ValuePenguin conducted a survey of auto insurance rates in Georgia to give the Peach State's 6.5 million licensed drivers a sense of average rates by city. The study was based on the sample profile of a single 30 year old male driving a 2010 Toyota Camry (excellent driving record and homeownership) across thirty cities.
Based on sample data, the average cost of car insurance in Georgia was $1,090 for the year, but that rate can be quite different from city to city, and indeed, from insurer to insurer. The city of Atlanta ranked as the most expensive in the Peach State. On the other hand, Valdosta, GA, took the spot of the cheapest for auto insurance. Within the city of Athens, for example, auto insurance rates could differ by as much as 45% depending on what insurers consumers are comparing. For this reason, as a rule of thumb, we always advise that consumers shop around and compare quotes from at least three companies before selecting an insurer.
Cheapest Auto Insurance Companies in Georgia
In our comparisons of auto insurance companies in Georgia, we found that GEICO had the cheapest rates for 83% of the cities we looked at. On average, we found quotes for our sample male driver from GEICO to be about 14% lower than the average of the other insurers in our analysis. 15 minutes or more might actually save you (almost) 15% off on your car insurance in Georgia.
Out of thirty cities, only five cities had a different cheapest insurer: Atlanta, Milledgeville, Macon, Columbus, and Savannah. In these five cities, the company with the cheapest quotes was actually Allstate. This is especially relevant for drivers in Atlanta and Milledgeville, which ranked in the top three most expensive cities in the Peach State.
Average Cost of Car Insurance in Georgia by City
Because car insurance is highly dependent on where a driver lives, drives, and parks their car, we took a look at a selection of thirty cities in Georgia to give our readers an idea of what average rates they could see. We'll talk about some of our findings in the six largest cities and the cheapest cities, as well as show the data in a table.
Atlanta, GA
Georgias largest city, Atlanta is home to about 444,000 residents, and two famous destinations: the worlds largest aquarium, the World of Coca Cola. The Falcons, Hawks, Thrashers, and Braves sports team call this city home as well. Auto insurance rates in Atlanta are the most expensive in the state of Georgia - no surprise given the city's large population and its reputation for traffic.
Cheap car insurance in Atlanta isnt difficult to find, however. The average cost of car insurance here is $1,263 a year for a single 30-year old male Atlantan driver with an excellent driving record. This is about 16% higher than the overall average for car insurance in the state of Georgia. There are some savings to be had, however, at Allstate, which had the cheaper rates for the ATL. GEICO was not far behind with quotes that were just a few dollars more expensive each year.
Augusta, GA
Augusta has affordable car insurance too. Despite being the third largest city in Georgia with 193,000 people, its costs are middle of the road for the state. Annual premiums can cost on average $1,101 a 30 year old male in Augusta, which is just 1% higher than the state average. Additionally, costs in Augusta are about 13% cheaper than its larger sister, Atlanta, and 24% more expensive than the cheapest city. The cheapest auto insurance company in Augusta is GEICO. Known as the Garden City, Augusta was named after the Princess Augusta of Saxe Gota when it was established in 1735. Today, the city hosts golf pros at the Masters Tournament each year at the Augusta National Club.
Columbus, GA
With a bit of research, cheap car insurance in Columbus, GA can be had. It's the second largest city, but only the seventh most expensive in Georgia. Drivers here can pay about $1,157 to insure their cars a year this rate is 6% higher than the average city in Georgia. Compared to its neighbors Atlanta and Macon, Columbus is about 8% cheaper. Compared to Albany, some 80 miles away, Columbus's costs are 18% higher. Allstate had the cheaper auto insurance quotes in Columbus. Located in the heart of the Chattahoochee Valley in Muscogee County, Columbus is criscrossed with five major highways, including Interstate 185 and Route 80, which is great for commuters and transportation.
Savannah, GA
Drivers searching for low cost auto insurance in Savannah should know that the average cost for insuring a car in the city is $1,133 a year. These costs place Savannah as the 12th most expensive city in Georgia, but going with Allstate, the cheapest insurer in Savannah, can save you money. Compared to the state average, driving in Savannah costs 4% more, but better here than in Atlanta, where auto insurance costs are about 10% more. Savannah is the oldest city in the Peach State, and has been celebrated for its beautiful public squares, Victorian houses, and Spanish moss covered oak trees.
Athens, GA
For one of the largest five cities in Georgia, Athens has the second cheapest car insurance rates in the state. Car insurance here is 15% cheaper than the state average at $926 per year, but we found one of the widest variances in rates offered by insurers here. For example, the most expensive quote was 45% higher than the cheapest quote in Athens this underscores the need for consumers to shop and compare quotes from different insurers before purchasing a policy. Consider starting a quote with GEICO, which we found to be the cheapest company in Athens for car insurance. Athens is home to the University of Georgia and 115,000 residents.
Macon, GA
Macon has the fourth highest rates in the state with annual costs of $1,243 for single 30 year old males. Macons rates are 14% above the state average, but only $20 less than the rates drivers would have to pay if they lived in Atlanta. The cheapest auto insurance company in Macon was Allstate in our comparisons; Allstate's rates were about 10% less than other competitors underwriting in the city. The Cherry Blossom Capital of the World, Macon is also home to five colleges and universities.
Cities with the Cheapest Car Insurance: Valdosta, Athens, Clayton
On the other end of the spectrum are Valdosta, Athens, and Clayton - cities scattered across the counties of Lowndes, Clarke, and Rabun. Car insurance costs here are less than a grand a year, and in the case of Valdosta, less than $900 for twelve months of liability protection on the road.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium | % I/D vs State Average |
| 1 | Valdosta | $885 | -19% |
| 2 | Athens | 926 | -15% |
| 3 | Clayton | 983 | -10% |
| 4 | Albany | 983 | -10% |
| 5 | Brunswick | 989 | -9% |
| 6 | Hinesville | 1,012 | -7% |
| 7 | Carrollton | 1,014 | -7% |
| 8 | Cumming | 1,032 | -5% |
| 9 | Americus | 1,034 | -5% |
| 10 | Dawsonville | 1,035 | -5% |
| 11 | Statesboro | 1,041 | -4% |
| 12 | Newnan | 1,042 | -4% |
| 13 | Jefferson | 1,044 | -4% |
| 14 | Rome | 1,052 | -3% |
| 15 | Douglasville | 1,090 | 0% |
| 16 | Gainesville | 1,098 | 1% |
| 17 | Augusta | 1,101 | 1% |
| 18 | Marietta | 1,129 | 4% |
| 19 | Savannah | 1,133 | 4% |
| 20 | Dunwoody | 1,133 | 4% |
| 21 | Winder | 1,134 | 4% |
| 22 | Alpharetta | 1,149 | 5% |
| 23 | Conyers | 1,150 | 6% |
| 24 | Columbus | 1,157 | 6% |
| 25 | Covington | 1,170 | 7% |
| 26 | McDonough | 1,171 | 7% |
| 27 | Macon | 1,243 | 14% |
| 28 | Milledgeville | 1,246 | 14% |
| 29 | East Point | 1,248 | 15% |
| 30 | Atlanta | 1,263 | 16% |
Best Auto Insurance Companies
To determine which companies were the best, we looked at the financial strength ratings and the justified complaint index for ten companies. These two factors were chosen as measures of the company's ability to pay out claims (as measured by AM Best), and how few justified complaints they received relative to other competitors (as collected by the NAIC). We then indexed and calculated a rating for each company (the lower numbers, the better). Here are the companies ranked.
Based on these metrics, Southern Farm Bureau, State Farm, and GEICO are the best companies. As we've mentioned, GEICO and Allstate are two of our cheapest companies, so if price is a factor in your consideration, these two companies are great places for you to comparison shop.
| Rank | Company | AM Best | NAIC Complaint* | Rating* |
| 1 | Southern Farm Bureau | A+ | 0.16 | 0.57 |
| 2 | State Farm | A++ | 0.43 | 0.62 |
| 3 | GEICO | A++ | 0.61 | 0.76 |
| 4 | USAA | A++ | 0.75 | 0.84 |
| 5 | Allstate | A+ | 0.58 | 0.88 |
| 6 | Encompass | A+ | 0.84 | 1.08 |
| 7 | California Casualty | A- | 0.78 | 1.19 |
| 8 | Farmers Insurance | A | 0.82 | 1.33 |
| 9 | MetLife | A | 0.87 | 1.40 |
| 10 | Liberty Mutual | A | 0.98 | 1.49 |
* The lower the numerical value, the better the company performs relative to others insurers
Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist Coverage: Traditional vs. New Added-On
While uninsured and underinsured ("UM/UIM") coverage is optional in Georgia, drivers here have an option to expand their coverage. It's known as New / Added-on to At-Fault Liability.
If you want greater peace of mind and don't mind paying about 2% extra (that's about $21 more on top of your annual premium), then consider picking the new added-on version of UM/UIM.
What's the difference between traditional and the new add-on UM/UIM?
When you have Traditional or Reduced by At-Fault Liability UM/UIM, your insurance steps in to pay remaining damages up to your policy's limits. With the new Added-On to At-Fault Liability option, your protection is greater, since your coverage gets increased dollar for dollar by your limts.
Let's say for example that you carry $100k of UM/UIM, and you're rear-ended by a driver who is insured for $50k. Total damages equal $125,000. Under Traditional, or Reduced By At-Fault Liability, the other driver's insurance company would pay for the first $50k of damages, and your insurance pays the difference up to your $100k coverage, which is $50k. That leaves you with $25k that doesn't get reimbursed.
On the other hand, if you have the new added-on option, your total protection equals your liability limits plus the other driver's limit. In the example above, you get $50k from the other insurance company, and your own insurer pays the remaining $75k.
| Traditional | New Added-On | |
| Your Limits | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| Other Driver's Limits | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Your Maximum Coverage | 100,000 | 150,000 |
| Total Damages | 125,000 | 125,000 |
| Total Reimbursed by Companies | 100,000 | 125,000 |
| Unpaid Damages | 25,000 | 0 |
Costs in Largest Cities vs. Smallest Cities in Study
This graph shows how costs can differ between the larger and smaller cities in our Georgia sample. Generally speaking, the larger and denser the city, the higher the costs of auto insurance in that city. We didn't find such a clear-cut relationship in our sample data, however. For example, with a population size of 119,000, Athens is the fifth largest city in Georgia, and has one of the higher population densities in our sample, but has second cheapest rates in our study.
Cities are arranged in decreasing population from left to right.
How We Conducted the Study
We obtained sample quotes for a selection of thirty cities in Georgia, including the largest five urban cities by population. Our sample driver is a single, 30 year old male living and driving in Georgia. He's an employed homeowner with excellent credit and a clean driving record - no traffic violations or accidents for the past five years. He drives a 2010 Toyota Camry 4-door sedan about 10,000 miles a year mainly to commute to work.
The data in our study is based on a car insurance policy with the below parameters. These limits and deductibles are higher than the minimum you'll need to drive in Georgia (listed in the last column).
| Coverage Type | Liability Limits | Georgia Minimum |
| Bodily Injury | $50,000 / $100,000 | $25,000 / $50,000 |
| Property Damage | $50,000 | $25,000 |
| Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) Type | Reduced by At-Fault Liability | Optional |
| UM/UIM Bodily Injury | $50,000 / $100,000 | Optional |
| UM/UIM Property Damage | $50,000 | Optional |
| Comprehensive Coverage (deductible) | $500 | Optional |
| Collision Coverage (deductible) | $500 | Optional |
Sample auto insurance quotes automatically reflect homeownership, excellent credit, and a clean driving history. Additional discounts are incorporated into the policy quotes for payment in full and safety features on the Toyota Camry (anti-lock brakes, airbags, and automatic anti-theft measures).
These annual premiums are for informational purposes only. The quotes you'll get from insurers will be different based on your individual driving record, preferred liability limits, vehicle type, and other factors.
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