Best and worst states for auto insurance premiums

Any motorist who's braved the traffic-choked streets of New York City, the breakneck pace of the New Jersey Turnpike, or the nearly out-of-control chaos of Interstate 95 will not be surprised to learn that the Northeast is home to four of the five most expensive states for auto insurance, according to figures from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). The number of claims filed is the primary driver for insurance prices.

In 1999 nationwide (the latest figures available), the average person paid $683 for auto insurance, a 2.96 percent decrease from the previous year. Below are the average premium levels charged for the standard types of auto insurance.

Worst states for average auto insurance premiums
State	Rank	Average combined premium	Average liability premium	Average collision premium	Average comprehensive premium
New Jersey	1	$1,200.40	$642.31	$369.92	$188.16
Washington, D.C.	2	$1,139.58	$557.50	$360.66	$221.43
New York	3	$1,107.96	$623.93	$287.52	$196.51
Rhode Island	4	$981.24	$561.51	$298.24	$121.48
Massachusetts	5	$976.32	$553.98	$283.76	$138.59
Based on 1999 premiums

Best states for average auto insurance premiums
State	Rank	Average combined premium	Average liability premium	Average collision premium	Average comprehensive premium
Iowa	51	$543.44	$254.41	$174.68	$114.35
Maine	50	$591.40	$299.61	$198.09	$93.70
North Dakota	49	$595.94	$234.89	$185.02	$176.03
Idaho	48	$596.81	$282.38	$194.28	$120.15
Wisconsin	47	$604.82	$303.27	$189.77	$111.78
Based on 1999 premiums

Not all people buy comprehensive or collision insurance, of course, and you can choose to buy different levels of liability insurance. These choices affect the average premium expenditure per person. Here's who spent the most for auto insurance:

State	Rank	Average amount spent
New Jersey	1	$1,033.88
Washington, D.C.	2	$988.02
New York	3	$942.96
Massachusetts	4	$889.24
Delaware	5	$862.67