Cheapest Car Insurance in Oregon

If you’re looking for car insurance in Oregon, you’d be well served to shop around to get the best deal. That’s because there can be enormous gaps between rates for the same people from different companies.

We got quotes from eight major insurers in 10 Beaver State ZIP codes. Country Financial provided the lowest rates in most situations, although two others topped certain categories. Safeco had the highest quotes for every scenario. 

Except where noted, quotes are for a 30-year-old driving a 2015 Honda Accord with liability injury limits of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident, and $50,000 in property damage, plus personal injury protection, comprehensive and collision with a $1,000 deductible, and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

Included in this page are the cheapest rates for:

• Good drivers
• Young drivers
• Families with a teen driver
• Drivers with a speeding ticket
• Drivers with one at-fault accident
• Retired drivers

Cheapest for good drivers

Range of average prices from the eight largest insurers in Oregon: $755 to $4,583
	$755/year
	$1,229/year
	$1,442/year

Having no at-fault accidents or moving violations should mean lower insurance rates. Make sure you take best advantage of your clean record by shopping around and checking into discounts for good drivers. The average rate in this category was $2,170.

Cheapest for young drivers

Range of average prices from the eight largest insurers in Oregon: $863 to $3,091
	$863/year
	$975/year
	$1,050/year

This category actually had the smallest percentage gap between the highest and lowest quotes although the potential savings was still 72%, or $2,229. The average quote was $1,668. Rates are for an 18-year-old driving a 2009 Honda Civic with liability injury limits of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, plus $20,000 in property damage.

Insurers may provide discounts in Oregon for young people who take a driver-training course and who maintain good grades. Young drivers are generally better off staying on their parents’ policies, if they can.

Cheapest for families with a teen driver

Range of average prices from the eight largest insurers in Oregon: $3,557 to $20,348
	$3,557/year
	$5,133/year
	$5,992/year

While it’s always expensive to insure a new driver, the degree of pain can vary quite a bit. In fact, the category had by far the largest dollar gap between the lowest and highest quotes: $16,791.

Our test family included a 45-year-old man and woman, a 17-year-old boy, and a 2012 Toyota Camry and a 2012 Ford Escape. Annual rates averaged $10,770.

As with young drivers buying insurance on their own, look into discounts for driver training and good grades. You also might get a break for a young driver away at school without a car.

Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket

Range of average prices from the eight largest insurers in Oregon: $856 to $6,015.
	$856/year
	$1,352/year
	$1,832/year

This category offered the largest savings, percentage wise, from the highest to the lowest quotes (86%). So it could make a big difference to shop around if your insurer raises your rates after a ticket. The average quote was $2,642.

It’s no fun to pay higher rates even after paying for your ticket, but the higher premiums will only last a few years.

Cheapest for drivers with one at-fault accident

Range of average prices from the eight largest insurers in Oregon: $1,260 to $5,288.
	$1,260/year
	$1,597/year
	$1,993/year

Causing an accident with damage or injuries means your insurer has to pay out; expect the company to turn around and raise your rates.

As with the other categories in Oregon, there’s a big spread between the lowest quote, the average ($2,999) and the highest rate. And, like with the speeding ticket, increases from an accident go away after a few years, so long as you don’t cause another one.

Cheapest for retired drivers

Range of average prices from the eight largest insurers in Oregon: $615 to $2,667
	$615/year
	$944/year
	$1,158/year

These quotes for 67-year-old drivers averaged $1,580. The retirees category had the smallest dollar difference between the lowest and highest rates, $2,052. But that’s still substantial potential savings.

Oregon requires insurers to provide a discount to drivers 55 and older who take an accident prevention course. These discounts can vary by company.

Ways everyone can save

Many factors can affect car insurance quotes no matter where you live. If you’re looking to save money, consider raising comprehensive and collision deductibles, or even eliminating this coverage if your car is old and not worth much. When buying a car, consider a model with a good claims record.

Many insurers provide discounts in Oregon for such things as:

• Insuring multiple cars on one policy
• Bundling auto and home insurance
• Driving a car with certain safety features, such as airbags and antilock brakes
• Low annual mileage
• A clean driving record over the past three years

Oregon forbids insurers from categorizing drivers as “high-risk” based on a lapse in insurance coverage, unless the driver was caught driving without insurance, or a driver’s license suspension for a non-driving offense.

When looking into car insurance, keep in mind that a big discount won’t matter much if a company is starting with much higher rates. NerdWallet’s car insurance comparison tool allows you to get quotes from many companies in one place.

Aubrey Cohen is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: acohen@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @aubreycohen.