Located in the heart of West Alabama, the historic city of Tuscaloosa is home to the University of Alabama. With about 38,000 students enrolled, it’s not surprising that Tuscaloosa residents pay slightly higher car insurance rates than the Alabama average.1
Drivers in Tuscaloosa pay an average of $150 per month for full-coverage auto insurance, and $69 for liability-only coverage. Those rates are in line with the state averages of $132 and $64, respectively.
Comparing car insurance quotes from multiple companies could help Tuscaloosa drivers find even cheaper rates. Here's what to know about car insurance in Tuscaloosa.
Best car insurance companies in Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa drivers have no shortage of affordable and highly rated auto insurance companies to choose from. When identifying the best insurance companies in Tuscaloosa, Insurify specifically looked for insurers that offered excellent coverage at an affordable rate, as well as at factors such as customer satisfaction, claims processes, Insurify Quality (IQ) scores, and more.
Best insurer overall: State Farm
Best insurer for military members: USAA
Best insurer for discounts: GEICO
How to get the cheapest car insurance in Tuscaloosa
Alabama drivers already enjoy insurance premiums that are lower than the national average, but you have ways to save even more money on car insurance.
One of the most important ways to save money on insurance is to shop around. Insurance premiums can vary significantly from one insurer to the next, even for the same driver. Similarly, the cheapest company for one person may not be the cheapest for another. An insurance-comparison website can help you shop for rates from multiple insurers at once.
Other ways to save money on insurance include:6
Bundle your auto insurance with your home insurance or renters insurance.
Take advantage of the discounts insurers offer. Talk to your insurance agent to see what discounts you might be eligible for.
Improve your credit.
Choose a vehicle with high safety ratings.
Reduce your insurance coverage limits.
Raise your comprehensive and collision insurance deductible.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Tuscaloosa: National General
Liability car insurance is the cheapest type of policy you can buy. When you buy this type of auto insurance policy, you’ll only have two coverages: bodily injury liability and property damage liability. These coverages will pay for injuries to others or damage to other people’s property when you’re at fault for an accident. However, liability insurance won’t cover any of your injuries or damage to your vehicle, so it works best for drivers with older, less-expensive vehicles that aren't financed or leased..
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Tuscaloosa: USAA
If you want more coverage than liability insurance can provide, you probably want full-coverage insurance. A full-coverage policy is more expensive than a liability-only one, but it includes coverages like collision and comprehensive, which pay for damage to your own vehicle. Full coverage can also include uninsured motorist coverage, medical payments, and more.
If you finance or lease your vehicle, your lender or leasing company will require you to purchase full coverage car insurance.
Car insurance requirements in Alabama
Nearly every state, including Alabama, requires drivers to have a certain amount of liability insurance. Under Alabama law, the driver who’s at fault for an accident is also financially responsible for any damages, both to people and property.
Alabama drivers must have the following auto insurance coverage:2
In addition to the insurance coverages Alabama drivers are required to have, many types of optional insurance coverage are also available, including:
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an incident
Your driving history is an important factor insurance companies consider when setting rates. Having a clean driving history can help you get lower insurance premiums. On the other hand, any incidents on your driving record, including speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, driving under the influence, and more, can increase your rates.
The amount your rates will increase depends on the severity of the incident and any previous violations on your driving record.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket: National General
If you’re caught speeding, your insurance premiums will increase. The number of tickets you have and how much over the speed limit you were driving will both affect how much your rates increase. You can expect a ticket to affect your rates for anywhere from three to five years, but its effect may lessen over time.
Tuscaloosa drivers with speeding tickets pay, on average, 204 per month for full-coverage car insurance and $94 for liability-only policies. The following table shows monthly liability quotes for Tuscaloosa drivers with speeding tickets.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident: National General
If you’re involved in a car accident, your insurance premiums may increase, especially if you caused the accident. A more expensive accident may have a greater effect on your premiums. However, you could even see your insurance premiums increase after an accident where someone else was at fault.
An accident pushes average full-coverage car insurance rates to $205 per month for Tuscaloosa drivers. Liability-only policies average $94 per month with an at-fault accident.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI: National General
Certain driving offenses have a greater effect on your insurance premiums because of their severity. Driving under the influence generally comes with a larger rate increase than many other violations. Some insurers may deny you coverage altogether. It’s worth noting that if you’re convicted of a DUI in Alabama, you’ll also have your license suspended and could face fines and jail time.3
Tuscaloosa drivers with DUI convictions see average car insurance rates of $242 per month for full coverage and $111 for liability only.
Cheapest car insurance for seniors: National General
Car insurance rates tend to fall as a driver ages, but then they begin to increase again slightly once a driver reaches their 70s, as their risk of an accident increases.4 To lower insurance rates, seniors can look into pay-per-mile insurance or take a defensive driving course to score a discount.
The average cost of car insurance for senior drivers in Tuscaloosa is $131 per month for full coverage and $60 for liability only. The following table shows monthly quotes from some top insurers for Tuscaloosa seniors.
Cheapest car insurance for teens: National General
Teens and young drivers pay more for car insurance than any other age group, as they’re at the highest risk of getting into an accident. Teen drivers — especially males — tend to engage in more high-risk driving activities, including distracted driving, speeding, driving without a seat belt, and more. The increased risk results in significantly higher insurance premiums.5
Teens can stay on their parents’ insurance policy, complete an approved driver education course, and look into good student discounts to bring down their car insurance costs. Tuscaloosa teens with their own car insurance policies see average monthly rates of $315 for full coverage and $145 for minimum coverage.
Tuscaloosa car insurance quotes by credit tier
Your credit history is another factor that insurance companies use to help set premiums. The better your credit, the better your insurance rates are likely to be. On the other hand, poor credit is likely to land you higher rates.
Some states have prohibited insurers from using credit as a determining factor for car insurance, but Alabama isn’t one of these states.
Is car insurance more expensive in Tuscaloosa?
Tuscaloosa's car insurance costs are comparable to Alabama state average costs, but lower than national averages. The average cost of full-coverage car insurance in Tuscaloosa is $150 per month, while liability-only policies average $69. That's less than the national averages of $184 and $104, respectively.
Rates vary by city based on several factors, including crime rate, ZIP code, the number of car accidents, the percentage of uninsured drivers, and more.
More cities in Alabama
Insurance rates vary across the state of Alabama. Factors like population density, local weather patterns, accident rates, and rates of vehicle theft all affect the cost of car insurance in different cities. The following table illustrates average monthly car insurance rates in some other Alabama cities.