Car Insurance in Kentucky
Kentucky drivers spend an average of $1,046 a year on auto insurance according to the NAIC — ▼ −18% versus the national average of $1,282, ranking 35th most expensive of 51. The state requires 25/50/25 liability coverage and follows a choice no-fault system.
Average car insurance cost in Kentucky
The NAIC average expenditure is what insured drivers actually paid on average, including people who carry only liability. For those who buy each coverage, the average premium was $633 for liability, $358 for collision and $218 for comprehensive ($1,208 combined, versus $1,439 nationally). That average expenditure is 11% higher than the NAIC's previous data year ($938).
Minimum car insurance requirements in Kentucky
Kentucky's minimum is written as 25/50/25: $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability and $25,000 in property damage liability. Those limits are low compared with the cost of a serious injury claim, so many drivers choose 100/300/100 — we estimate that "standard" level at about $765 a year here, $240 more than the minimum.
| Coverage | Required? | Minimum | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | Yes | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident or $60,000 combined single limit | Injuries you cause to other people |
| Property damage liability | Yes | $25,000 | Damage you cause to other vehicles and property |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | Yes | $10,000 Basic reparations benefits (PIP) of $10,000 per person are required, except for motorcycles. | Your own medical bills and lost wages, regardless of fault |
| Uninsured motorist (UM) | No | — Uninsured motorist coverage equal to the minimum bodily injury limits is included unless rejected on a separate written form. | Your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance |
| Underinsured motorist (UIM) | No | — Underinsured motorist coverage is optional. | The gap when the at-fault driver’s limits are too low |
| Medical payments (MedPay) | No | — Medical expenses are covered through required PIP. | Medical bills for you and your passengers |
Drivers may keep full tort rights by filing a No-Fault Rejection Form with the Department of Insurance.
Compare with another state
Is Kentucky a no-fault state?
It's a "choice" state. Kentucky is a choice no-fault state: drivers are deemed to accept limits on suing unless they file a rejection form; the threshold is $1,000 in medical expenses, a broken bone, permanent disfigurement or injury, or death.
Uninsured drivers in Kentucky
The Insurance Research Council estimates 14.1% of Kentucky drivers are uninsured — 20th highest in the country, compared with 15.4% nationally. That's roughly one uninsured driver in every 7 on the road. Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage isn't mandatory here (Uninsured motorist coverage equal to the minimum bodily injury limits is included unless rejected on a separate written form), but it is still inexpensive protection against hit-and-run and uninsured drivers.
SR-22 requirements in Kentucky
Drivers who must prove financial responsibility after a DUI, an uninsured crash or a serious violation file proof of insurance through their insurer. Confirm the exact form and how long it must be kept with the Kentucky Department of Insurance or your state motor vehicle agency.
By our model, a driver in their 30s with a DUI would pay about $1,000 a year for minimum coverage in Kentucky, versus $525 with a clean record. What is SR-22 insurance?
Estimate your premium in Kentucky
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Car insurance by city in Kentucky
We cover 8 Kentucky cities. Estimates are for full coverage for a driver in their 30s with a clean record; hover a city to find it on the map. The lowest estimate is in Elizabethtown ($1,390) and the highest in Covington ($1,480).
- LouisvillePop. 640,796 · Jefferson County$1,480+10% vs state
- LexingtonPop. 329,437 · Fayette County$1,405+5% vs state
- Bowling GreenPop. 79,076 · Warren County$1,395+4% vs state
- OwensboroPop. 60,675 · Daviess County$1,420+6% vs state
- CovingtonPop. 41,611 · Kenton County$1,480+10% vs state
- GeorgetownPop. 40,518 · Scott County$1,450+8% vs state
- RichmondPop. 39,581 · Madison County$1,460+9% vs state
- ElizabethtownPop. 34,565 · Hardin County$1,390+4% vs state
Estimated cost by driver profile in Kentucky
Age and driving record move premiums more than almost anything else. A teen on their own policy pays about 2.8× what a driver in their 30s pays for the same full coverage in Kentucky.
| Driver | Minimum | Standard | Full coverage | Full / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teen driver (18, own policy) | $1,450 | $2,105 | $3,685 | $307 |
| Young adult (22) | $845 | $1,225 | $2,145 | $179 |
| Adult in their 30s | $525 | $765 | $1,340 | $112 |
| Adult in their 50s | $485 | $705 | $1,235 | $103 |
| Senior (72) | $590 | $855 | $1,500 | $125 |
| 30s, one at-fault accident | $765 | $1,110 | $1,945 | $162 |
| 30s, DUI on record | $975 | $1,415 | $2,480 | $207 |
By coverage level
| Coverage level | What it includes | Per year | Per month | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State minimum liability | Only the liability (and PIP/UM where required) limits your state mandates. No coverage for your own car. | $525 | $44 | $430–$620 |
| Standard liability (100/300/100) | Higher liability limits plus uninsured motorist coverage. Still no coverage for damage to your own car. | $765 | $64 | $625–$900 |
| Full coverage | Standard liability plus collision and comprehensive, typically required on a financed or leased car. | $1,340 | $112 | $1,100–$1,580 |
Cheapest and most expensive cars to insure in Kentucky
Full-coverage estimates for current models, using HLDI insurance-loss data where available. Vehicle choice alone can swing the premium by more than $2,615 a year here.
| Model | Segment | Est. / year |
|---|---|---|
| GMC Acadia | Midsize SUV | $875 |
| Chevrolet Traverse | Midsize SUV | $880 |
| Subaru Forester | Small SUV | $980 |
| Subaru Crosstrek | Small SUV | $990 |
| Honda Pilot | Midsize SUV | $1,000 |
| Subaru Outback | Wagon | $1,005 |
| Honda CR-V | Small SUV | $1,015 |
| MINI Cooper | Subcompact car | $1,020 |
| Acura RDX | Luxury SUV | $1,060 |
| Volvo XC60 | Luxury SUV | $1,075 |
| Model | Segment | Est. / year |
|---|---|---|
| BMW M4 | Luxury sports car | $3,490 |
| BMW M3 | Luxury car | $3,425 |
| Lamborghini Urus | Luxury SUV | $3,360 |
| BMW 7 Series | Luxury car | $3,080 |
| Mercedes-Benz S-Class | Luxury car | $2,565 |
| Lucid Air | Luxury car | $2,310 |
| Mercedes-Benz G-Class | Luxury SUV | $2,175 |
| Audi RS 7 | Luxury car | $2,105 |
| Porsche Taycan | Luxury sports car | $1,965 |
| Mercedes-Benz SL-Class | Luxury sports car | $1,955 |
Cheap car insurance in Kentucky: how to lower your rate
- Raise your deductible. Going from $500 to $1,000 on collision and comprehensive saves about $80 a year on a typical Kentucky full-coverage policy.
- Match coverage to your car's value. On a 10-year-old car, dropping collision and comprehensive could cut the bill from about $1,080 to $765.
- Drive less, pay less. Low-mileage and usage-based programs can save around $95 a year if you drive under 7,500 miles.
- Protect your record. A single speeding ticket adds roughly $295 a year in our model; an at-fault accident adds much more.
- Shop at renewal. Rates for the same driver differ widely between insurers. Compare identical limits and deductibles.
- Ask about discounts — bundling home and auto, good student, safe-driver, paid-in-full and defensive-driving course discounts. See common discounts.
Complaints and help: Kentucky Department of Insurance
The Kentucky Department of Insurance licenses insurers and agents, reviews rates and handles consumer complaints about claims, cancellations and billing — free of charge.
- Website
- insurance.ky.gov
- File a complaint
- Consumer complaint page
- Consumer helpline
- 1-800-595-6053
Kentucky vs. neighboring states
| State | NAIC avg. | Minimums | System | Uninsured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $1,046 | 25/50/25 | Choice no-fault | 14.1% |
| Illinois | $1,153 | 25/50/20 | At-fault (tort) | 15.2% |
| Indiana | $926 | 25/50/25 | At-fault (tort) | 14.0% |
| Missouri | $1,155 | 25/50/25 | At-fault (tort) | 20.7% |
| Ohio | $947 | 25/50/25 | At-fault (tort) | 18.5% |
| Tennessee | $1,050 | 25/50/25 | At-fault (tort) | 21.3% |
| Virginia | $1,114 | 50/100/25 | At-fault (tort) | 12.9% |
| West Virginia | $1,063 | 25/50/25 | At-fault (tort) | 7.8% |
Frequently asked questions
How much is car insurance in Kentucky?
NAIC data puts the average Kentucky auto insurance expenditure at $1,046 a year, 18% less than the national average of $1,282 (rank 35 of 51, where 1 is the most expensive). Our estimate for full coverage for a driver in their 30s with a clean record is about $1,340 a year ($112 a month); state-minimum liability is about $525.
What is the minimum car insurance required in Kentucky?
Kentucky requires at least 25/50/25 liability coverage: $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage, plus personal injury protection (PIP) of 10,000.
Is Kentucky a no-fault state?
Partly. Kentucky is a choice no-fault state: drivers are deemed to accept limits on suing unless they file a rejection form; the threshold is $1,000 in medical expenses, a broken bone, permanent disfigurement or injury, or death.
How many drivers in Kentucky are uninsured?
The Insurance Research Council estimates that about 14.1% of Kentucky drivers are uninsured, ranking 20th in the nation (national estimate: 15.4%).
Which Kentucky city has the cheapest car insurance?
Among the 8 cities we cover, Elizabethtown has the lowest full-coverage estimate at about $1,390 a year, while Covington is the highest at about $1,480. Differences come from population density, commute length and local weather risk.
How much does car insurance cost for a teen driver in Kentucky?
An 18-year-old on their own full-coverage policy would pay roughly $3,685 a year in Kentucky by our estimate, or about $1,450 for minimum coverage. Joining a parent's policy usually costs less.
How do I file a complaint against a car insurance company in Kentucky?
Contact the Kentucky Department of Insurance (consumer line 1-800-595-6053). It handles consumer complaints about claims, cancellations and rates at no cost.
How we estimate this
We start from the state's average liability, collision and comprehensive premiums published by the NAIC, then apply a location factor (population density and commute time from the Census ACS, weather hazard scores from FEMA's National Risk Index), a vehicle factor (HLDI insurance-loss data where available, otherwise vehicle segment), and a driver-profile multiplier. Results are rounded ranges for comparison, not quotes. Read the full methodology.
- Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (DRIVE): Mandatory Insurance
- KRS 304.39-060 (acceptance or rejection of partial abolition of tort liability)
- Kentucky Department of Insurance: No Fault Rejection/Verification (PIP)
- Kentucky Department of Insurance: Personal auto guide
- Kentucky Department of Insurance: Consumer Protection
- NAIC 2022/2023 Auto Insurance Database Report
- NAIC Homeowners Insurance Report: Data for 2023
- Insurance Research Council uninsured motorist estimates (via Triple-I)
- IIHS Fatality Facts: state by state
- FBI Crime Data Explorer: Crime in the United States 2025 (Table 4)
- NICB 2022 Vehicle Theft Data: top 10 stolen vehicles by state
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table DL-1C (licensed drivers)
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table MV-1 (registrations)
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-2 (vehicle-miles traveled)
- U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 population estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau: population estimates and American Community Survey
- FEMA National Risk Index