What Does Reddit Say Is the Cheapest Way to Get Car Insurance?

Last Updated on December 14, 2025

Reddit can be a surprisingly helpful place to learn how people actually shop for car insurance — especially in communities like r/personalfinance, r/frugal, and r/povertyfinance.

That said, Reddit advice isn’t personalized to your state, your vehicle, your driving record, or your finances. Use it as a starting point, then confirm coverage details with your insurer or an agent before you buy.

Below are the most common strategies Redditors recommend for finding cheap car insurance (without accidentally buying the wrong coverage).

Key Takeaways

• Reddit’s #1 tip for cheap car insurance is consistent: compare quotes at renewal because pricing varies dramatically by company and driver profile.
• Liability-only coverage is often the cheapest way to drive legally, but it usually won’t pay to fix your car after an at-fault crash — and it may not be allowed if you have a loan or lease.
• “Cheap” shortcuts can backfire: avoid misreporting mileage or drivers, and don’t cut liability limits so low that a serious accident could wipe you out financially.
• If you hate online forms, try emailing several local agencies (especially independent agents) to get comparable quotes with the same limits and deductibles.

Shop Around with Major Insurance Providers

Across Reddit, the “cheapest” tip is also the simplest: get multiple quotes. Start with the largest insurers in your area and compare them against a few regional carriers.

Many Redditors compare quotes from well-known companies like GEICO and State Farm, then add a few more for good measure.

Other big-name car insurance companies to include in your quote round-up: Progressive, Allstate, USAA, Liberty Mutual, Farmers, Nationwide, American Family, and Travelers.

Even if you like your current insurer, getting a few fresh quotes at renewal is one of the fastest ways to keep costs under control.

Use Online Comparison Tools (But Don’t Stop There)

Reddit tends to favor an online approach: most major insurers let you get a quote in minutes, and comparison sites can help you see multiple estimates quickly.

Just remember: not every insurer appears on every comparison site. If a quote looks unusually high (or low), verify directly with the insurer and make sure you entered the same coverages, limits, and deductibles everywhere.

If you hate filling out forms repeatedly, one Reddit-friendly workaround is to request quotes through local agents (especially independent agents who can shop multiple carriers at once).

Liability-Only Is Usually the Cheapest Legal Option (But It’s Not “Full Protection”)

If you want to drive legally while paying the lowest possible premium, Reddit often points to liability insurance.

Most states require liability coverage (and some also require uninsured motorist coverage or PIP/MedPay). State minimum limits can be surprisingly low — which is one reason Reddit threads often warn that “minimum coverage” can be risky.

Liability-only policies are cheaper because they typically don’t pay to repair or replace your car after an at-fault crash.

Also: if you have a loan or lease, your lender usually requires collision and comprehensive — so liability-only may not be an option until the car is paid off.

How to Get Cheap Car Insurance as a 19-Year-Old

Because Reddit skews younger, you’ll see a lot of posts about cheap car insurance for teenage drivers and early 20s drivers.

For many 19-year-old driver situations, the hard truth is that insurance is expensive at that age. That’s driven largely by risk statistics tied to your age and (in many pricing models) gender.

Reddit’s most common “real-world” solution is staying on a parent’s policy when possible. It’s often cheaper than buying your own policy from scratch, which is why many families choose coverage through your dad’s plan (or mom’s plan) until rates come down with time and a clean record.

Other Reddit-approved ways young drivers sometimes cut costs: choose a cheaper-to-insure car, keep a clean record, ask about good student and driver training discounts, and compare quotes every renewal.

A Classic Reddit Thread: Coverage Basics and Money-Saving Moves

One long-running r/personalfinance post from u/hakunamatea is still referenced often: posted a thread explaining common coverage types and ways people can save.

Here are money-saving themes you’ll see repeatedly in Reddit threads (and they generally hold up):

• Consider dropping collision and comprehensive on older vehicles only if you can afford to repair or replace the car out of pocket
• Choose deductibles strategically — higher deductibles can lower premiums, but make sure you could actually pay the deductible after a loss
• Understand MedPay and how it works with health insurance (availability varies by state and insurer)
• Learn what PIP covers (in many no-fault states it’s a big part of the policy)
• Shop around at renewal because each company weighs factors differently — there are dozens of factors that affect pricing
• Pay in full if you can (many insurers charge installment fees when you pay monthly)

You’ll also see frequent recommendations for bundling, reviewing optional coverages (like rental reimbursement), and using usage-based insurance if your driving habits make you a good fit.

Update Your Mileage (Accurately) If You Drive Less

If you drive fewer miles than the average driver, that can help lower rates with some insurers — especially if you qualify for low-mileage or telematics programs.

Just make sure your estimate is truthful. If you dramatically under-report mileage and then have a claim, you could create headaches during the claim investigation.

If you truly drive less, ask about low mileage car insurance or mileage-verified programs.

Don’t “Save” Money by Carrying Too-Low Liability Limits

One of the smartest Reddit themes is that “cheap” can be expensive if you’re underinsured. Low state minimums might not be enough after a serious crash, especially with today’s vehicle prices and medical costs.

If you’re unsure what limits to carry, start here: your car insurance limits. In many cases, raising liability limits costs less than people expect — and it can protect your savings if you’re found at fault.

Email 5 or 6 Local Agencies to Ask for a Quote

Another practical Reddit tactic: instead of filling out quote forms repeatedly, email a handful of local agencies and ask them to quote the same coverages.

This can work well with independent agents who have access to multiple carriers. It also helps you compare apples-to-apples because you can specify the limits and deductibles you want.

Check AAA (It Can Be Competitive in Some States)

AAA doesn’t always show up as one of the cheapest car insurance companies, but some Redditors report surprisingly competitive quotes depending on the state and the AAA club/partner underwriting the policy.

If you’re already a member — or you’re considering membership anyway — it can be worth getting a quote: AAA still offers some of the cheapest rates for certain drivers in certain places.

Just keep expectations realistic: AAA isn’t universally cheapest, and prices vary a lot by location and driver profile. If you’re weighing membership costs too, read this first: AAA.

Quick Reality Check: Common “Bad” Cheap-Insurance Advice on Reddit

Reddit has plenty of solid advice — but it also has risky shortcuts. Be cautious if you see suggestions like:

• Lowering liability limits to the bare minimum just to save a few dollars
• Misreporting mileage, garaging address, or household drivers (this can backfire in underwriting or claims)
• Dropping collision/comprehensive on a car you couldn’t replace out of pocket
• Buying the cheapest policy without confirming the insurer’s claims handling, exclusions, and coverage details

Use Reddit to generate ideas — then verify the details and make sure the coverage fits your risk, budget, and legal requirements.

FAQs on Reddit’s Cheapest Way to Get Car Insurance

Best Reddit Communities for Cheap Car Insurance

If you want more real-world experiences and shopping tips, these subreddits are commonly recommended:

• r/car_insurance_help (general car insurance questions and shopping discussions)
• r/personalfinance (see their car insurance wiki for basics and common pitfalls)
• r/povertyfinance (budget-focused advice and “what to do when money is tight” conversations)
• r/lifeprotips (broad tips, sometimes including insurance shopping hacks)
• r/frugal (frugality-first discussions that sometimes overlap with insurance)

Bottom line: Reddit’s “cheapest way” is rarely a single company — it’s a process. Compare quotes, keep coverage appropriate, ask about discounts, and repeat at renewal.