Who Pays More for Auto Insurance: Red States or Blue States?

Answer Financial® Inc., one of the largest auto and home insurance agencies in the U.S., compares average insurance estimates for state capitals based on the prevailing political party in the state*.

News provided by

Answer Financial Inc.

Nov 04, 2014, 07:54 ET

ENCINO, Calif., Nov. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's Senate elections will settle some hotly debated races, and with politics on the cumulative mind of the nation the original insurance comparison company, Answer Financial® Inc., elected to look at the race in another way: which political party wins for lowest auto insurance?

With Democrats in current control of the Senate, we're highlighting states with seats up for grabs this election. Here's how they compare:

Answer Financial Inc. compares who pays more for auto insurance: red states or blue states.

Colorado has a split-seat senate and a tight race this year, making them one to watch this election, but not necessarily for our insurance list where the state comes in at 36^th place. Our Coloradoan friends ought to shop regularly to maximize savings.

A handful of states with Republican-dominant governments have surprisingly close races with their Democratic counterparts. Where insurance is concerned, Alaska, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana and North Carolina rank in the mid-to-low range, with North Carolina and Kansas coming in at 14^th place ($902/yr) and 18^th place ($949/yr), respectively to protect their vehicles. In states with competitive insurance rates, the best way to find a deal is to compare.

Michigan Republicans, on the other hand, may lose a seat this year but are in no real danger with a strong partisan foothold in the state. At $1,649 per year on insurance, however, the Wolverine State has room to improve, ranking 43^rd on our list. We can help you with that Michiganians!

The upper houses for West Virginia and Georgia are rumored to lean right, but impact will likely be minimal with the red party's existing stronghold. Both states are out of the race for lowest insurance prices, ranking 48^th and 44^th highest on our list.

Our Overall Findings

Based on our sample, Democrats pay almost $300 more per year on auto insurance. Despite having the #1 least expensive state for insurance – Nevada at $727 – blue states include seven of the ten most expensive states for drivers. See how your state ranks:

State	Insurance Estimate	Insurance Rank (lowest to highest)	State Party Control	Avg. Ins. Estimate
Rhode Island	$2,618	50	Blue	$1,392
Connecticut	$2,392	49	Blue
West Virginia	$2,103	48	Blue
Delaware	$1,846	47	Blue
Massachusetts	$1,720	45	Blue
California	$1,600	42	Blue
Hawaii	$1,596	41	Blue
Maryland	$1,393	39	Blue
New Jersey	$1,317	35	Blue
Colorado	$1,228	34	Blue
New Mexico	$1,212	32	Blue
Minnesota	$1,045	24	Blue
Washington	$938	17	Blue
Maine	$885	11	Blue
Oregon	$871	9	Blue
Vermont	$807	5	Blue
Illinois	$764	3	Blue
Nevada	$727	1	Blue
Louisiana	$1,749	46	Red	$1,097
Georgia	$1,706	44	Red
Michigan	$1,649	43	Red
Florida	$1,535	40	Red
Montana	$1,383	38	Red
Oklahoma	$1,332	37	Red
Mississippi	$1,217	33	Red
Arizona	$1,166	31	Red
Alabama	$1,105	30	Red
Arkansas	$1,098	29	Red
Nebraska	$1,085	28	Red
South Carolina	$1,060	26	Red
Texas	$1,059	25	Red
Virginia	$1,035	23	Red
Alaska	$1,033	22	Red
Utah	$969	21	Red
Pennsylvania	$956	19	Red
Kansas	$949	18	Red
South Dakota	$916	16	Red
Tennessee	$910	15	Red
North Carolina	$902	14	Red
Ohio	$899	13	Red
Missouri	$890	12	Red
North Dakota	$876	10	Red
Wisconsin	$852	7	Red
Idaho	$851	6	Red
Wyoming	$786	4	Red
Indiana	$747	2	Red
Kentucky	$1,331	36	Split**	$1,062
Iowa	$1,085	27	Split
New York	$966	20	Split
New Hampshire	$867	8	Split

Answer Financial partners with more than 20 insurance companies, allowing you to compare quotes from qualifying providers in your area, like Esurance, Progressive, Safeco and Dairyland. To compare rates and see how much money you can save per year, visit us at www.AnswerFinancial.com.

* Data source: Rates provided by auto insurance shopping comparison website AnswerFinancial.com. Annual premiums based on a previously insured married female, age 35, driving a Honda Civic EX 10,000 miles per year; Driver lives in her state's capital city, has excellent credit, no violations or accidents, 50/100 Bodily Injury limits and a $500 deductible.

** The following split control states were excluded from this comparison: Iowa, Kentucky, New Hampshire, and New York.

References:

CNN key races to watch: http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2014/politics/key-races/
StateScape legislative control analysis: http://www.statescape.com/resources/partysplits/partysplits.aspx

About Answer Financial^® Inc.

Answer Financial, through its agencies Insurance Answer Center and Right Answer Insurance, is one of the largest independent personal lines agency operations in the nation, providing auto and home insurance policies directly to consumers and through a broad network of marketing partners. Answer Financial serves the growing segment of self-directed consumers searching for the best way to save money on insurance by providing one easy place to Shop, Compare, and Buy Insurance. By leveraging technology and partnerships with top-rated insurers including sister company, Esurance, Answer Financial can provide real-time comparison rates for virtually every consumer. Customers can purchase online or over the phone with the guidance of an insurance expert. Answer Financial is a member of the Allstate family of companies.
www.answerfinancial.com

Answer Financial® Inc. offers insurance products and services through its insurance agency licensed affiliate Insurance Answer Center, LLC (California License # 0B99714); Answer Financial affiliated agencies are not insurance companies, but act as agents for certain insurance companies. Answer Financial's affiliate Right Answer Insurance Agency, LLC (CA License #0H52358) operates as an insurance broker in California and an agent in all other states. Not all insurance products and services are available in all states. Rates are subject to change.

Contact:
Adrienne Lutovsky
Marketing Communications
[email protected]

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SOURCE Answer Financial Inc.