Collision is the narrowest line on a policy: it pays to repair your own vehicle after you hit something, regardless of fault. Here's what that costs by state.
| State | Collision | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Washington DC | $664 | $264 |
| California | $607 | $150 |
| Louisiana | $581 | $346 |
| Colorado | $427 | $447 |
| Wyoming | $338 | $452 |
| South Dakota | $307 | $473 |
Collision and comprehensive run in opposite directions
Look at the two columns together. DC has the most expensive collision cover in the country and modest comprehensive. South Dakota is the reverse — the cheapest collision on the list and the most expensive comprehensive.
They're pricing different risks entirely. Collision is about hitting things, which requires other cars and objects to hit. Comprehensive is about weather, theft and animals, which happen wherever you park.
Dense urban areas generate collisions. Empty plains generate hail. Neither state is expensive overall — they're each expensive at one thing.
What drives collision up
Traffic density. More vehicles per mile of road means more contact. DC, California and Louisiana all have significant urban concentration, and a low-speed collision in traffic is the most common claim there is.
Repair costs. Labour rates in high-cost metros run well above the national average, and modern repairs increasingly involve sensor recalibration, aluminium panels and manufacturer-specified procedures. The same dent costs more to fix in DC than in Sioux Falls.
Vehicle values. Collision pays out against what the car is worth, so markets with newer, more expensive cars carry higher premiums.
The one component you fully control
This is the useful part. Liability is priced on your state's legal environment and comprehensive on its weather — neither is something you can negotiate away.
Collision follows the car. Its cost depends on the vehicle's value and repair cost, which means:
Your deductible actually moves it. Going from $500 to $1,000 typically cuts the collision premium meaningfully, and on an older car that's often the right trade.
Dropping it is a real option on a cheap car. Collision pays out at most what the car is worth. On a $4,000 vehicle in DC, $664 a year buys a maximum of $4,000 minus the deductible — we went through when that stops making sense in a fifth of the coverage available goes unbought.
The car you choose changes it. Expensive-to-repair vehicles carry higher collision premiums for the same driver, which is worth knowing before you buy rather than after — our insurance cost pages break it down by model.
Check the history before you insure it
A car with prior collision damage or a branded title is treated differently by insurers, and some decline collision cover on rebuilt titles entirely. A VIN check shows title status before you're committed. We looked at why liability, not collision, drives the expensive states in two thirds of a Florida premium.
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the most expensive collision insurance?
Washington DC at $664 a year, followed by California at $607 and Louisiana at $581. South Dakota is cheapest at $307 and Wyoming at $338 — a spread of more than double.
Why is collision expensive in cities?
Traffic density means more contact between vehicles, urban labour rates for repairs run above the national average, and modern repairs involve sensor recalibration and manufacturer-specified procedures that push costs higher.
Why do collision and comprehensive move in opposite directions?
They price different risks. Collision needs other vehicles and objects to hit, so it's expensive in dense areas. Comprehensive covers weather, theft and animals, which is why the empty plains states pay most for it.
Can I reduce my collision premium?
More than any other component. Raising the deductible cuts it meaningfully, dropping it entirely makes sense on a low-value car since it can only pay out what the vehicle is worth, and choosing a cheaper-to-repair car lowers it from the start.
Denis Kataev is a serial solopreneur and the founder of ForCar. With 15+ years in software engineering and 10 years in SEO, he builds data-driven products end to end — backed by a sharp eye for design. At ForCar he mines proprietary vehicle datasets, turning raw numbers into buying advice you can actually trust.
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