What mileage is cheapest for insurance?

Asked by: Prof. Jannie Crooks  |  Last update: January 15, 2026
Score: 4.4/5 (29 votes)

How many miles a year is considered low mileage? According to KBB, insurers typically offer insurance discounts for low-mileage drivers who log less than 7,000 miles annually. The average American drives 13,476 miles per year, according to the Federal Highway Administration's 2022 report.

What is the cheapest mileage to put on insurance?

To qualify for low-mileage discounts, you usually need to drive less than 7,000 or 5,000 miles a year. Your car insurance rates will be higher if you drive more than 20 miles each way to work. Insure.com's data shows that many drivers nationwide receive a low-mileage discount averaging 5% or less.

What is considered low mileage for insurance?

These figures dipped in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic as many drivers stayed home. The numbers are creeping back up, but haven't reached pre-2019 levels again as many Americans are simply driving less. Typically, most insurers consider driving less than 7,000 miles a year—about 19 miles a day—to be low mileage.

What if I drive less than 25 miles a day?

Car insurance has a basis on the concept of risk. The more mileage you cover, the more likely you can get into an accident. Most insurance companies use your average yearly mileage to calculate their car insurance rates. So it is very likely that you will pay lesser premiums if you drive for less than 25 miles daily.

What should I put for annual mileage on insurance?

To figure out your annual mileage for insurance, add up all the time you spend driving your car in a week and then multiply that number by 52.

Insurance Tips - Driving Less? - Low-Mileage Insurance

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Can I reduce my car insurance if I drive less?

Driving a lower-than-average number of miles each year impacts car insurance rates by creating a potentially lower risk profile. The fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to be involved in an accident.

What is considered high mileage for insurance?

If you drive a lot, insurance companies will charge you higher premiums because they're taking on more risk. Generally, anything over the U.S. average annual mileage (roughly 14,000 miles) is considered high and will result in a rate hike.

Who normally has the cheapest car insurance?

Geico, Nationwide and Travelers are among the least expensive for car insurance. Americans are paying a lot for car insurance these days: Average annual rates for a full coverage policy are up to $2,638 per year, while minimum coverage averages $767 per year.

What is too low mileage?

However, there isn't a specific definition or threshold that makes a vehicle low mileage. A vehicle can be considered low mileage if it has traveled less than 15,000 miles. Low mileage can also mean that a vehicle has been driven fewer miles than normal for its age. Thus, a vehicle's mileage can be relative to its age.

What is considered poor mileage?

Poor is anything less than 10mpg. Average is about 15-18 mpg. Good would be anything higher than 20mpg city.

How many miles is best for insurance?

In general, you'll see the most savings if you drive less than 5,000 miles annually. According to Insure.com, someone who drives 10,000 miles annually will pay 4% less than someone who drives 12,000 miles. Driving 7,500 miles annually could reduce your premiums 10% compared with driving 10,000 miles.

Is insurance cheaper if you drive less miles?

Key Takeaways:

According to our research, car insurance costs are almost $100 less per year for those who drive 6,000 miles annually than for those who drive 12,000 miles.

What drivers generally pay more?

Your age – In general, mature drivers have fewer accidents than less experienced drivers, particularly teenagers. Insurers generally charge more if teenagers or young people below age 25 drive your car.

At what age is car insurance cheapest?

Experienced drivers are less likely to have accident claims, which means they cost less to insure. At Progressive, the average premium per driver tends to decrease significantly from 19-34 and then stabilize or decrease slightly from 34-75. At age 75, the average premium begins trending upward.

Who is cheaper, Geico or Progressive?

GEICO is cheaper and has better ratings than Progressive. Your experience with GEICO and Progressive will vary based on individual rating factors.

What is the cheapest reliable car to insure?

The Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Jeep Wrangler and Subaru Outback are the cheapest cars to insure. All three have full coverage rates under $250 per month, on average.

What is bad mileage for a used car?

Often, 100,000 miles is considered a cut-off point for used cars because older vehicles often start requiring more expensive and frequent maintenance when mileage exceeds 100,000.

Is 20,000 miles a year a lot for a car?

In general, most modern cars can cross 200,000 miles without any major issues, provided the vehicle is being well-maintained. Considering that an average person drives 10,000-20,000 miles per year, this will account for roughly 15 years of service.

Can you reset miles on a car?

While it's possible to reset the odometer, it's illegal to do so. If you're trying to sell your vehicle, resetting the mileage can upset the person you're dealing with since you're not truthfully representing the vehicle's real mileage.

Does credit score affect car insurance?

How credit-based insurance scores work. Most U.S. insurance companies use credit-based insurance scores along with your driving history, claims history and many other factors to establish eligibility for payment plans and to help determine insurance rates. Again, except in California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts.

How to get a lower car insurance rate?

If you're wondering how to get a lower car insurance rate, use these methods for lowering your premium:
  1. Qualify for insurance discounts. ...
  2. Increase your deductible. ...
  3. Reduce your coverage. ...
  4. Compare rates. ...
  5. Try usage-based insurance. ...
  6. Take a defensive driving course. ...
  7. Get a car that's cheaper to insure.

At what point will car insurance drop you?

Insurers may not drop a customer after their first one or two incidents. The first step is often to increase your car insurance rate. From there, if a customer has another accident or files more claims, the insurer may send a notice that they won't be renewing the policy at the end of its term.