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Driving in your 50s generally means lower insurance premiums. As insurance companies see it, you have more experience behind the wheel and are less likely to take risks that could lead to accidents. Insurance companies often reward you with lower rates in exchange for safer driving habits, but that's not always true.
Some companies stood out as we reviewed the cheapest car insurance for drivers in their 50s, but they still have drawbacks. Auto-Owners, Erie, and USAA, for example, offer the lowest insurance premiums for both full coverage and liability-only insurance, along with policy perks, but they aren't available to everyone.
Other companies, like Mile Auto and Metromile (now Lemonade), offer pay-per-mile insurance that rewards low-mileage drivers, but they don't have a lot of specialty coverages or discounts available.
How we evaluate products
FinanceBuzz researches a number of factors in each auto insurance provider to create our reviews. These factors include cost and discounts, complaints and customer satisfaction, coverage, and ease of use. We also gather information from sources such as Insurify, J.D. Power, AM Best, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), and the Better Business Bureau to ensure we provide the most useful information to our readers.
Compare best car insurance for drivers in their 50s
| Company name | Average monthly full coverage cost for drivers in their 50s | Average monthly liability-only cost for drivers in their 50s | Senior discount? |
| Auto-Owners | $55 | $26 | No |
| Mile Auto | $66 | $40 | No |
| Erie | $71 | $39 | No |
| USAA | $79 | $37 | No |
| Metromile (Lemonade) | $90 | $50 | No |
| State Farm | $94 | $43 | No |
| Geico | $96 | $44 | No |
| Progressive | $106 | $69 | No |
| Root | $108 | $61 | No |
| Allstate | $108 | $50 | No |
Auto-Owners
- AM Best: A++ (Superior)
- J.D. Power claims satisfaction: 692 out of 1,000
- BBB: A+
- NAIC complaints: 0.46 (Private Passenger)
Auto-Owners is a mutual insurance company offering auto, life, and property insurance. It earned a 0.46 on the NAIC Complaint Index (1.0 is the index for the entire market), meaning it had less than half the amount of complaints expected for a company of its size.
However, it earned below-average claims satisfaction ratings in J.D. Power's 2024 survey. Auto-Owners is only available in 26 states, and you must work with an independent agent to get a quote or purchase a policy.
If it's available in your area, Auto-Owners is a good option for people wondering how to get cheaper car insurance. It averages just $26 a month for liability only. Full coverage from Auto-Owners for drivers in their 50s averages $55 monthly.
Auto-Owners offers standard policies like liability, collision, comprehensive, and medical payments. It also has uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, road trouble service (which encompasses roadside assistance and locksmith services), and loan or lease gap insurance, among other policies.
- The most affordable coverage for drivers in their 50s
- Multiple policy options, including gap and road trouble service
- Multiple discounts, including several for students
- Claim satisfaction score was below average
- Must contact an agent to get a quote
- Only available in 26 states
Learn more in our Auto-Owners review.
Mile Auto
- AM Best: Not rated, underwriter listed as Excellent
- J.D. Power claims satisfaction: Not rated
- BBB: Not rated
- NAIC complaints: Not rated
If you drive less than 10,000 miles a year, Mile Auto has the best rates on pay-per-mile car insurance for people in their 50s, averaging out to around $40 a month for liability-only and $66 monthly for full coverage.
Instead of a set premium amount, Mile Auto offers a monthly base rate and a per-mile rate for the miles you drive each month. For example, based on factors like your driving record, coverage types, and where you live, your base rate might be $50 and your per-mile rate $0.10. If you drove 200 miles in a month, your bill would be (0.10 x 200)+50, or $70.
What I like most about Mile Auto is that you don't have to install a telemetrics tracking device or download an app to prove your mileage. Instead, Mile Auto will text or email you each month reminding you to take a photo of your odometer and send it to them.
However, Mile Auto has some drawbacks. It isn't rated by the Better Business Bureau or the NAIC complaint index, so it's hard to tell how they handle customer claims. It also has limited coverage options, offering only liability insurance, collision, and comprehensive coverage. You can add on rental vehicle reimbursement and roadside assistance, but those are the only additional coverages. Mile Auto insurance is only available in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas.
- Lower costs for infrequent drivers
- Does not require a telematics tracking device
- Offers roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement as add-ons
- Only available in seven states
- Limited coverage options compared to other companies
- No additional discounts
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Erie
- AM Best: A+ (Superior)
- J.D. Power claims satisfaction: 733 out of 1,000
- BBB: A+
- NAIC complaints: 0.82 (Private Passenger)
Erie Insurance is a regional company only available in 12 states and Washington, D.C. It's a little more expensive than Auto-Owners' coverage, averaging $71 per month for full coverage or $39 a month for liability-only coverage, but it's still a good option.
While you must request a quote through an agent, one of the things I like most about Erie is that it has the third-highest claims satisfaction score on J.D. Power's 2024 survey, earning 733 out of 1,000. It also had lower-than-average customer complaints in 2024, according to the NAIC complaint index, earning 0.82, based on marketwide data (anything under 1 is considered a below-average number of complaints).
Erie Insurance also has extra perks like locksmith services included through its comprehensive coverage. It offers auto glass repair for an additional fee and covers up to $500 ($1,000 total) of vet bills if your pet is injured in a car accident.
- Third-highest claims satisfaction scores on J.D. Power's 2024 survey
- Has policy perks like locksmith services
- More affordable than many other carriers
- Not as many coverage options as some competitors
- Not as many discounts as some other insurance companies
- Only available in 12 states and Washington, D.C.
Learn more in our Erie Insurance review.
USAA
- AM Best: A++ (Superior)
- J.D. Power claims satisfaction: 726 out of 1,000
- BBB: A+
- NAIC complaints: 0.96 (Private Passenger)
USAA is an auto insurance company that only offers policies to current military members, veterans, and their immediate family. If you qualify, liability-only coverage for drivers over 50 averages $37 a month, the second most affordable on our list. If you are looking for full coverage from USAA, it averages about $79 monthly.
Additionally, USAA earned one of the highest claim satisfaction ratings in J.D. Power's 2024 survey, scoring 726 out of 1,000. It also had a slightly below average complaint rate, earning 0.96 (out of 1) on the NAIC complaint index.
However, USAA's biggest drawback is that it's unavailable to the general public. Additionally, it may not have as many policy options as some other companies. It offers multiple discounts, including some military-specific ones, though not as many as some competitors.
- The second most affordable average liability-only coverage
- Military-specific discounts, including 15% off for storing your car on base
- High claims satisfaction score
- Not available to non-military members
- Some competitors have more coverage options
- Not as many discounts as some other insurance companies
Learn more in our USAA review.
Average rate:
Metromile (Lemonade)
- AM Best: Not rated
- J.D. Power claims satisfaction: N/A
- BBB: B- (Unaccredited)
- NAIC complaints: 10.09
Lemonade recently acquired pay-per-mile insurance company Metromile. People in their 50s who don't drive a lot can save money using Metromile since you only pay a low base rate and a small per-mile fee. On average, customers pay around $90 a month for full coverage and $50 a month for liability-only coverage.
Metromile offers more policy options than Mile Auto. It has standard policies like liability, collision, and comprehensive, but it also offers extended glass and temporary transportation coverage. Metromile provides some unusual policy benefits like planting trees to help offset carbon emissions and discounts for driving a hybrid or electric vehicle too.
However, neither Metromile nor Lemonade has AM Best or J.D. Power ratings. Lemonade also earned a substantially higher score on the NAIC Complaint Index than its competitors. Remember, anything above one is considered higher-than-average. Lemonade scored 10.09, more than ten times the expected number.
- Roadside and crash assistance included in every policy
- Multiple insurance options, including auto, home, renters, and pet
- Discounts for being eco-friendly
- Not available in all states
- Must allow tracking through the app to get the best price
- Limited discount and coverage options
Learn more in our Metromile and Lemonade reviews.
Ways to make your car insurance cheaper
Finding ways to save money on car insurance can be tricky. However, there are a few things you can do to help save as much as possible, such as:
Shop around
Prices can vary dramatically from company to company. It's often best to get at least three quotes when comparing car insurance, especially if it's been a while since you've searched for new rates.
Take advantage of discounts
Many car insurance companies offer multiple discounts to help lower your insurance premiums. The discounts at each company vary, but most companies generally offer discounts for bundling multiple policies, having safety features like airbags in your car, and paying your policy in full before it starts, among others.
Qualify for student discounts
While drivers in their 50s often have lower rates than younger drivers, you might see your rate increase if you also have a driver under 25 on your policy.
To help keep costs down, pay special attention to discounts related to your teen or young adult. For instance, many insurers offer discounts for keeping the car home when your child is away at school. Insurers frequently offer discounts for being a good student or taking a driver's education course.
Safe driving
One of the best ways to keep your insurance rates low is to be a safe driver. Avoiding accidents, speeding tickets, or other at-fault violations can help keep your driving record clean and keep your rates from increasing.
FAQs
What is the cheapest car insurance for a 50 year old?
The cheapest car insurance for a 50-year-old is Auto-Owners, which costs an average of $55 a month for full coverage and $26 per month for liability-only coverage. However, multiple factors can affect what you pay for car insurance, including where you live, your gender, car type, and your driving record.
Does car insurance go down at 50 years old?
In general, your car insurance rates may decrease when you turn 50. Drivers in their 50s generally see more discounts from insurance companies because they tend to be in the car less and have safer driving behaviors. However, premiums tend to creep back up after the age of 75.
Does AARP offer car insurance?
Yes, AARP offers car insurance through The Hartford insurance company. AARP members can get additional savings like up to 10% off their premium and discounts for bundling auto and home policies.
Bottom line
Although finding the right car insurance can take some time, paying attention to price, customer service, and coverage options is a good place to start. Some of these companies may not be available in your area, but if they are, getting a quote can be worth it to help ensure you aren't paying more than you need to.
As you search for the best car insurance, read customer reviews and compare pricing from at least three companies to ensure you get the best deal.
Average rate:
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