Rochester is home to the world-famous Mayo Clinic and some pretty nice car insurance rates as well. The overall average monthly cost of car insurance in Rochester is $120 per month, according to Insurify’s latest data. The national average auto insurance policy costs $144 per month.

Multiple factors likely contribute to the city’s comparatively low car insurance rates. Rochester’s relatively small population of 121,000 means fewer accidents are likely to occur. It’s a city amid rolling hills, but it isn’t mountainous, which would mean a lot of wear and tear when braking. It also has a lower crime rate than the national average.1

Here’s how to compare quotes and secure the lowest car insurance rates in Rochester.

3 of the cheapest car insurance companies in Rochester

Rochester, Minnesota, has a lot of excellent insurance companies, but the best car insurance policy will be the one that meets your individual situation and needs. The premiums you pay for that policy depend on multiple factors, such as your driving record, age, gender, budget, and credit history.

As you begin your search for car insurance in Rochester, keep the following three insurers in mind. Full-coverage and liability-only rates in the table below are national averages.

Best insurer for low rates: State Farm

Best insurer for customer service: Auto-Owners

Best insurer for discounts: American Family

How to get the cheapest car insurance in Rochester

Some insurance pricing will hinge on factors out of your control, like your age, while others will be in your control, such as your driving history. If you haven’t had many incidents and have a history of safe driving, you’ll probably have lower rates than someone with a lot of speeding tickets or a teenager just starting out.

To find the right policy for you, remember:

• Getting a policy that meets the minimum insurance requirements will always be cheaper than comprehensive coverage. But don’t rule out paying more for more coverage. If you get the cheapest coverage and aren’t covered for — say, a stolen car — you could be left with nothing.

• You may be tempted to pay a very high deductible to get a lower rate, but keep in mind that if you get into an accident, you’ll have to pay the collision and comprehensive deductible before your insurer pays for damages. If paying a high deductible would be a challenge, you may opt for higher monthly premiums to keep your deductible low.

• Choose a vehicle with safety equipment and technology. Many insurers offer discounts for safety equipment.

• Ask your insurance agent if they can steer you to any discounts that will bring your rates down. You can also ask your employer, or any other organization you’re a member of, whether it has a discount with a particular insurer.

Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Rochester: State Farm

Liability car insurance pays for damages suffered by the other driver and their passengers in an accident you cause. But liability-only insurance won’t cover any costs you incur from the accident. Because of this, liability-only coverage is often the cheapest insurance available. Generally, though, liability-only coverage works best if you own your vehicle outright, and have an older, less-expensive vehicle.

Liability-only coverage in Rochester, Minnesota, costs an average of $89 per month. You can see a collection of average monthly quotes for liability coverage in the table below.

Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Rochester: State Farm

Full-coverage car insurance provides the same protections as liability, but it also includes collision and comprehensive to cover your vehicle and occupants. As such, full-coverage policies are generally more expensive but can be a good idea if you have a vehicle that would be financially difficult for you to replace. 

Many lenders will also require you to carry a full-coverage policy before they grant you a loan for a new vehicle. In Rochester, the average monthly cost for full coverage is $151.

Car insurance requirements in Minnesota

All vehicles in Minnesota, both operated and parked, must be insured. If you’re caught driving without insurance, you could be fined or, in worst-case scenarios, imprisoned or lose your driving privileges.2

Minnesota is also a no-fault state. That means both parties’ insurance companies will pay for their own clients’ damages after an accident.

To take advantage of this, drivers need to provide proof of insurance in a variety of contexts, including:

• When the vehicle is involved in a car accident

• When requested by law enforcement

• When renewing vehicle registration

This table explains the minimum amount of car insurance you need to have if you want to drive in Minnesota.

If you want more coverage options, you certainly have them. The minimum requirements will prevent you from getting in trouble with the state, but minimum coverage won’t protect you in several scenarios, such as your car getting stolen or a tree falling on your parked vehicle during a storm. To meet these needs, you may want to also look into buying:

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an incident

Incidents like speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, and DUIs can affect your insurance rates, sometimes dramatically. As a general rule, insurers believe a driving incident could mean there will be more incidents to follow, so they raise premiums to protect the company financially in case it needs to make a payout.

In the sections that follow, you’ll see how different incident types can affect your premiums.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket: Safeco

In Minnesota, if you’re caught going 20 or more miles over the speed limit, the fine for speeding doubles.3 If you’re pulled over driving 100 mph or more, you could potentially lose your driver’s license for six months.

All of this is to say that if you want to keep your premiums as low as possible, you’ll try to stick to a speed close to what’s on the speed limit signs. In Rochester, a driver with a clean record could pay as little as $55 per month for liability car insurance, while a driver with a speeding ticket could see monthly premiums of $68 per month for liability-only coverage.

Here, you can see how a speeding ticket affects your premium quotes in Rochester.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident: Auto-Owners

As a general rule, insurers make drivers pay more after a car accident than motorists who manage to avoid such incidents. But if you live in Minnesota, since it’s a no-fault state and everybody’s insurance pays if there are medical bills, it’s pretty likely your rates will go up after an accident, no matter whose fault it is.

In Rochester, the average cost of car insurance after an accident is $184 per month for full coverage and $108 for liability only. Here’s a look at how an at-fault accident could affect your quotes.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI: State Farm

Insurers see a DUI as being among the most serious incidents. In fact, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety website estimates that a Minnesota resident who is pulled over for a DUI will spend around $20,000 in court costs, legal fees, and increased insurance premiums.4

The table below shows just how much you can expect to pay for insurance if you have a DUI on your record. Rochester drivers with a DUI face an average rate of $243 per month for full coverage and $143 for liability only. Some insurers will drop drivers who have a DUI. But others specialize in working with people with a DUI.

Cheapest car insurance for seniors: State Farm

Insurers calculate premiums by looking at a lot of factors, but the age of the driver is an especially important one. If you’re 70 or older, your premiums are probably drifting upward slightly. You may have an excellent driving record, but data shows that older drivers have a greater risk of getting into an accident and getting seriously injured in an accident.

Senior drivers in Rochester pay an average of $42 per month for liability coverage and $122 for full coverage. This table shows what you may pay, on average, for your insurance as a senior.

Cheapest car insurance for teens: State Farm

Teens pay some of the highest car insurance premiums on the market due to their lack of driving experience and tendency to engage in riskier driving behaviors, like speeding, distracted driving, and driving at night. Fortunately, if you’re a teen driver or the parent of one, you can reduce these high insurance premiums.

For instance, if you can, don’t get a separate insurance policy; insurers charge less when a teenage driver stays on their parents’ policy. Using a car that your insurer considers safe may also lower premiums. Finally, your insurer may also give a discount for good grades or for completing an approved driver education course.

On average, Rochester teens pay $298 per month for full coverage and $176 for liability only. The following table shows what you may pay, on average, for your teen’s car insurance in Rochester.

Rochester car insurance quotes by credit tier

Most states, including Minnesota, allow insurers to look at credit histories when coming up with a price for your insurance. Data shows that your credit history is an indicator of your likelihood to file a claim.

So, drivers with good or excellent credit pay far lower insurance premiums than drivers with poor credit. The table below shows how credit tiers affect Rochester drivers’ insurance quotes.

Is car insurance more expensive in Rochester?

Car insurance premiums in Rochester are cheaper than the national average. If you live in Rochester, you’ll pay $120 per month, on average. The national average car insurance policy costs $144 per month.

Why is it cheaper in Rochester? The area has a lot going for it, including a relatively low population of 121,000, a low crime rate, and terrain that isn’t rough on a car. All those factors can help drive prices down.

More cities in Minnesota

On average, Rochester drivers pay $89 per month for liability-only insurance and $151 per month for full-coverage car insurance. The table below shows how Rochester compares to some other cities in Minnesota.