Auto-Owners, State Farm, and USAA offer the cheapest car insurance rates in Arlington, where the average cost of a full-coverage policy is $186 per month. By comparison, the Virginia state average for full coverage is $180, and the national average is $184.
The number of Arlington residents relying on public transportation is likely a big factor in the city’s comparatively lower car insurance costs. While the mean commute time for Arlington residents is 28 minutes, a significant number of residents rely on the greater Washington, D.C., metro area’s robust public transportation system for their commutes.
If you live in Arlington, you may be able to get by without owning a car. But if you do have a vehicle, it makes sense to compare quotes from multiple insurers to get the cheapest and best coverage available to you.
Best car insurance companies in Arlington
Your specific auto coverage needs will influence what insurance option works best for you. However, to narrow your coverage options, you should also consider your budget, current rates, and available discounts. Insurers consider your driving record, credit history, marital status, age, past vehicle losses or claims, and more when determining your cost for auto insurance.
Find some of the best options in Arlington based on your driving profile, whether you value cheap rates or need coverage after an accident.
Best insurer for cheap rates: Auto-Owners
Best insurer for drivers with an accident: State Farm
Best insurer for young drivers: GEICO
How to get the cheapest car insurance in Arlington
A variety of factors like your age, driving history, ZIP code, and level of coverage influence how you can find the best rate for your car insurance policy in Arlington. Still, you can take specific steps to help lower your costs:
Maintain a clean driving record. Try to avoid violations like speeding tickets and at-fault accidents so you can obtain lower car insurance rates.
Improve your credit score. Car insurers in Virginia may use your credit score to determine risk factors and the likelihood that you’ll file an insurance claim. Having a good credit score can help you earn cheaper rates.
Ask for a discount. Insurers typically offer several types of discounts, including multi-policy and good driver discounts.
Shop around. Shop around and compare quotes from at least three different insurers. This will help ensure that you find the best price for your coverage needs.
“Sometimes comparing quotes by shopping around with an insurance agent can be helpful as well, since they work with a range of carriers and can obtain multiple personalized quotes in less time that are tailored to your coverage needs and budget,” says P.J. Miller, vice president of Wallace & Turner, Inc. insurance agency.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Arlington: Auto-Owners
Liability-only car insurance provides the least amount of coverage, which means it’s usually the cheapest option available to drivers. Liability insurance pays for damages to the other driver’s vehicle, as well as their medical expenses for bodily injury from an accident you cause.
It might make sense to purchase liability-only coverage if you drive an older vehicle and you can afford to pay for repairs out of pocket. This insurance protects the driver you have an accident with, but you may want more coverage depending on your situation.
On average, liability-only coverage costs $123 per month.
Here are some of the cheapest liability-only car insurance rates in Arlington.
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Arlington: Auto-Owners
Full-coverage insurance includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage — which extend coverage to your vehicle after an accident or noncollision incident. Your lender may require you to carry full-coverage insurance until you pay off your loan, if you have one.2
You may want full-coverage insurance for added protection if you have a new or expensive car. If you finance or lease your car, your lender or leasing company will also require you to carry full coverage. By paying a little more for your premium, you can protect yourself from paying an expensive repair bill if you ever need to file a claim.
Full-coverage insurance in Arlington averages around $186 per month. Here are some of the cheapest full-coverage car insurance rates in Arlington.
Car insurance requirements in Virginia
Virginia, like most other states, requires drivers to have a minimum amount of coverage.
Virginia is increasing its minimum coverage requirements for policies effective on or after Jan. 1, 2025. Below, you can find the current car insurance requirements, along with the requirements that go into effect in 2025.3
Depending on your needs and situation, you may also want to consider getting optional insurance coverage, including:
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an incident
One of the biggest factors affecting your car insurance rates is your driving history. If you have an at-fault accident, speeding ticket, DUI, or another moving violation, your insurance rates will typically increase. The severity and frequency of incidents on your record can also influence how much you pay for coverage. Drivers with clean records tend to pay the lowest rates.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket: Auto-Owners
If an officer gives you a ticket for speeding, it typically shows up on your driving record and affects your car insurance rates. On average, drivers with a speeding ticket in Arlington pay $184 per month for coverage.
Here are some average monthly quotes for insurers in Arlington if you have a speeding ticket on your record.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident: Auto-Owners
No one plans to have an accident, but the incident can stay on your driving record for three to five years if you’re at fault.4 Arlington drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record pay $191 on average per month for insurance.
Here are some average monthly quotes from Arlington insurers for drivers with an at-fault accident on their record.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI: Auto-Owners
Driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious offense that can stay on your driving record for several years in Virginia.5 In Arlington, rates increase significantly if you have a DUI on your record. Drivers with a DUI pay on average $198 for liability coverage and $299 per month for full coverage.
Here are some of the cheapest car insurance rates for drivers in Arlington with a DUI.
Cheapest car insurance for seniors: Auto-Owners
Car insurance rates tend to decrease once you turn 25, but they can increase again once you enter your 70s. Insurers find that older drivers can face new driving challenges as they age, which increases risk levels. Many insurers slightly increase insurance rates for senior drivers.6
Maintaining a clean driving record, bundling with renters insurance or home insurance, and securing other discounts can help you keep earning lower rates.7 And some insurance companies also provide usage-based coverage that works well for infrequent drivers.
Senior drivers in Arlington can find the cheapest liability coverage from Auto-Owners for $58 per month.
Here are some of the cheapest insurance quotes for seniors in Arlington.
Cheapest car insurance for teens: Auto-Owners
Teenagers typically pay the highest car insurance rates. Younger drivers have less experience driving and are at higher risk of filing a claim. Drivers often see rates decrease once they turn 25, but you can find ways to save on insurance as a young driver.
Some insurers provide discounts to students for earning good grades or completing an approved driver safety course. Teens can also save by opting to stay on their parents’ insurance plan if it makes sense financially.
Teen drivers can find can find cheap liability-only insurance from Auto-Owners for $120 per month.
Find the cheapest rates for teens in Arlington below.
Arlington car insurance quotes by credit tier
Like many other states, Virginia allows insurers to consider your credit history when calculating insurance rates.8 Insurers in Arlington can use your credit information to generate a credit-based insurance score that helps them estimate how likely you may be to file an insurance claim.
Having good or excellent credit can help you earn better rates for car insurance. Because insurers consider several other factors in addition to credit, you can still find affordable car insurance if you have bad credit.
Here are the average monthly quotes for Arlington based on your credit score tier.
Is car insurance more expensive in Arlington?
Arlington drivers pay a total average of $155 per month for car insurance, but liability coverage only costs $123 per month. The average cost of full-coverage insurance in Arlington is $186 per month, which is less expensive than the average rate in Virginia of $180 per month.
Virginia drivers can receive different rates, depending on their city and ZIP code. Drivers in larger cities with more traffic may see higher car insurance rates due to population density, more frequent accidents, and higher crime rates. Car insurance consumers in surrounding areas like Washington, D.C., typically pay higher rates due to location risk factors.
More cities in Virginia
Full-coverage car insurance in Arlington is less expensive than some other cities in Virginia. Cities where drivers don't have access to robust public transportation options will likely see higher insurance costs due to the greater number of vehicles on the roads, and increased risk of accidents.
Here’s how the average monthly full-coverage car insurance costs in other Virginia cities compare to Arlington.