Francisco, which is 35.5% of commuters.
Traffic Fatalities
Accident crash data is published and updated by the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway, and is broken down by county and type.
The U.S. Department of Transportation gave the following traffic fatalities for Fulton County:
- 2014: 77
- 2015: 104
- 2016: 130
- 2017: 115
- 2018: 130
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drunk driving kills approximately 10,000 people every year. Fatalities involving a crash with alcohol-impaired driver in Fulton County were:
- 2014: 19
- 2015: 31
- 2016: 36
- 2017: 27
- 2018: 36
Vehicle Ownership in Atlanta
Compared nationally, Atlanta households are within the average range for car ownership.
The largest share of households in the city has two cars, followed by one car, according to recent statistics from Data USA. The 2018 results also showed that roughly 8% of Atlanta households had zero cars, and less than 2% had five cars.
A Census survey in 2016 showed that there were estimated to be 1.8 vehicles available per household nationwide.
For Atlanta, the study showed:
- 2015 Households Without Vehicles: 15.2%
- 2016 Households Without Vehicles: 16.4%
- 2015 Vehicles per Household: 1.31
- 2016 Vehicles per Household: 1.28
Atlanta Congestion
Atlanta is a bit clogged with cars. The city came in at number 11 on the 2018 annual report compiled by INRIX on the “most congested urban areas in the U.S.” list and landed in 71st in the “world’s most congested cities for the 2018” traffic scorecard. The country’s list is topped by Boston, Washington, DC, Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles.
In 2018, Atlanta drivers lost approximately $1,505 each per year due to congestion, as compared to congestion-topper Boston, which lost $2,291. According to the study, Atlanta drivers spend 108 hours stuck in traffic per year driving an average 14 mph during the last inner-city mile of travel.
And Atlanta ranked fairly high on another traffic congestion measurement report. GPS giant TomTom releases an annual traffic index, ranking the most congested cities by country and the world. With a 26% congestion level, Atlanta landed at number 22 in North America (number 17 in the United States) in a 2019 list that was led by Mexico City, Los Angeles, Vancouver and New York. The city’s congestion had seen no change from 2018. Atlanta ranked as the 196th most traffic-congested by world’s standards on the TomTom list.
So, we know that Atlanta has traffic. When is it best to travel on Atlanta’s highways? Christmas. That day saw the least amount of traffic in 2019 in Atlanta, with 1% average daily congestion. The most congestion? Oct. 30 tops the list at 44%.
The Most Dangerous Atlanta Highways
Security company A Secure Life analyzed three years’ worth (2015 to 2017) of traffic fatality reports to discover which roads had the highest number of fatal car crashes from May through September. All data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
With 111 deaths spanning from 2015 to 2017 in those months, I-75 was the most deadly highway in Georgia. The highway in the state runs along the Route 41 corridor and slices the center of the state, heading through Valdosta, Macon and Atlanta.
However, poring over data from 2013-2015, Butler Wooten & Peak determined the 57 deadliest roads (or stretches of road), where five or more fatal crashes occurred within 2.5 miles of each other. That study was topped by Atlanta’s I-20 at mile point 44, where five fatal crashes occurred during that time period.
Other dangerous roads in Atlanta include: Lee Street SW; Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW and Old National Highway.
Atlanta Among “Most Dangerous Urban Areas to Drive In”
In a list topped by Baton Rouge, LA, which averages 52 traffic-related deaths each year, Atlanta is considered the sixth most dangerous urban area to drive in, according to a 2019 report from Opelika-Auburn News.
Notably, Savannah, GA, ranked second on this list, with 16 fatalities per 100,000, which is the equivalent to 23 deaths per year. Behind Dallas, TX, Detroit, MI and St. Louis, MO, is Atlanta, where the chances of being involved in a collision are 49.4% higher than the national average. According to the data collected for this study, there were a reported 11.3 fatalities per 100,000.00 people in Atlanta. That shakes out to an average of 55 deaths per year on Atlanta roads.
Vision Zero Initiative: Should Atlanta Adopt One?
A group of national organizations originally adapted Vision Zero in Sweden in 2014. The group looked to establish a national strategy on highway safety referred to as Toward Zero Deaths (TZD). It focuses on data-driven topics, such as safer drivers, safer passengers, safer users, enhanced medical services, safer infrastructure and safer vehicles.
Hundreds of cities have signed on to Vision Zero initiatives. Atlanta isn’t one of them. Several news reports point to the initiative being on the city’s radar, particularly as it’s named in a job posting for a new transportation commissioner.
The Atlanta Bike Coalition in 2017 included a call to sign on to a Vision Zero initiative, stating: “Atlanta should aspire to make streets safer for everyone regardless of their choice of travel modes. The unfortunate reality is that the number of roadway crashes increased from 2011-2014 across Metro Atlanta. The numbers are highest in Fulton County. In 2017 alone, 115 people died on streets in Fulton County, 36 of whom were walking, and two of whom were on bikes. None of them should have died while trying to get to where they were going.
“In making Atlanta streets safer for everyone, it is imperative to set a city goal of zero traffic deaths by adopting a ‘Vision Zero’ strategy for the City of Atlanta. Vision Zero starts with a simple premise: traffic fatalities and severe injuries are preventable.”
Most Dangerous Intersections in Atlanta
Intersections are, by nature, dangerous. Some are worse than others, either because of design, high traffic or both.
According to Hasner Law, the most dangerous intersections in the Atlanta metro area include:
- Memorial Drive and North Hairston Road in Stone Mountain
- East Park Place and Stone Mountain Highway in Stone Mountain
- Covington Highway and Panola Road in Lithonia
- Cobb Place Boulevard and Ernest Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw, and
- Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Norcross
Killed While walking: Pedestrian Deaths in Atlanta
Walk Score rates any address in the United States, giving it a “walkability score,” which determines how walkable a particular street or intersection may be.
With a population of 420,003, Atlanta isn’t footloose and fancy free in the “walkability” category. It came in as the 42nd most walkable large city in the U.S., with a “walkability score” of 48. Atlanta got a transit score of 47 and a bike score of 45.
As with any major city, Atlanta also struggles with pedestrian-related crash fatalities and injuries. Between 2008 and 2017, drivers struck and killed 49,340 people who were walking on streets in the U.S. That equates to more than 13 people per day — or one person every hour and 46 minutes.
There were 1,782 pedestrian deaths between 2008 and 2017 in Georgia, which has been ranked the sixth most-dangerous state in the country for pedestrians, according to a 2019 report called “Dangerous By Design” from Smart Growth America. The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, metro area ranked as the 25th most dangerous in the country for pedestrians, with 1,005 deaths during that time period. That’s an annual pedestrian death rate of 1.79 per 100,000 people.
Smart Growth, too, measures pedestrian death increases by district, with District 13 (which includes southern Atlanta) ranking at number four on this list, with an increase of 22 pedestrian deaths from 2008 to 2017.
DUIs
The Georgia Department of Driver Services maintains DUI data that shows the total count of Administrative License Suspensions (ALS), Refusals and Driving Under the Influence (DUI) convictions processed at DDS within a calendar year, summarized by process year and by county.
The following are those for Fulton County in 2018:
- Total ALS: 490
- Total refusals: 1,052
- Total first DUIs: 1,472
- Total second DUIs: 233
- Total third DUIs: 43
According to the Atlanta Police Department, the following DUI arrests occurred in the city:
- 2018 DUI arrest: 921
- 2019 DUI arrest: 902
- 2018 Larceny from auto: 10,330
- 2019 Larceny from auto: 9,57
Distracted Driver Law in Atlanta
All drivers operating a motor vehicle on any highway of Georgia are prohibited from:
- Holding or supporting, with any part of the body, a wireless telecommunications device or stand-alone electronic device.
- Writing, sending or reading any text-based communication, including a text message, instant message, email or Internet data.
- Watching, recording or broadcasting a video or movie.
The penalties are $50 for the first conviction, $100 for the second and $150 for the third or more.
Ask the Insurance Expert
Laura Longero
Executive Editor
Laura Longero is an insurance expert and Executive Editor at CarInsurance.com, where she specializes in helping consumers navigate the complexities of the financial and insurance industries. She has 15 years of experience educating people about finance and car insurance. Prior to joining CarInsurance.com, she worked as a reporter and editor at the USA Today Network. Her expertise provides readers with practical guidance, helping them make informed choices about their financial and insurance needs.
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John McCormick
Editorial Director
John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology.
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Leslie Kasperowicz
Executive Editor
Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.
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Nupur Gambhir
Managing Editor
Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.
Guide to car insurance (with rates) in cities of Georgia