Car Insurance in Madison, Wisconsin
Estimated full coverage in Madison runs about $1,190 a year ($99/month) — ▲ +9% versus the Wisconsin average, ranking 4th most expensive of the 8 Wisconsin cities we cover.
Why car insurance in Madison costs more than the Wisconsin average
Insurers price by territory, and Madison's numbers explain most of the gap. With 285,300 residents on 83.6 square miles, the city's density (3,412 people per square mile) is 6.6 times the density where the typical Wisconsin resident lives (516). The average commute is 19.4 minutes (Wisconsin: 22.2), and 57% of workers drive alone. Together these put our location factor at 1.08× the state baseline for liability and collision, and 1.11× for comprehensive once FEMA weather risk for Dane County is included.
| Factor | Madison | Wisconsin ref. | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population density | 3,412 / sq mi | 516 / sq mi | More vehicles per mile of road means more fender-benders and claims. |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 22.2 min | Longer daily drives add exposure to crashes. |
| Commutes over 60 min | 2.2% | — | Long highway commutes raise mileage-based risk. |
| Drive alone to work | 56.7% | — | Share of workers commuting by car. |
| Public transit to work | 5.3% | — | Transit use lowers how much residents drive. |
| Work from home | 20.5% | — | Remote workers may qualify for low-mileage pricing. |
| Households without a car | 12.2% | — | Context for non-owner and occasional-driver policies. |
| Weather hazard score (FEMA) | 82.5 | 72.3 | Hail, wind, flood and hurricane exposure drive comprehensive claims. |
Car insurance cost by ZIP code in Madison
Rates can change from one ZIP code to the next. Across 13 Madison ZIP codes, our full-coverage estimate ranges from $1,125 in 53718 to $1,305 in 53703. Denser, longer-commute neighborhoods estimate higher. Click a column to sort.
| ZIP | Population | Density / sq mi | Commute | No car | Est. full / yr | vs. city |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53711 | 51,279 | 1,976 | 18.2 min | 4.6% | $1,145 | −4% |
| 53704 | 46,730 | 2,138 | 21.4 min | 8.6% | $1,180 | −1% |
| 53703 | 37,659 | 20,356 | 20.0 min | 32.6% | $1,305 | +10% |
| 53719 | 34,115 | 3,352 | 19.0 min | 5.4% | $1,185 | 0% |
| 53705 | 25,017 | 3,963 | 19.0 min | 11.5% | $1,195 | 0% |
| 53713 | 24,351 | 2,487 | 17.0 min | 5.7% | $1,150 | −3% |
| 53718 | 18,989 | 911 | 20.7 min | 3.5% | $1,125 | −5% |
| 53716 | 18,596 | 2,933 | 20.8 min | 3.8% | $1,195 | 0% |
| 53714 | 16,169 | 3,474 | 22.0 min | 12.9% | $1,215 | +2% |
| 53715 | 15,974 | 12,074 | 16.2 min | 25.6% | $1,235 | +4% |
| 53717 | 13,052 | 3,588 | 19.8 min | 3.8% | $1,195 | 0% |
| 53726 | 5,043 | 8,942 | 15.6 min | 29.4% | $1,210 | +2% |
| 53706 | 3,958 | 9,446 | 13.7 min | 79.3% | $1,195 | 0% |
Minimum car insurance in Madison
Madison drivers follow Wisconsin's rules: at least 25/50/10 liability coverage, and uninsured motorist coverage. Wisconsin is at-fault (tort). We estimate state-minimum coverage in Madison at $405 a year, and $585 for 100/300/100 limits.
| Coverage | Required? | Minimum | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | Yes | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident | Injuries you cause to other people |
| Property damage liability | Yes | $10,000 | Damage you cause to other vehicles and property |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | No | — Wisconsin does not require personal injury protection. | Your own medical bills and lost wages, regardless of fault |
| Uninsured motorist (UM) | Yes | 25/50 Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage of at least 25/50 is required. | Your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance |
| Underinsured motorist (UIM) | No | — Underinsured motorist coverage is optional; if purchased, limits must be at least 50/100. | The gap when the at-fault driver’s limits are too low |
| Medical payments (MedPay) | No | — Medical payments coverage is optional. | Medical bills for you and your passengers |
Risk factors that shape Madison premiums
Accidents
Wisconsin recorded 595 traffic deaths, or 0.86 per 100 million vehicle miles (U.S.: 1.19), in the latest full year of federal crash data. Local crash frequency is folded into our density and commute factors.
Vehicle theft
Wisconsin's vehicle theft rate is 132 per 100,000 residents (U.S.: 197). The most-stolen vehicle in the state is the Hyundai Elantra (NICB). Theft losses are paid by comprehensive coverage.
Weather
FEMA rates Dane County as relatively high for hail, relatively high for inland flooding and relatively high for strong wind, and very low for hurricanes.
Traffic & commuting
2.2% of Madison commuters spend an hour or more getting to work, and there are 1.42 vehicles per household. 20.5% work from home — worth mentioning to insurers that offer low-mileage pricing.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score (0–100) | Insurance impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 98.9 | Comprehensive (car); roof claims (home) | |
| Tornado | 97.6 | Comprehensive; dwelling | |
| Hurricane | 29.2 | Comprehensive; wind/hurricane deductibles (home) | |
| Inland (river) flooding | 94.3 | Comprehensive; home needs a separate flood policy | |
| Coastal flooding | — | Comprehensive; home needs a separate flood policy | |
| Strong wind | 92.5 | Comprehensive; dwelling | |
| Winter weather | 93.6 | Collision (icy roads); frozen pipes (home) |
Scores are national percentiles of FEMA's county risk (higher means more expected loss than most other U.S. counties).
Estimated car insurance in Madison by driver profile
A clean-record driver in their 50s pays the least in our Madison model (about $1,095 for full coverage); an 18-year-old on their own policy pays about $3,270, and a DUI pushes a 30-something to $2,200.
| Driver | Minimum | Standard | Full coverage | Full / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teen driver (18, own policy) | $1,105 | $1,605 | $3,270 | $273 |
| Young adult (22) | $645 | $935 | $1,900 | $158 |
| Adult in their 30s | $405 | $585 | $1,190 | $99 |
| Adult in their 50s | $370 | $535 | $1,095 | $91 |
| Senior (72) | $450 | $655 | $1,330 | $111 |
| 30s, one at-fault accident | $585 | $845 | $1,725 | $144 |
| 30s, DUI on record | $745 | $1,080 | $2,200 | $183 |
Minimum vs. standard vs. full coverage in Madison
| Coverage level | What it includes | Per year | Per month | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State minimum liability | Only the liability (and PIP/UM where required) limits your state mandates. No coverage for your own car. | $405 | $34 | $330–$475 |
| Standard liability (100/300/100) | Higher liability limits plus uninsured motorist coverage. Still no coverage for damage to your own car. | $585 | $49 | $480–$690 |
| Full coverage | Standard liability plus collision and comprehensive, typically required on a financed or leased car. | $1,190 | $99 | $975–$1,405 |
Estimate your premium in Madison
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Cheap car insurance in Madison: how to lower your rate
The cheapest policy is the one that fits your situation. These levers are priced with Madison's own numbers:
| Change | Est. yearly savings | Good fit if… |
|---|---|---|
| Raise collision/comprehensive deductible from $500 to $1,000 | $85 | You have savings to cover a bigger out-of-pocket repair. |
| Low-mileage / usage-based pricing (under 7,500 mi) | $85 | You're among the 20.5% of Madison workers who work from home, or you rarely drive. |
| Drop collision & comprehensive on an older car | $330 | The car is paid off and worth little more than a year of premiums. |
| Standard (100/300/100) instead of full coverage | $605 | No loan or lease requires physical-damage coverage. |
| Avoid one speeding ticket | $260 | Everyone — violations typically affect rates for three to five years. |
Also ask about bundling, good-student, paid-in-full and defensive-driving discounts, and re-shop at every renewal — the same driver can be priced very differently by different insurers. We don't recommend specific companies. Common car insurance discounts.
Comparing car insurance quotes in Madison
- Use identical limits and deductibles on every quote — e.g. 100/300/100 liability with $1,000 deductibles — or prices aren't comparable.
- Get quotes from different channels: captive agents, independent agents who quote several insurers, and direct online insurers. There are 52 offices listed below.
- Check complaint records with the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (complaint information) before you buy.
- Mention your ZIP code accurately — within Madison, our estimates differ by up to $180 a year between neighborhoods.
Car insurance agents near Madison, WI
We found 52 insurance offices within about 7 miles of central Madison, from open map data. Hover over a listing to show it on the map, click it to open the address in Google Maps, or tap it on a phone to start navigation. We don't sell insurance, rate these offices or receive anything from them.
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Leah Salter - American Family Insurance
3003 University Ave, Madison, WI 53705 -
State Farm
WI -
State Farm
222 West Washington Avenue, #20, Madison, WI 53703 -
American Family Dream Bank - American Family Insurance
WI -
Matty Smith Agency LLC
821 E Washington Ave, Ste 110, Madison, WI 53703 -
Cha & Associates, Inc.
3821 Nakoma Rd, Madison, WI 53711 -
Meg Cano Schuman - State Farm
211 S Paterson St, Suite 160, Madison, WI 53703 -
Erie Insurance
6629 University Avenue, Middleton, WI 53562 -
Neckerman Insurance Agency
WI -
Michael Donnelly - Allstate
6661 University Ave, Ste 108, Middleton, WI 53562 -
American Family Insurance
WI -
Brian Kelly Agency, LLC
6700 University Ave, Middleton, WI 53562 -
Vicki Wagener Agency LLC
5609 Medical Cir, Ste 1, Madison, WI 53719 -
Debra Lynn Armstrong - Farmers Insurance
621 N Sherman Ave, Madison, WI 53704 -
Aaron Achenbach - State Farm
6924 University Avenue, Middleton, WI 53562 -
Dan Pechauer - State Farm
6926 University Avenue, Middleton, WI 53562 -
Stainbrook Agency
WI -
Michael Wegner - State Farm
425 Grand Canyon Drive, Madison, WI 53719 -
Erie Insurance
2045 Atwood Avenue, Suite 113a, Madison, WI 53704 -
Prairieland Insurance
WI -
David Ryan-Sukup - American Family Insurance
514 Grand Canyon Dr, Madison, WI 53719 -
Carlos Chacon - American Family Insurance
1402 Greenway Cross, Ste 203, Madison, WI 53713 -
Cheng Vang - State Farm
2110 N Sherman Ave, Madison, WI 53704 -
Christina Gallagher Agency Inc
301 W Beltline Hwy, Ste 102, Fitchburg, WI 53713 -
Kevin Lease - State Farm
402 Gammon Place, Suite 304, , WI -
M3 Insurance
WI -
Daniel R Olson Agency LLC
1833 Parmenter St, Middleton, WI 53562 -
Peter R Arttus - Farmers Insurance
624a Struck St, Madison, WI 53719 -
Farmers Insurance
3141 Fish Hatchery Road, Fitchburg, WI 53713 -
Jeff Engelkes Agency, Inc.
1468 N High Point Rd, Ste 101, Middleton, WI 53562 -
Ethan Sherman - GEICO
668 N High Point Rd, Madison, WI 53717 -
Erie Insurance
2800 Royal Avenue, Suite 208, Madison, WI 53713 -
Jennifer Haack & Associates, LLC
3312 Packers Ave, Madison, WI 53704 -
Susan Kempfer - Allstate
555 Donofrio Dr, Ste 102, Madison, WI 53719 -
Maxwell Hammer - American Family Insurance
2976 Triverton Pike Dr, #225, Fitchburg, WI 53711 -
Aune & Associates Inc
579 Donofrio Dr, Ste 203, Madison, WI 53719 -
David A Gervasi - Farmers Insurance
7818 Big Sky Dr, Madison, WI 53719 -
Michael Kittoe - American Family Insurance
334 Junction Rd, Madison, WI 53717 -
Erie Insurance
8446 Excelsior Drive, Suite 2, Madison, WI 53717 -
Erie Insurance
5940 Seminole Centre Court, #225a, Fitchburg, WI 53711
Map © Google. Office list: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0) - https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright; All The Places (alltheplaces.xyz), data released under the CC-0 waiver; run 2026-09-19-13-32-18. OSM license. Listings are informational and may be out of date.
Insurance cost of popular cars in Madison
| Model | Segment | Est. full coverage / yr | vs. average car |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda CR-V | Small SUV | $890 | −25% |
| Subaru Outback | Wagon | $895 | −25% |
| Tesla Model 3 | Midsize car | $1,240 | +4% |
| Subaru Forester | Small SUV | $880 | −26% |
| Honda Civic | Compact car | $1,335 | +12% |
| Toyota Corolla | Compact car | $1,250 | +5% |
| Jeep Wrangler | Midsize SUV | $960 | −19% |
| Mazda CX-5 | Small SUV | $995 | −16% |
| MINI Cooper | Subcompact car | $895 | −25% |
| Tesla Model Y | Midsize SUV | $1,115 | −6% |
More car insurance topics in Madison
Car insurance in nearby Wisconsin cities
- Waukesha $1,190/yr · 60 mi
- Milwaukee $1,250/yr · 74 mi
- Racine $1,240/yr · 86 mi
- Kenosha $1,225/yr · 86 mi
- Appleton $1,170/yr · 97 mi
- Green Bay $1,150/yr · 122 mi
- Eau Claire $1,120/yr · 158 mi
All Wisconsin cities and state rules · Homeowners insurance in Madison
Frequently asked questions
How much is car insurance in Madison, WI?
We estimate full coverage in Madison at about $1,190 a year ($99 a month) for a driver in their 30s with a clean record, and about $405 for Wisconsin's minimum liability coverage. Real quotes vary by insurer, driver and vehicle.
Why is car insurance in Madison more expensive than the Wisconsin average?
Our Madison estimate is 9% higher than the statewide figure. The model reflects a population density of 3,412 people per square mile (the typical Wisconsin resident lives at about 516) and an average commute of 19.4 minutes versus 22.2 statewide. Denser traffic and longer drives mean more claims, which insurers price into local rates.
What car insurance is required in Madison?
Drivers in Madison follow Wisconsin law: at least 25/50/10 liability coverage and uninsured motorist coverage.
Which ZIP code in Madison has the cheapest car insurance?
Among Madison's 13 ZIP codes, 53718 has the lowest estimate (about $1,125 a year for full coverage) and 53703 the highest (about $1,305), mainly because of differences in density and commute times.
How much is car insurance for a teenager in Madison?
An 18-year-old with their own full-coverage policy would pay around $3,270 a year in Madison by our estimate ($1,105 for minimum coverage). Adding a teen to a parent's policy is usually cheaper.
Does weather affect car insurance in Madison?
Yes. FEMA's National Risk Index rates Dane County for hail (relatively high), inland (river) flooding (relatively high), and tornado (relatively high) risk. Weather mainly affects the comprehensive part of a policy, which pays for hail, flood and wind damage.
Are there car insurance agents near me in Madison?
We list 52 insurance offices in and around Madison, with addresses, phone numbers where published, and directions. We don't sell insurance or rank these offices.
How we estimate this
We start from the state's average liability, collision and comprehensive premiums published by the NAIC, then apply a location factor (population density and commute time from the Census ACS, weather hazard scores from FEMA's National Risk Index), a vehicle factor (HLDI insurance-loss data where available, otherwise vehicle segment), and a driver-profile multiplier. Results are rounded ranges for comparison, not quotes. Read the full methodology.
- Wisconsin OCI: Consumer's Guide to Auto Insurance (PI-057)
- Wisconsin OCI: Frequently Asked Questions - Automobile Insurance (PI-233)
- Wis. Stat. 632.32 (motor vehicle policy provisions)
- Wisconsin DMV: Proof of insurance (financial responsibility)
- Wisconsin OCI: Complaints
- NAIC 2022/2023 Auto Insurance Database Report
- NAIC Homeowners Insurance Report: Data for 2023
- Insurance Research Council uninsured motorist estimates (via Triple-I)
- IIHS Fatality Facts: state by state
- FBI Crime Data Explorer: Crime in the United States 2025 (Table 4)
- NICB 2022 Vehicle Theft Data: top 10 stolen vehicles by state
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table DL-1C (licensed drivers)
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table MV-1 (registrations)
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-2 (vehicle-miles traveled)
- U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 population estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (Madison and ZIP code tabulation areas)
- U.S. Census Bureau population estimates and Gazetteer files
- FEMA National Risk Index (county hazard ratings)
- Insurance office locations: OpenStreetMap contributors and All The Places