For good drivers, one of the big criteria that help determine the cost of insurance is your address. Cities with larger populations tend to have higher auto insurance costs, whereas areas with less congestion have the luxury of lower rates.
The following table sorts the highest-priced places in Wisconsin for safe drivers in which to purchase auto insurance. Milwaukee shows up at #1 with an annual premium of $1,368 for the average insurance policy, which is about $114 monthly.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee | $1,368 |
| 2 | Wauwatosa | $1,345 |
| 3 | Racine | $1,229 |
| 4 | West Allis | $1,210 |
| 5 | Kenosha | $1,194 |
| 6 | Greenfield | $1,156 |
| 7 | Oak Creek | $1,154 |
| 8 | Beloit | $1,152 |
| 9 | Franklin | $1,129 |
| 10 | Waukesha | $1,065 |
| 11 | Madison | $1,062 |
| 12 | Eau Claire | $1,059 |
| 13 | Menomonee Falls | $1,057 |
| 14 | Janesville | $1,053 |
| 15 | New Berlin | $1,049 |
| 16 | Brookfield | $1,045 |
| 17 | Wausau | $1,037 |
| 18 | La Crosse | $1,033 |
| 19 | West Bend | $987 |
| 20 | Manitowoc | $987 |
| 21 | Appleton | $964 |
| 22 | Green Bay | $960 |
| 23 | Fond du Lac | $956 |
| 24 | Oshkosh | $951 |
| 25 | Sheboygan | $935 |
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Annual rates are approximated as the garaging address in Milwaukee can revise coverage prices significantly.
The make and model of vehicle you are trying to insure is a large consideration when consumers are trying to find low-priced coverage for safe drivers. Vehicles with lots of speed or power, poor safety ratings, or high incidents of liability claims will cost more to insure than more economical and safe models.
The next list ranks coverage premiums for a number of the most cost-effective automobiles to buy coverage for.
| Insured Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $1,793 |
| Honda Odyssey LX | $1,968 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $2,010 |
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $2,028 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4WD 2-Dr | $2,194 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Regular Cab 2WD | $2,231 |
| Toyota Corolla XLE | $2,240 |
| Toyota Prius | $2,246 |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE Regular Cab 4WD | $2,279 |
| GMC Sierra SL Crew Cab 4WD | $2,289 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T 4-Dr Sedan | $2,279 |
| Ford Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $2,324 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $2,329 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $2,342 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $2,349 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $2,394 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $2,402 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 2WD | $2,448 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $2,456 |
| Toyota Camry XLE | $2,451 |
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Data assumes single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Wisconsin minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Table data does not factor in Milwaukee, WI location which can affect insurance rates considerably.
Based upon the table data, models like the Ford Escape, Honda Odyssey, Dodge Grand Caravan, Honda CR-V, and Jeep Wrangler should be the cheaper vehicles to insure for good drivers.
How accidents and violations affect rates in Milwaukee
One of the best ways to maintain cheap car insurance rates in Wisconsin for good drivers is to be a careful driver and avoid at-fault accidents and violations. The diagram below shows how violations and at-fault accidents impact premium costs for each different age group. The premium estimates are based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
The chart shows that the average cost of auto insurance in Wisconsin per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $924. Receive one speeding ticket and the average cost surges to $1,072, an increase of $148 each year. Now add one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of car insurance for safe drivers jumps again to an average of $1,493. That’s an increase of $569, or $47 per month, just for not driving safely!
Cost difference between full coverage and liability
Lowering the price of car insurance is the goal of most people, and one easy way to find cheap insurance for safe drivers is to not pay for full coverage. The diagram below shows the comparison of yearly insurance costs with full coverage compared to only the Wisconsin minimum liability coverage. The information is based on no claims or driving citations, $500 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
If averaged for all ages, physical damage coverage costs an extra $1,195 per year more than insuring for liability only. Many people question if you should buy full coverage. There is no set rule for excluding comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is about 10% or more of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you might consider buying liability only.
For example, let’s pretend your vehicle’s settlement value is $8,500 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, you would only receive $7,500 after paying your policy deductible. If premiums are more than $750 a year to have full coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are some scenarios where eliminating full coverage is not a good idea. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you must maintain physical damage coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not remove full coverage.
Here’s why you should shop around
Milwaukee car insurance rates are impacted by many things which can significantly increase or decrease the cost of your policy. Simply getting older, moving to a different location, or getting a reckless driving citation can cause premium changes that may make certain companies cheaper than before. And not only may your rating factors change, but insurance companies file new rates every year to help ensure profitability. Unexpectedly high claims can cause price increases, while a profitable period can cause lower-priced Milwaukee car insurance rates.
For example, the data below compares the cheapest car insurance in Milwaukee, WI for a 45-year-old female driver with a good driving record, no prior claims, and excellent credit. When quoting prices based on her personal profile, USAA may offer the best car insurance rates in Milwaukee at $902 each year. This is $259 less than the average price paid by Wisconsin drivers of $1,161. Partners Mutual, Erie, Rockford Mutual, and Pekin Insurance are the remainder of the top five cheapest Milwaukee, WI auto insurance companies.
The example below compares rates after we give the driver in the first chart a claim or two, less-than-perfect credit, and a couple of points charged on her driving record. Since each company uses their own method to establish rates, comparing prices most likely will result in a new list of the cheapest Milwaukee car insurance companies as shown below.
Nationwide now has the lowest price on auto insurance in Milwaukee, WI with Western National, Integrity Mutual, Travelers, and Partners Mutual now being in the top five. This example shows why consumers need to perform an extensive rate comparison to get the best insurance quotes for safe drivers. Car insurance prices are calculated by many factors and change dramatically, so the most economical company the last time you compared rates may now be an over-priced policy.
Tips for finding low-cost insurance for safe drivers
The list below summarizes some of the recommended money-saving suggestions that can help Wisconsin drivers get lower-cost auto insurance.
- Raise comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles
- Higher credit scores can equal lower rates
- Claim-free drivers earn discounts
- Assess whether full coverage is needed
- Bundle home or renters insurance to earn a discount on car insurance
- Buy safe vehicles
- Compare price quotes at least once a year
That last piece of advice is incredibly crucial, as we discussed in this write-up. Auto insurance rates in Milwaukee change frequently, so drivers shouldn’t be reluctant to change insurance companies if a more affordable price is available.
Brand loyalty is not necessarily bad, but it’s not recommended if that loyalty results in overpaying a small fortune. It takes less than five minutes to compare rates and find cheaper insurance for safe drivers.