Tennessee Car Insurance
The birthplace of the blues, Memphis, is a beacon in Tennessee’s vibrant musical scene. This state has seen great strides with rock and roll, rockabilly, country and all kinds of folk music throughout its long history. Along with a rich musical heritage, “The Volunteer State” holds a proud legacy of patriotism and sacrifice for its country. Residents enjoy monuments and markers scattered throughout the state, reminding them of their strong lineage. Tennessee drivers can find all kinds of attractions in this state of mountains, rivers, forests and farms. Keeping those drivers well-protected, CheapCarInsrance.net simplifies the search for car insurance information with this list of easy-to-understand facts.
Average Cost for Car Insurance in Tennessee
The average driver in Tennessee can expect to pay around $1,100 for a full coverage auto policy. The price quotes you receive from insurance providers will vary based on your personal demographics and other information such as driving history.
Here is a breakdown of average auto insurance coverage costs from our CCI database based on vehicle type insured and current city in Tennessee:
| Auto Insurance Costs by County: | Sedan: | SUV: | Coupe: | Truck: | Hybrid: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson | $893 | $845 | $982 | $899 | $1,059 |
| Bedford | $878 | $740 | $880 | $786 | $974 |
| Benton | $932 | $796 | $940 | $840 | $1,039 |
| Bledsoe | $889 | $801 | $908 | $913 | $1,031 |
| Blount | $823 | $718 | $943 | $763 | $947 |
| Bradley | $831 | $698 | $874 | $741 | $919 |
| Campbell | $934 | $852 | $1,031 | $924 | $1,101 |
| Cannon | $878 | $763 | $943 | $809 | $1,015 |
| Carroll | $932 | $811 | $971 | $857 | $1,063 |
| Carter | $741 | $679 | $844 | $720 | $863 |
| Cheatham | $878 | $813 | $986 | $861 | $1,043 |
| Chester | $932 | $817 | $1,012 | $863 | $1,069 |
| Claiborne | $934 | $825 | $933 | $918 | $1,047 |
| Clay | $878 | $747 | $892 | $793 | $982 |
| Cocke | $875 | $828 | $983 | $918 | $1,028 |
| Coffee | $878 | $763 | $889 | $809 | $1,002 |
| Crockett | $932 | $868 | $971 | $926 | $1,104 |
| Cumberland | $894 | $760 | $860 | $838 | $968 |
| Davidson | $892 | $824 | $928 | $939 | $1,026 |
| Decatur | $932 | $844 | $945 | $913 | $1,092 |
| Dekalb | $878 | $822 | $950 | $874 | $1,043 |
| Dickson | $878 | $813 | $969 | $861 | $1,043 |
| Dyer | $932 | $856 | $965 | $902 | $1,095 |
| Fayette | $932 | $823 | $1,047 | $869 | $1,075 |
| Fentress | $894 | $816 | $1,010 | $868 | $1,065 |
| Franklin | $878 | $726 | $865 | $770 | $951 |
| Gibson | $932 | $808 | $921 | $852 | $1,042 |
| Giles | $878 | $733 | $880 | $777 | $959 |
| Grainger | $842 | $788 | $895 | $898 | $988 |
| Greene | $741 | $692 | $844 | $735 | $863 |
| Grundy | $889 | $791 | $894 | $906 | $1,019 |
| Hamblen | $842 | $787 | $886 | $865 | $988 |
| Hamilton | $870 | $783 | $901 | $825 | $1,007 |
| Hancock | $934 | $822 | $936 | $874 | $1,056 |
| Hardeman | $932 | $850 | $1,060 | $896 | $1,111 |
| Hardin | $932 | $811 | $987 | $857 | $1,063 |
| Hawkins | $756 | $692 | $853 | $735 | $884 |
| Haywood | $932 | $802 | $1,003 | $846 | $1,045 |
| Henderson | $932 | $817 | $1,060 | $863 | $1,069 |
| Henry | $932 | $846 | $966 | $890 | $1,104 |
| Hickman | $878 | $733 | $983 | $777 | $959 |
| Houston | $878 | $828 | $1,020 | $874 | $1,043 |
| Humphreys | $878 | $828 | $931 | $874 | $1,043 |
| Jackson | $878 | $816 | $948 | $868 | $1,043 |
| Jefferson | $842 | $797 | $916 | $848 | $988 |
| Johnson | $741 | $702 | $844 | $776 | $863 |
| Knox | $877 | $781 | $956 | $827 | $999 |
| Lake | $932 | $817 | $959 | $863 | $1,069 |
| Lauderdale | $932 | $856 | $995 | $902 | $1,111 |
| Lawrence | $878 | $763 | $889 | $809 | $1,015 |
| Lewis | $878 | $728 | $918 | $772 | $953 |
| Lincoln | $878 | $739 | $923 | $783 | $965 |
| Loudon | $823 | $780 | $918 | $860 | $961 |
| Macon | $878 | $758 | $889 | $804 | $1,009 |
| Madison | $932 | $769 | $1,012 | $815 | $1,021 |
| Marion | $889 | $802 | $906 | $906 | $1,032 |
| Marshall | $878 | $707 | $909 | $748 | $921 |
| Maury | $878 | $712 | $934 | $753 | $927 |
| Mcminn | $823 | $726 | $862 | $770 | $951 |
| Mcnairy | $932 | $811 | $1,004 | $857 | $1,063 |
| Meigs | $870 | $783 | $977 | $825 | $1,007 |
| Monroe | $823 | $769 | $943 | $815 | $961 |
| Montgomery | $902 | $784 | $1,009 | $826 | $1,012 |
| Moore | $878 | $726 | $910 | $770 | $951 |
| Morgan | $893 | $831 | $1,032 | $880 | $1,059 |
| Obion | $932 | $802 | $939 | $846 | $1,045 |
| Overton | $878 | $758 | $959 | $804 | $1,009 |
| Perry | $878 | $831 | $950 | $896 | $1,043 |
| Pickett | $894 | $816 | $978 | $868 | $1,065 |
| Polk | $823 | $718 | $919 | $762 | $942 |
| Putnam | $878 | $749 | $846 | $792 | $945 |
| Rhea | $856 | $722 | $813 | $869 | $922 |
| Roane | $893 | $847 | $1,014 | $924 | $1,059 |
| Robertson | $892 | $784 | $951 | $826 | $1,012 |
| Rutherford | $892 | $790 | $954 | $835 | $1,025 |
| Scott | $934 | $882 | $1,025 | $938 | $1,101 |
| Sequatchie | $889 | $812 | $918 | $925 | $1,048 |
| Sevier | $875 | $726 | $995 | $771 | $956 |
| Shelby | $1,076 | $916 | $1,032 | $1,055 | $1,148 |
| Smith | $878 | $740 | $943 | $786 | $974 |
| Stewart | $878 | $831 | $1,002 | $907 | $1,043 |
| Sullivan | $756 | $617 | $815 | $655 | $826 |
| Sumner | $878 | $771 | $870 | $843 | $972 |
| Tipton | $932 | $863 | $1,038 | $909 | $1,111 |
| Trousdale | $878 | $721 | $988 | $765 | $945 |
| Unicoi | $758 | $685 | $855 | $728 | $886 |
| Union | $893 | $819 | $1,016 | $871 | $1,059 |
| Van Buren | $870 | $730 | $828 | $881 | $936 |
| Warren | $878 | $726 | $854 | $770 | $951 |
| Washington | $741 | $679 | $816 | $720 | $863 |
| Wayne | $878 | $793 | $894 | $868 | $1,026 |
| Weakley | $932 | $796 | $945 | $840 | $1,039 |
| White | $845 | $709 | $804 | $809 | $909 |
| Williamson | $892 | $732 | $888 | $776 | $957 |
| Wilson | $892 | $790 | $941 | $835 | $1,025 |
Minimum Requirements for Car Insurance
- All vehicles in Tennessee must be covered by liability insurance., according to the state’s Insurance Division.
- Liability minimums in Tennessee:
- $25,000 covers an individual injured or killed in an accident.
- $50,000 covers an accident where multiple individuals were injured or killed.
- $15,000 covers an accident where property damaged was incurred.
New Driver Licensing Requirements
- All drivers in Tennessee must be licensed to operate a vehicle. Tennessee’s Graduated Driver License (GDL) Program is designed to allow young drivers to progress in skill and maturity prior to obtaining a full-unrestricted driver’s license. The program consists of the following steps for drivers ages 15 to under 18.
- Learner Permit. The applicant must be 15 years old or older, pass the knowledge exam and pass the vision test to qualify for this permit. The applicant must show proof of school enrollment or progress. Restrictions with this permit include:
- The applicant may only drive with a licensed driver age 21 or older.
- The applicant is restricted from driving between 10pm and 6am.
- Intermediate Restricted License. After holding the Learner Permit for at least 180 days, reaching age 16 and passing the skills test, the applicant may apply for this license. The following guidelines apply:
- The applicant must accumulate 50 hours of driving experience. This includes 10 hours of required night driving.
- All other restrictions are lifted at this point, but maintaining a clean driving record is the requirement to graduating to the next step.
- Intermediate Unrestricted License. The driver must be at least 17, have kept the restricted license for at least 1 year, have accumulated less than 6 points (violations) on his/her license, have had no at-fault traffic accidents and have had no more than 2 safety belt violations to apply for this license.
- Regular Driver’s License. After holding the Intermediate Unrestricted License until turning 18 or passing the GED (whichever occurs first), the license automatically transfers to a regular driver’s license.
- Vision Screening. Without a visual acuity of at least 20/40 and a peripheral field of vision of at least 140 degrees, the applicant may not pass the vision test without restrictions. Tennessee provides numerous restrictions for applicants with differing acuities and peripherals.
- Knowledge Test. Tennessee’s Department of Public Safety has posted a practice exam on their website for interested applicants. The information included on the exam is found in the Tennessee Driver’s Manual. The test covers traffic signs and signals, safe driving principles, rules of the road and drugs and alcohol. A 7-day waiting period is required for a failed test.
- Road Test. Included in the Driver’s Manual is a section listing the items included in both the vehicle inspection and driving portions of this exam. The administrator will ride with the applicant and have him/her demonstrate a number of typical vehicle maneuvers. The waiting period for a failed test is determinate upon the number of points deducted during the failure.
- Fees. Each applicant must pay the following fees:
- Learner Permit (under age 18): $10.50
- Learner Permit (18 or older): $5.50
- Intermediate Restricted License: $24.50
- Intermediate Unrestricted License: $2.00
- Graduating to Class D: $8.00
DUI & DWI Laws in TN
- BAC limit: .08 The Tennessee Department of Public Safety describes the state’s DUI laws (TCA § 55-10, 57-5), and the department’s website clearly outlines the penalties and reinstatement fees associated with DUI convictions.
- First Offense:
- Jail: minimum 48 hours – maximum 11 months, 29 days
- License revocation: 1 year
- Fine: $350 to $1,500
- Alcohol and drug treatment program
- Ignition Interlock Device (IID): at judge’s discretion (first year cost runs $1,000)
- Restitution payments
- Second Offense:
- Jail: minimum 45 days – maximum 11 months, 29 days
- License revocation: 2 years with restriction after first year
- Fine: $600 to $3,500
- Alcohol and drug treatment program
- Ignition Interlock Device (IID): at judge’s discretion
- Restitution payments
- Possible vehicle forfeiture
- Third Offense:
- Jail: minimum 120 days – maximum 11 months, 29 days
- License revocation: minimum 6 to 10 years. No restriction possible
- Fine: $1,100 to $10,000
- Alcohol and drug treatment program
- Ignition Interlock Device (IID): at judge’s discretion
- Restitution payments
- Possible vehicle forfeiture
- Fourth and subsequent offense(s) will be charged with a felony.
State Driver Resources
State Department of Insurance
Department of Commerce and Insurance
500 James Robertson Pkwy.
Nashville, TN 37243-0565
(615) 741-2176
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Department of Transportation
Tennessee Department of Transportation
505 Deaderick St.
James K. Polk Bldg., Suite 700
Nashville, TN 37243
(615) 741-2848
Get Directions
Department of Motor Vehicles
Tennessee Department of Revenue
Vehicle Services Division
44 Vantage Way, Suite 160
Nashville, TN 37243-8050
(888) 871-3171
(local residents) (615) 741-3101
www.tn.gov/revenue/vehicle
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