Where our numbers come from
Every figure on this site can be traced to a source. Here's exactly what we publish, where it comes from, and what it does and doesn't tell you.
Car insurance data
State averages for full-coverage and minimum-liability car insurance are compiled from published analyses of Quadrant Information Services rate-filing data (primary compilation: ValuePenguin by LendingTree, June 2026). The benchmark profile is a 30-year-old driver with a clean record. The resulting national average is $208/month for full coverage.
What "full coverage" means here
Liability at or above state minimums plus collision and comprehensive coverage — the policy structure lenders require on financed vehicles. "Minimum liability" is the least insurance you can legally drive with in each state; it pays for damage you cause to others and nothing for your own car.
Home insurance data
State averages come from published analyses of Quadrant Information Services data (primary compilation: NerdWallet, May 2026). The benchmark policy: $400,000 dwelling coverage, $300,000 liability, $1,000 deductible, owned by a 40-year-old with good credit in a single-family home. National average: $2,490/year.
Renters insurance data
State averages come from ValuePenguin's (LendingTree) June 2026 multi-carrier quote analysis — the same publisher family as our auto data. The benchmark: a 30-year-old renter with no claims, roughly $30,000 in personal property coverage and $100,000 in liability. National average: $23/month. Washington, D.C. is omitted because the source doesn't publish a district figure — we don't estimate numbers we can't source.
Pet insurance data
State averages for dogs and cats come from Insurify's May 2026 analysis of 250,000+ real quotes (sourced via Fletch Insurance Services) across 10+ pet insurers — one-year rolling medians of accident-and-illness premiums, blending ages, breeds, deductibles ($250–$1,000) and reimbursement levels (70–90%). National averages: $43/month for dogs, $23/month for cats.
Calculator estimates
Our estimator applies directional adjustment factors from published 2026 market analyses to your state's average: teen drivers pay roughly three times a 30-year-old's rate, drivers in their late 50s and early 60s pay the least, a ticket or at-fault accident raises rates by roughly half, and a DUI adds roughly two-thirds. These are estimates for orientation — not quotes.
What these figures are not
They are not quotes, and they are not predictions of your rate. Insurers price on dozens of variables — ZIP code, vehicle, home construction, claims history, credit-based insurance scores where permitted — so real premiums around each state average span a wide range. The averages are most useful for two things: knowing whether your current bill is out of line for your state, and understanding how much your state itself is costing you.
How we make money
InsuranceMetrics earns referral commissions when readers request quotes through links on this site. Commissions never influence the data: the averages above come from third-party rate-filing analyses we don't control, and we publish them whether or not they flatter any carrier. We are not an insurance agent, broker or carrier, and nothing here is insurance or financial advice.
Update cadence
Rate data is reviewed and refreshed as primary sources publish new analyses — typically every quarter, and immediately after major market events (carrier withdrawals, regulatory changes, catastrophe-driven repricing). Current data vintage: July 2026.