Home to an electrifying music scene, Nashville residents have no shortage of live music to enjoy. As the capital of Tennessee and its most-populated city, Nashville also draws huge numbers of tourists. In 2022, a record-breaking 14.4 million people visited Music City — an increase of 13% over 2021.1
Having so many out-of-towners on the roads could partially explain why Nashville residents pay an overall average of $121 per month for car insurance — slightly more than the Tennessee average of $103 per month. But finding affordable rates is still possible.
Here’s what you should know about securing cheap car insurance in Nashville.
3 of the cheapest car insurance companies in Nashville
When you’re shopping for car insurance in Nashville, it’s important to consider your budget as well as the type of coverage you need. Because Nashville — and Tennessee in general — has relatively affordable car insurance rates to begin with, shopping for coverage doesn’t have to be a headache.
To help make the process easier, Insurify rounded up a list of the three best car insurance companies in Nashville based on factors such as average rates, coverage, customer service, and Insurify Qualify (IQ) scores.
Best insurer overall: State Farm
Best insurer for military families: USAA
Best insurer for low-mileage drivers: Mile Auto
How to get the cheapest car insurance in Nashville
Tennessee drivers already pay some of the lowest insurance premiums in the country. And you can save even more by taking a few extra steps when you’re signing up for a policy:8
Shop around. You can find the best rates by getting quotes from multiple insurance companies and choosing the one that offers you the best rate.
Bundle your policies. Many insurers offer savings when you bundle your auto insurance with your homeowners insurance or renters insurance.
Save with discounts. In addition to the multi-policy discount, other popular insurer discounts include those for safe driving, vehicle safety features, and more. Ask your insurance company which discounts you may be eligible for.
Update your policy. You can lower your premiums by either reducing your coverage limits or raising your deductible. Just make sure you don’t increase your deductible so much that you can’t afford to pay it out of pocket if you need to file a claim.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Nashville: Mile Auto
Liability-only car insurance refers to a policy that only includes bodily injury and property damage liability coverage. Nearly every state requires drivers to have liability coverage, and Tennessee is no exception. This coverage pays for injuries and damage to other people and property when you’re at fault for an accident. A liability-only policy is also the cheapest type of policy you can get.
“This [coverage] pays if a driver damages another vehicle or injures another person,” says Nick Schrader, an insurance agent with Second Western Insurance. But keep in mind that this type of coverage won’t pay for your own injuries or damage that you cause in an accident.
The average monthly rate for liability coverage in Nashville is $84, and you can see how rates vary from top insurers below.
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Nashville: Mile Auto
Full-coverage insurance isn’t as affordable as a liability-only policy, but it’s a better option for many drivers. Full coverage includes coverages to protect your vehicle, including collision coverage, which pays for damage to your vehicle from an accident, and comprehensive coverage, which pays for damage caused by something other than an accident such as vehicle theft and weather damage.
“It is recommended that a consumer purchases full coverage when they finance a vehicle and/or if the vehicle is worth repairing and replacing after a major loss,” Schrader says. Keep in mind that if you finance or lease your vehicle, your lender or leasing company will require you to have full coverage.
For Nashville drivers, full coverage costs a monthly average of $158. Here’s a collection of quotes from top insurers.
Car insurance requirements in Tennessee
Tennessee requires all drivers to have a certain amount of liability coverage to legally operate a vehicle in the state. This coverage protects other drivers from losses if you cause an accident, and it protects you from paying for those losses out of pocket. If you’re caught driving without the minimum insurance in Tennessee, you’ll be subject to fines and registration suspension.
Here’s the minimum insurance coverage you’ll need in Tennessee:3
In addition to the coverage the state of Tennessee requires, many other coverages are available that you may decide to add to your policy to further protect you from losses. Those optional coverages include:
Cheapest car insurance for Nashville drivers with an incident
When insurance companies calculate your insurance premiums, your driving history is one of the biggest factors they consider. Incidents such as speeding tickets, driving under the influence, or at-fault accidents on your driving record can increase your rates.
“Moving violations and at-fault accidents increase the operator’s insurance rate because it shows poor driving experience,” says Schrader. “Speeding tickets and at-fault accidents typically remain on the driving record for three years, while a DUI can be rated for 10 years.”
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket: Mile Auto
A speeding ticket will cost you in terms of the fine you’re charged and the points added to your driving history — between one and eight points in Tennessee — but it’ll also cost you on your insurance premiums.4 The effect of a speeding ticket on your insurance rates depends on several factors, including how fast you were going. A ticket can influence your insurance premiums for three to five years.
Nashville drivers with a speeding ticket pay a monthly average of $206 for full coverage. Below are the cheapest insurance companies for drivers in Nashville with speeding ticket on their records.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident: Mile Auto
A car accident can have a major effect on your insurance premiums for three to five years. Not only does it show that you’re a higher-risk driver, but it often costs your insurance company money. An accident has the greatest effect on your insurance premiums when you’re the one at fault. But your rates could also increase slightly after an accident where you weren’t at fault.
The average rate for full-coverage insurance with an accident on your record is $209 per month in Nashville. The table below highlights the cheapest insurers for Nashville drivers with an at-fault accident on their driving record.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI: Mile Auto
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is one of the most serious driving offenses. It’s also one that affects your insurance premiums the most. Unfortunately, a DUI will also remain on your record longer than most other violations, meaning it could cost you for years. And in some cases, an insurance company may even deny you coverage or cancel your policy mid term.
It’s worth noting that higher insurance premiums could be the least of your worries if you get a DUI in Tennessee. Penalties for a first offense can include jail time, license revocation, fines, restitution, and mandated participation in an alcohol-and-drug-treatment program.5
Full-coverage car insurance in Nashville for drivers with a DUI conviction is $204 on average, per month. This table shows average monthly rates from insurers in the area.
Cheapest car insurance for seniors: Mile Auto
There’s a strong correlation between risk and age when it comes to car insurance. Generally speaking, drivers see their premiums decrease consistently as they get older. But this trend shifts when a driver reaches their 70s, as the risk of an accident increases around this age.6 The good news is that even if your rates increase in your 70s, you’ll still pay less than young drivers.
The overall average monthly cost for car insurance is $102 for Nashville senior drivers. Here are some of the best monthly insurance quotes for seniors in Nashville.
Cheapest car insurance for teens: Mile Auto
In most cases, young drivers pay the highest premiums of all because of their lack of driving experience, riskier driving behavior, and greater potential to cause an accident.7 Teen drivers in Nashville pay an overall average of $243 per month for car insurance.
The good news is teen drivers have ways to save money on car insurance.
“It’s important for them to maximize their discounts, such as driver training and good grades,” says Schrader. “The pricing is better if they drive vehicles with safety features.”
Another way for young drivers to save money is to remain on their parents’ insurance policies for as long as possible. It’s almost always more affordable to add a teen to the policy of an adult than it is for that teen to sign up for their own coverage. Teens younger than 18 can't buy their own policies unless they have the written consent of a parent or guardian.
Here are some of the best monthly car insurance quotes for young drivers in Nashville who have their own policies.
Nashville car insurance quotes by credit tier
Most states allow car insurance companies to use information in your consumer credit history to generate an insurance-based credit score. That score, in turn, helps insurers estimate your likelihood of filing a claim. Generally, a poor credit score indicates a high likelihood of filing a claim, while an excellent or good credit score indicates a lower risk. As a result, the higher your credit score, the lower the insurance premiums you’re likely to get. Meanwhile, a low credit score is likely to increase your rates.
Is car insurance more expensive in Nashville?
Tennessee drivers enjoy some of the lowest insurance premiums in the country. The national average cost of car insurance is $184 per month for full coverage and $104 for liability-only coverage. By comparison, the average rates in Tennessee are $136 for full coverage and $70 for liability.
Nashville's averages – $158 and $84, respectively – are lower than the national averages but higher than the state average costs.
More cities in Tennessee
Here’s how average monthly car insurance quotes differ in other Tennessee cities compared to Nashville.