Here you’ll learn everything you need to know to buy the best car insurance policy in Birmingham 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 Birmingham drivers are affected by tickets, accidents and adding teen drivers.
- The average car insurance cost in Birmingham, AL for a full coverage policy is $1,640 a year, according to CarInsurance.com research.
- Nationwide has the cheapest full coverage car insurance quotes in Birmingham among all the carriers analyzed.
- You can save an average of $1,910 per year on a full coverage policy in Birmingham by comparing price quotes from different carriers.
- In Alabama, comprehensive insurance costs an average of $185 and collision coverage is $669 per year, based on CarInsurance.com rate analysis.
Who Has The Best Car Insurance in Birmingham, AL?
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 Birmingham, 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 |
|---|---|
| Value/Price | The General |
| Customer Service | Allstate |
| Websites/Apps | USAA |
| Recommend | The General |
| Low Annual Mileage | State Farm Mutual Auto |
| Good Student | Mid-Century Ins Co |
| Bundle | Mid-Century Ins Co |
| Paid in Full | Progressive Specialty |
Cheap Car Insurance in Birmingham, Alabama
Find below the cheapest car insurance rates in Birmingham, based on our rate analysis for three different coverage levels. The driver profile is for age 30, 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 Casualty Co | $315 | $438 | $1,106 |
| Nationwide P&C Ins Co | $363 | $493 | $987 |
| Standard Fire Ins Co | $424 | $593 | $1,236 |
| Allstate P&C Ins Co | $425 | $534 | $1,503 |
| Auto-Owners Ins Co | $457 | $675 | $1,794 |
| Progressive Specialty Ins Co | $473 | $738 | $1,896 |
| State Farm Mutl Automobile Ins | $592 | $779 | $2,053 |
| Metropolitan P&C Ins Co | $824 | $1,075 | $2,137 |
| Mid-Century Ins Co | $848 | $1,418 | $2,797 |
Car Insurance Coverage – How Much Car Insurance do I Need in Birmingham?
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 Birmingham
Alabama 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 Alabama, comprehensive costs $185 and collision costs $669, 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.
Average Car Insurance Rates in Birmingham
The average rate for Birmingham drivers for a year of minimum coverage is $494 according to our rate analysis. If you increased your coverage to 50/100/50, you would pay just about $17.58 more a month, or $211 more a year.
You can get full coverage (100/300/100) by paying $95.50 more a month, or an additional $1,146 a year more than minimum-level coverage.
Birmingham average for:
- Minimum coverage: $494
- 50/100/50: $705
- 100/300/100: $1,640
Compare Car Insurance Quotes in Birmingham – How to Save on Insurance Policy?
You can save an average of $1,910 annually on a full coverage policy in Birmingham 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.
Birmingham Car Insurance FAQ’s
How much does insurance go up after a speeding ticket in Birmingham?
A speeding ticket in Birmingham will hike your car insurance rates by an average of 40% , or about $906 yearly. CarInsurance.com’s rate analysis shows how much more drivers in Birmingham 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 Birmingham?
Birmingham drivers can expect to see a hike in their rates in the range of 37% for minor moving violations such as tailgating or blowing through a stop sign, 69% 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 | $2,239 | $3,400 | $1,161 | 52% |
| Careless driving | $2,239 | $3,376 | $1,137 | 51% |
| Distracted driving ticket | $2,239 | $2,864 | $625 | 28% |
| Driving without a license or permit | $2,239 | $2,593 | $354 | 16% |
| Driving without insurance | $2,239 | $2,593 | $354 | 16% |
| DUI/DWI first offense | $2,239 | $3,812 | $1,573 | 70% |
| DUI/DWI second offense | $2,239 | $5,517 | $3,278 | 146% |
| Failure to stop | $2,239 | $2,814 | $575 | 26% |
| Failure to yield | $2,239 | $2,814 | $575 | 26% |
| Following too closely | $2,239 | $2,808 | $569 | 25% |
| Improper turn | $2,239 | $2,818 | $579 | 26% |
| Improper/illegal pass | $2,239 | $2,847 | $608 | 27% |
| Operating a vehicle in a race (highway racing) | $2,239 | $3,756 | $1,517 | 68% |
| Reckless driving | $2,239 | $3,851 | $1,612 | 72% |
| Seatbelt infraction | $2,239 | $2,474 | $235 | 10% |
| Talking on cellphone ticket | $2,239 | $2,738 | $499 | 22% |
| Texting ticket | $2,239 | $2,738 | $499 | 22% |
How much does it cost to add a teen driver to your insurance?
In Birmingham, adding a 16-year-old daughter to your policy will hike your rates by $1,776 annually, or 108% It’s more for boys. Insuring your 16-year-old son will increase your yearly rate by $2,082, 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 Birmingham?
CarInsurance.com data show that for drivers in Birmingham, your rate will go up by an average of $1,350 or 60%. 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.
— Ashlee Tilford contributed to this story.
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 Alabama