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The 12 States Where Car Crashes Cost Drivers The Most

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A red car with severe damage to its rear left side is strapped to a flatbed tow truck. The car’s bumper and body are badly dented, and the back wheel is partially exposed. The background includes a blue graffiti-covered wall.
Usman Malik – unsplash

Buying a car may be a relatively affordable expense for Americans, but car insurance costs after at-fault accidents and the expense of dealing with a car accident can be quite high. Depending on which U.S. state you are in, a collision can affect your car repair costs differently, according to LendingTree. Below are the differences depending on the state!

Arizona

A silver car with a crumpled front end has collided with the rear of a black vehicle on a city street, with trees and other cars visible in the background.
Lajst – istockphoto

Arizona has the largest dollar increase in car insurance costs in the country after an at-fault accident. The average additional cost is just over $2,000 per year. If you were involved in a car accident proven to be your fault, you could add about $174 a month to your expenses.

New Jersey

A magnifying glass, a toy car, and a $100 bill rest on an insurance policy document.
Vlad Deep – unsplash

The average premium in New Jersey has risen from $3,188 to $5,188, representing a 62.7% jump. The average added car insurance costs are almost $2,000 per year, and the state has seen one of the steepest percentage increases in the entire nation.

Louisiana

A woman sits in the driver’s seat of a car with her eyes closed and head tilted back, gripping the steering wheel tightly, appearing stressed or exhausted.
Ali Mkumbwa – unsplash

Louisiana already had one of the highest starting premium in this review, at just over $4,000 per year. An at-fault crash could drive that cost up to $5,800 annually. On the positive side, the 46.8% increase is not among the largest in the United States. However, the economic impact is significant given that the state’s costly car insurance costs.

California

Two cars drive along a winding coastal road at sunset, with the sun low over the ocean and hillsides on the right.
benedek – istockphoto

California has shown the largest percentage increase in this analysis, with insurance premiums rising by 70.7% following an at-fault crash. Consequently, car insurance costs increase by about $1,680 per year, or more than $5,000 over three years.

Florida

Blue “Welcome to Florida” road sign with a yellow sun featuring Florida’s shape as the “O,” green palm trees, and “The Sunshine State” written below. Trees and sunlight are visible in the background.
LesPalenik/shutterstock

Insurance premiums in Florida, ranging from high-baseline to mid-range plans, have risen, potentially becoming a significant household expense for many people. The average additional car insurance costs are around $1,570 per year, and prior to any accident, Florida residents pay an average of approximately $3,400 for car insurance coverage.

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Nevada

Aerial view of a sprawling city with clusters of buildings and skyscrapers in the center, surrounded by residential neighborhoods and desert landscape in the distance.
Matthew Jackson – unsplash

The average additional insurance cost in Nevada amounts to $1,550 per year, with a potential three-year increase of $4,650. The average annual rate in Nevada rises from $2,780 to $4,330, with car insurance costs increasing by 55.8% following an at-fault accident. This increase represents an additional cost of about $129 per month for Nevada residents.

Maryland

A person holding and counting a small stack of U.S. dollar bills with both hands.
Igal Ness – unsplash

Another state that has recorded one of the largest increases is Maryland, with a 60.3% rise. The average additional insurance cost in the state is $1,520, a figure that could potentially reach $4,580 within three years. If you are involved in an accident in Maryland, car insurance costs could add an unexpected monthly bill of about $127 added to your household budget.

Connecticut

A red car and a silver Volkswagen have collided on a street, with the Volkswagen’s front bumper pressed into the side of the red car, causing visible damage.
Usman Malik – unsplash

Connecticut residents face the same additional cost as those in Maryland, with an average of $1,520 per year in extra insurance expenses, potentially reaching $4,580 over three years, according to LendingTree. After an accident, car insurance costs in the state can reach around $4,230, as rates in the area have risen by 56.3% from the previous $2,710. Connecticut is another state with a high car insurance costs these days.

Colorado

A car drives down a road through a wide valley with golden trees, fields, and tall mountains in the background under a blue sky with wispy clouds.
Tanner Marquis – unsplash

In a state-by-state analysis, Colorado has shown a modest increase of 42.5%, though this can still represent a significant insurance expense. The average added insurance cost in Colorado is about $4,100 per year, with the potential to reach approximately $4,190 over three years. According to LendingTree’s state figures, the car insurance costs rise from $3,290 to about $4,690 after an at-fault accident, resulting in an average monthly increase of about $116.

Missouri

A close-up of a woman’s eyes reflected in a car’s rearview mirror, with a blurred, empty highway in the background.
Norbert Buduczki – unsplash

Missouri residents faced an average insurance premium increase of just over 50% after being involved in an at-fault accident. Drivers who previously paid $2,550 now pay $3,840 annually. This represents an average additional insurance cost of $1,280 per year, an increase of more than $100 per month, with the potential to reach a total of $3,850 over three years, according to LendingTree. These higher car insurance costs can add significantly to household expenses.

Minnesota

A red car with severe damage to its rear left side is strapped to a flatbed tow truck. The car’s bumper and body are badly dented, and the back wheel is partially exposed. The background includes a blue graffiti-covered wall.
Usman Malik – unsplash

In Minnesota, even before factoring in vehicle repairs, insurance premiums over three years could approach $3,800. This represents a 55.7% increase, as the average annual insurance premium rose from $2,250 to $3,510. The average additional annual insurance cost is around $1,250, with the potential to reach $3,770 over three years.

Georgia

A view of train tracks running through a town with cars parked on the street beside them, lined with trees, buildings, and power lines under a partly cloudy sky.
Jeremiah Lawrence – unsplash

The rate of insurance cost increases in Georgia is close to the national average, though starting rates are relatively high. The average insurance cost increase in Georgia amounts to $1,250 annually, with the potential to reach $3,750 over three years. The state ranks outside the top 12 in terms of insurance cost increases, according to LendingTree. The state averages about $104 per month in additional costs and has seen a 46.4% increase after an at-fault accident, climbing from $2,690 to the current $3,940.

Conclusion

A woman with glasses is on her phone, looking stressed, kneeling beside a car with serious front-end damage after an accident.
megaflopp – istockphoto

If you rely heavily on your car fro work and can choose any state in the nation to base your operations, you should consider these costs; no matter how hard we try to avoid them, the risk of an accident cannot be ruled out. From Arizona, which has the largest increase in insurance costs after an at-fault crash, to the national average, where accidents add about $86 a month to costs, insurance premiums continue to rise year after year.

Meet the Writer


Augusto Manuel Cornes Sangiao