Cheap Car Insurance Quotes in Rhode Island

Posted on September 26, 2014

Car insurance in Rhode Island

Rhode Island is not the cheapest place to buy car insurance. Still, Rhode Island auto owners can lower their rates by following a few simple steps when insuring their vehicles. Here’s the latest available information on car insurance in Rhode Island, along with stats, facts and helpful tips on how to choose the right plan for your budget.

Rhode Island Minimum Liability Coverage

Rhode Island has a minimum required coverage of 25/50/25 per owned vehicle. This means that Rhode Island drivers must purchase at least $25,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP), $50,000 of insurance to cover the cost of others who are injured, and another $25,000 in coverage against property damage. So Rhode Island state law requires a total of $100,000 in liability coverage per vehicle.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Rhode Island

The first offense penalty for getting caught driving without adequate insurance is a fine of up to $500 and license suspension for up to 3 months. The second offense is met with another $500 fine and a suspended driver’s license for up to six months. Third and subsequent offenses are met with fines of $1,000, and a suspended license for up to one year. Additional penalties not mentioned under state law include increased car insurance premiums, high reinstatement fees, and lawsuits filed by drivers you hit with your uninsured vehicle.

Auto Insurance Rates in Rhode Island

The average annual car insurance premium for a vehicle owned in Rhode Island in 2016 was relatively high at $1,608. Quite a bit higher than the national average of $1,347. Analysts suggest that Rhode Island’s relatively high percentage of uninsured drivers plays a role. Also, Rhode Island’s extremely high population density jacks up the rates, as higher population densities correlate with an increase in minor auto accidents. With well over a thousand people per square mile, Rhode Island is the second most densely populated state in America, behind only New Jersey.

Low Cost Car Insurance Programs in Rhode Island

Low cost insurance programs in Rhode Island are about the same as they are for other states. There are two good ways for a Rhode Island driver to get relatively low premium rates on car insurance. One way is to qualify and apply for every available discount. Most car insurance carriers offer good driver discounts, good student discounts, senior citizen discounts, vehicle safety discounts, multiple auto discounts and quite a few others. Another way is to practice safe, smart driving habits. This will result in fewer accidents, and may also qualify you for the good driver discount.

Obtaining Auto Insurance Quotes in Rhode Island

Based on recent customer satisfaction ratings, the biggest auto insurance providers in the state of Rhode Island are Allstate, Farmers, Geico, Progressive, State Farm, Travelers and 21^st Century Insurance. Of these, Allstate has the greatest rate of customer complaints filed against it, while Progressive has the fewest. Other popular options are smaller carriers like Chubb and Harleysville. The easiest way to obtain a low quote on auto insurance in Rhode Island is simply to call numerous carriers and ask their agents for free quotes. Also, don’t forget to ask about their discounts. If minimum coverage is your choice, just compare quotes and choose the cheapest deal that serves your purposes.

Rhode Island Car Insurance

This page features fascinating facts about Rhode Island, and Rhode Island car insurance.

Read on to learn how drivers in the state of Rhode Island can reduce their annual auto insurance premium rates. Scan Rhode Island zip code data, Rhode Island poverty levels, Rhode Island unemployment rates, Rhode Island population statistics, Rhode Island median incomes, and other demographic aspects that affect auto insurance rates in the state of Rhode Island. Find out about the auto insurance coverage Rhode Island drivers need, and the minimum coverage amounts required by Rhode Island state law.

Compare the average annual car insurance premium rate for the state of Rhode Island to your own Rhode Island car insurance premium rates. You can also compare your annual rates to the four cheapest and the four priciest zip codes in the state of Rhode Island to buy car insurance.

To choose a carrier, you can view a list of the 10 largest car insurance companies in the state of Rhode Island, along with a list of the 10 largest car insurance companies in America.

Above all, scroll down to learn how to get all the car insurance discounts that are available on your personal Rhode Island car insurance policy.

Rhode Island Car Insurance Statistics

Among states, Rhode Island is the smallest in land area, yet the 2^nd largest in population density. Only the state of New Jersey has more people per square mile than Rhode Island does. The state of Rhode Island, with a land area of only about 1,214 square miles, is home to more than a million people, according to a 2015 census bureau estimate.

The median resident age in Rhode Island is about 39.7 years.

The unemployment rate in Rhode Island is 4.1 percent, a slight distance below the national average unemployment rate of 4.4 percent. The poverty rate in Rhode Island is roughly 13.9 percent, a slight distance above the national average poverty rate of 13.5 percent.

A group of researchers recently figured out that the statewide average annual premium rate for an auto insurance policy purchased in the state of Rhode Island was around $1,688, quite a bit above the overall national average car insurance rate, which was about $1,355 at the time. In fact, Rhode Island is the 9^th most expensive state, on average, to buy car insurance. This is likely due to the state’s high population density, combined with a high percentage of uninsured drivers.

A team from the Insurance Research Council recently looked over a sample of drivers in Rhode Island, and learned that a whopping 17 percent of vehicles on Rhode Island roads are uninsured. That means more than 1 out of 6 drivers in Rhode Island are operating uninsured vehicles. Among states, Rhode Island has the 8^th highest rate of uninsured drivers. The overall national average rate for uninsured drivers is 12.6 percent.

The 10 Largest Rhode Island Car Insurance Companies

To select a carrier for your Rhode Island car insurance policy, you might find it easier to just pick one of the largest carriers, or perhaps to follow the advice of someone you know. You might even prefer the company with the coolest advertising campaign (Geico, anyone?).

All of these approaches to buying car insurance are reasonable and may save you some time, but researching carriers by obtaining quotes with your own personal demographic information will probably save you a lot more money.

Rhode Island has numerous major car insurance companies to choose from, as well as a number of smaller, regional carriers. Here is a list of the 10 largest car insurance companies in America, followed by a list of the 10 largest car insurance companies in Rhode Island:

Researchers have concluded that the ten largest auto insurance companies in America are

Allstate Insurance
State Farm Insurance
Geico
Progressive Insurance
Nationwide Group
AAA
Liberty Mutual Insurance
21^st Century Insurance
GMAC
AIG

Below is the list of the ten largest car insurance companies in Rhode Island. On both of these lists, companies are ranked by the total dollar amount of direct annual premiums written, which indicates the company’s total market share.

Rank	Company	Premiums ($)	Market Share (%)
1	Progressive Insurance Group	$120,461	16.61
2	Allstate Insurance Group	$92,862	12.8
3	Amica Mutual Group	$84,479	11.65
4	Berkshire Hathaway Insurance	$82,393	11.36
5	MetLife Personal Lines Group	$64,252	8.86
6	Liberty Mutual Insurance	$57,306	7.9
7	Nationwide Group	$50,651	6.98
8	USAA Group	$35,279	4.86
9	MAPFRE North America Group	$26,358	3.63
10	Travelers Insurance Group	$25,418	3.5

It seems that Rhode Island is the only state where State Farm Insurance does not even make the top ten. Apparently, Progressive Insurance is the leading automobile insurer in the state of Rhode Island, although this doesn’t mean you should choose that company, necessarily. Perhaps a smaller, regional carrier is more your style. There is really no such thing as The One Best Rhode Island Car Insurance Company.

Here’s how to find the best carrier for your Rhode Island car insurance policy.

Cutting Costs on Rhode Island Car Insurance

The best way for drivers in Rhode Island to lower their car insurance premium rates is by reading consumer reviews of a few Rhode Island car insurance companies. Then, obtain and compare online quotes between car insurance companies, as well as between zip codes in the state of Rhode Island.

When you are finished reading customer reviews, compile a list of your favorite Rhode Island car insurance companies. Then go to each company’s website, type in your demographic info, and get some online quotes. Type in the zip code where you work, the zip code where you live, and the zip code where you attend school.

Be sure to find out about the discounts each company offers. Some discounts will be automatically applied to your online quotes. For example, many car insurance companies offer a discount for purchasing your policy online. However, you may be able to get an additional discount by asking a company agent. For instance, there are all kinds of occupational discounts, and you may be eligible for one of them. If you expect to save money on Rhode Island car insurance rates, it benefits you to proactively seek out the discounts.

What Types Of Car Insurance Do Rhode Island Drivers Need?

Car insurance laws in the state of Rhode Island require that each vehicle registered in the state must have minimum coverage amounts of $25,000 for bodily injury to others, $50,000 in per-accident coverage, and $25,000 to cover the cost of property damage.

However, drivers who purchase only the minimum coverage required by Rhode Island state law had better avoid traffic incidents. In most cases, the state legal minimum coverage requirements are not enough to cover the cost of car repairs and/or medical bills caused by most auto accidents. That’s why insurance experts all across America recommend coverage amounts of $100,000 for personal injury protection, $300,000 against bodily injury to others, and at least $50,000 to cover the cost of property damage.

Rhode Island drivers should also purchase the same coverage amounts in uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance (UMI). Not only does Rhode Island have a high rate of uninsured drivers, but even insured vehicles tend to be underinsured, due to low state minimum requirements.

Thought Provoking Rhode Island Traffic Laws

It is illegal in Rhode Island to string rope across a highway.
It is illegal in Rhode Island to ride a horse on a public highway for the purpose of racing or testing the speed of the horse.
A driver in Rhode Island is required to make a loud noise before passing a car on the left.
In Scituate, it is illegal to drive with beer in your car, even if the beer is unopened.

Best And Worst Zip Codes For Rhode Island Car Insurance

As mentioned, Rhode Island car insurance rates will vary between zip codes, due to population densities, unemployment rates, poverty statistics, median income levels, crime rates, the percentage of uninsured drivers on the roads, and other car insurance-related demographics that change from one zip code to the next.

Here is a list of the four most expensive zip codes (on average) in the state of Rhode Island to buy car insurance. Premium rates in these zip codes can range from about $1,295 to around $3,575 per year, with an average premium rate of around $2,500 per year.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
02909 (Providence)	12,507	15.90%	34.10%

This neighborhood is home to more than 43,000 people. The poverty rate in this zip code is well over twice the Rhode Island state average of 13.9 percent. The unemployment rate also far exceeds the 4.1 percent state average. Added to that, the population density is over the top! It seems fitting that this zip code is the priciest neighborhood to buy Rhode Island car insurance.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
02908 (North Providence)	12,065	10.00%	24.70%

In terms of the cost of car insurance, this neighborhood of about 38,000 people is almost as badly off as the above-mentioned zip code.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
02907 (Cranston)	12,525	18.20%	30.30%

This neighborhood is home to approximately 27,500 people. The unemployment and poverty rates here are both well above the state average. What’s more, the population density in this part of Cranston is even slightly worse than in Providence.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
02905 (Cranston)	6,840	17.50%	29.40%

This Providence County neighborhood is home to roughly 26,000 people. Population density is still high around here. Also, the unemployment rate is more than four times the 4.1 percent state average, and the poverty rate is more than twice the state average of 13.9 percent.

Now compare the Rhode Island zip codes listed above to the neighborhoods described below. Here is a list of the four least expensive zip codes (on average) in the state of Rhode Island to buy car insurance. Annual premium rates in these areas can range from around $940 to about $1,660, with an average annual premium rate of around $1,270.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
02835 (Jamestown)	578	4.20%	7.00%

Fewer than 6,000 people live in this Newport County neighborhood. The population density is refreshingly low, especially for Rhode Island. The unemployment rate is right near the Rhode Island state average, while the poverty rate falls far below the state average.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
02842 (Middletown)	1,265	8.10%	9.60%

This Newport County zip code is home to about 16,000 people. The population density is considered low. The unemployment rate in this neighborhood is nearly twice the state average, but the poverty rate is well below the state average.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
02840 (Melville)	3,204	5.90%	15.10%

This neighborhood of about 23,000 people has an average population density, although the unemployment and poverty rates are just a bit above the state average.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
02841 (Newport)	2,772	0%	0%

The median resident age in this neighborhood is 26.5 years, more than 13 years younger than the median resident age for the whole state of Rhode Island. This is, perhaps, due to the presence of a naval station. Unemployment and poverty rates are not an issue here.

Overall, the tiny state of Rhode Island is home to 90 zip codes scattered over 5 counties containing 70 cities, from Barrington to Woonsocket and everywhere in between. There is a shocking difference of more than $1,300 in average annual car insurance premium rates between the cheapest zip codes and the priciest zip codes in the state of Rhode Island.

Go online today and get some quotes. See how much you can save on Rhode Island car insurance.

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