By Tyler Brooks · Editor
Published · Updated
Answer in brief
Rates fall at 19 (often the biggest single drop if licensed at 16, as inexperience ends), again at 21, and significantly at 25 when most insurers move drivers to adult bands. A clean record is the condition; one at-fault accident adds a three-year surcharge that offsets a year or two of decreases.
| Age | Relative to age 18 |
|---|---|
| 18 | 100% |
| 19 | ~80% |
| 20 | ~75% |
| 21 | ~62% |
| 23 | ~55% |
| 25 | ~45% |
Insurers weight these steps differently, so the cheapest insurer at 18 is rarely cheapest at 21. See how to compare.
Terms: Age band, Inexperienced operator
Sources and references
Legal figures on this page (minimum limits, filing periods, statutory benefits) are checked against the primary law or the state insurance regulator listed below. Links and figures last verified Nov 2026.
- Teenagers — Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyIndependent researchTeen crash risk, graduated driver licensing research and vehicle recommendations for young drivers.
- Facts + Statistics: Teen drivers — Insurance Information InstituteStatistical dataCrash and fatality statistics for drivers 16–19 and graduated licensing context.
- What is covered by a basic auto insurance policy? — Insurance Information InstituteConsumer guidanceDefines bodily injury and property damage liability, MedPay, PIP, uninsured/underinsured motorist, collision, comprehensive and glass coverage.
Practical guidance on this page is original editorial work. Cited sources support factual statements and do not endorse this site. Dollar ranges described as typical or illustrative are editorial estimates, not figures from these sources.