Key facts
| Standard | What it means |
|---|---|
| Source order | State laws and insurance departments first, then federal and national data bodies, then industry research |
| Figures | Each stored once with a source link and date, then reused across pages |
| Unsourced claims | Left out |
| Review cycle | At least every 180 days, plus whenever a law or data source changes |
| Corrections | Fixed promptly and the review date updated |
| Bylines | Editorial team; no invented authors, credentials or photos |
| Advertising | Labelled, separate from content, no influence on what we write |
Which sources we use, in order
- The law itself. State statutes and regulations, and the state insurance department or motor vehicle agency that enforces them. These decide legal minimums, no-fault rules, SR-22 and FR-44 filings and penalties.
- Official data bodies. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) for average expenditures and premiums, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for crash data, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) for vehicle theft, and the US Census Bureau for population.
- Recognised research groups. The Insurance Information Institute and the Insurance Research Council, for background and national trends.
We avoid quote-comparison and lead-generation sites as sources for figures, because their "average rates" usually come from their own samples and methods.
How we handle numbers
Every figure lives in a single facts database with its value, unit, place, the period it describes, a link to the source and the date of that source. Pages pull figures from the database, so one update corrects every page that uses a number. You can see the full list at /api/facts.json.
We describe each number the way its source does. The NAIC, for example, publishes two different averages: the average expenditure (what drivers spent per insured vehicle across all policies) and the combined average premium (the price of a policy with liability, collision and comprehensive). We say which one we mean.
Averages describe groups, not you. We never turn an average into a "quote".
What we will not publish
- Numbers, quotes, reviews, ratings or testimonials we cannot trace to a source.
- Made-up people, experts, credentials or companies.
- Prices presented as offers or quotes.
- Content written or changed at an advertiser's request.
How we write
We write for people who are about to buy or renew a policy: plain words, short sentences, and the answer first. Each page opens with a short quick answer and a key facts table, then explains the detail with examples and step-by-step lists, answers the questions people actually ask, and lists its sources with a "Last reviewed" date.
We use software, including AI writing tools, to help organise research and draft text. Every draft is checked against the sources listed on the page before it is published and again at each review.
Reviews and updates
Every page is reviewed at least every 180 days. We also update pages when a state changes its insurance law, when the NAIC or another source publishes new data, or when a reader points out a problem. The "Last reviewed" date on each page shows when it was last checked.
Corrections
If you find an error, tell us through the contact page and choose "Correction". We check the claim against the primary source, fix the page if we were wrong and update its review date.
Independence from advertisers
Ads pay for the site, but advertisers do not see content before it is published, cannot ask for changes and do not affect which companies or products we mention. See the advertising disclosure.
Frequently asked questions
Where do your car insurance figures come from?
From state insurance departments and laws, the NAIC, NHTSA, NICB, the US Census Bureau, the Insurance Information Institute and the Insurance Research Council. Each page lists the exact sources it uses.
Why might your average cost differ from other websites?
Many sites publish averages from their own quote samples. We use the NAIC's published averages, which are based on what insurers actually wrote, so the numbers are lower or higher than some advertised figures and describe a different year.
How do you keep state laws up to date?
We check state laws and insurance department pages at every review and whenever we learn of a change, then update the facts database so every page reflects the change.
Do you use AI to write content?
We use AI writing tools to help draft and organise pages. Every figure must come from a source in our facts database, and drafts are checked against those sources before publishing.
Can a company pay to be featured?
No. We do not sell rankings, reviews or placements in our guides.
How can I suggest a correction?
Send it through the contact page with the page address and, if possible, a link to an official source.
Last reviewed by the StateCover Guide editorial team. See our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Tell us.