Whether you are simply commuting to work in Tucson or driving the scenic Apache Trail through the Superstitious Mountains, you should make sure that you have at least the minimum car insurance required in Arizona. Finding the best cheap car insurance in Arizona can be easy if you know what to look for.

Is Auto Insurance Cheaper in Arizona?

Arizona drivers are in luck when it comes to finding affordable car insurance. The average cost of premiums in Arizona is about $1,247 per year, which is about 24% less than the national average of $1,548.

Where you live in Arizona has a big impact on how much you’ll pay for car insurance. For example, drivers in Sedona pay an average of $973 per year, while Phoenix drivers pay about $1,660 on average. That’s quite a difference.

Many other factors determine how much car insurance will cost you:

• Age
• Vehicle age
• Marital status
• Occupation
• Credit score
• Homeownership

Arizona Drivers Are Required to Carry Liability Insurance

If you think you can save money by not getting car insurance, think again. It’s illegal to drive in Arizona without having at least the minimum liability coverage required by state law. In fact, you won’t even be able to register your vehicle in Arizona without providing proof that you at least have the required minimum coverage.

The state requires that all drivers have at least the following:

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,0000 for total bodily injury liability
• $15,000 for property damage liability

However, even this minimum coverage may not be enough to pay for a typical incident in Arizona. Medical bills from injuries suffered in a car accident can easily exceed $25,000. Arizona is a comparative fault state, which means a person who is injured in an accident can still recover damages even if they were partially at fault.

Liability insurance only covers what happens to other drivers or your passengers if you are in an accident. It doesn’t protect you or your vehicle. Although not required by Arizona state law, adding collision and comprehensive coverage to your car insurance policy can help with the costs of your medical bills and vehicle damage repairs if you get in an accident.

To keep your car insurance premiums as affordable as possible and still have collision and comprehensive coverage for you, you should choose a higher deductible on this voluntary coverage. Your costs will be less with a $1,000 deductible than with a $500 deductible.

Discounts Are Available for Car Insurance in Arizona

If you want to ensure you’re getting the cheapest car insurance in Arizona that you can, look into the different discounts your insurance company may offer.

For example, many insurance carriers offer good driver discounts for those who haven’t had any tickets, accidents, or claims over a certain number of years (usually three years). These discounts can save you up to 30% on your car insurance premiums.

Arizona drivers age 55 and older can also take the Arizona Mature Driver Course online to get a discount on their auto insurance. Those discounts vary depending on which insurance carrier you use.

The safety features on your vehicle can also help you get a discount on your car insurance. Anti-lock brakes, airbags, daytime running lights, and other safety features can reduce your car insurance premiums up to 30 percent.

Does your vehicle have an anti-theft system such as an alarm or LoJack? If so, you could save up to 25 percent on comprehensive coverage.

Discounts can do a lot to lower your costs for car insurance in Arizona, so make sure to ask your insurance carrier what discounts they offer. Your insurance company may also offer discounts for these:

• Customer loyalty
• Automatic payments
• Policy bundling

Driving Without Car Insurance in Arizona Can be Expensive

Although you may think that paying for auto insurance in Arizona is expensive, it could cost you more without it. If you get pulled over by law enforcement without being able to show that you at least have the minimum 25/50/15 liability coverage required in the state, you’ll face hefty fines plus the suspension of your driver’s license. Fines increase from $500 to $1,000 for the first three offenses.

Your driver’s license will be suspended for three months after your first offense of driving without insurance. The suspension increases to six months for your second offense and a year for the third offense.

If your license is suspended, you’ll be required to obtain SR-22 insurance for two years. The SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility that proves your auto policy meets the minimum liability coverage required by the state.

Getting into an accident where the other driver or a passenger is killed or injured can cost even more. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates the cost of traffic fatalities in Arizona amounted to about $1.37 billion in medical and work-loss costs in 2018. The average costs of injury accidents in the state can range anywhere from $26,000 to $90,000. If you cause an accident that results in injury or death, fines will be the least of your problems. You could also face lawsuits.

Get Affordable Auto Insurance in Arizona Today

Having car insurance in Arizona is not only important, it’s the law. At Oasis Insurance, we work with the top insurance companies to guarantee that you get the lowest price for the best policy coverage. Call us today for a free quote on car insurance.