Best car insurance in Hawaii for 2024

Our 2024 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories. 

Each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. Our scoring model provides a comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and highlighting where they fall short.

• Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, average quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best, Demotech and the NAIC, were analyzed.
• Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
• Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways an auto and home insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.

Tier scores are unweighted to show the company's true score in each category out of a possible five points.

Knowing your insurance obligations is an important part of being a safe and responsible driver, and failure to maintain Hawaii state minimum liability limits can result in a ticket and a fine. Additionally, Hawaii is a no-fault state, so you may find it helpful to learn more about personal injury protection, or PIP coverage.

Because your lienholder has a financial interest in your vehicle, it wants to ensure that your car will be repaired after an accident. As such, most lienholders require full coverage as a provision of your loan agreement. If you’re leasing, you may also be required to carry certain liability limits. To avoid expensive force-placed insurance, you may want to review your finance documents carefully, and when in doubt, a conversation with a licensed agent may be in order.

The best auto insurance in Hawaii is a policy that can meet your individual needs. For example, some parts of Hawaii are relatively remote, so roadside assistance might be a good coverage option if you travel often. Perhaps you have a teen who is about to go away for college. In that case, you may want to choose a company that offers a distant student discount. Maybe you have accidents or tickets on your record and need a company that is geared toward high-risk drivers. Before shopping, you may want to think about what makes you unique from other drivers and use this information as a guide when requesting quotes.

There’s no single insurance company that has the cheapest rates in Hawaii since auto insurance is highly individualized. To determine your premium, an insurance provider will consider your driving history, vehicle make and model, location and more. Keep in mind that insurance companies weigh these factors differently, which is why shopping for car insurance can help you find the cheapest car insurance for you. If it’s been a while since you purchased your policy, you might want to request quotes at your policy’s next renewal period since this is when rates typically change.

As you’ve likely seen on television commercials, most Hawaii insurance companies will claim they are the best — and in a way, they are all telling the truth. That's because each insurance company is uniquely equipped to meet the specific needs of different drivers. For example, a Hawaiian driver who only takes one trip into town a month may want to consider an insurance provider that offers a hefty discount for driving minimal miles. Another example may be finding an affordable insurance policy for a newly licensed teenager, which isn’t always easy given their accident risk. Whatever your situation, identifying your priorities before shopping for quotes increases your chances of finding a provider that’s the best fit for you.

Driving without insurance is a serious offense. If you are caught driving without insurance in Hawaii, you could be fined up to $5,000 and have your license suspended. Subsequent offenses often come with jail time, vehicle registration suspension and higher fines. If you cause an accident and do not have insurance coverage, you will be responsible for paying for the damages out of pocket. If you cannot afford to do so, you may be sued.

Hawaii’s tropical climate comes with a downside: storms. The island is vulnerable to natural disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes and tropical storms. Your car insurance might provide coverage for damage caused by natural disasters, but only if you have comprehensive coverage. If you have minimum coverage or just liability coverage, you will not have coverage for damages caused by natural disasters.

Hawaii requires a minimum of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage, as well as a minimum of $10,000 per accident in property damage liability. The state also requires a $10,000 minimum in PIP coverage. Note that these coverage limits are increasing to 40/80/20 in January 2026 based on a state law passed in July, 2024.

No, the average full coverage car insurance is 35 percent less in Hawaii than the national average. Comparatively cheap auto insurance rates may be in part due to Hawaii’s year-round temperate climate and potential for fewer inclement weather-related claims. Another factor that may contribute to low premiums is that Hawaii’s car crash fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is relatively low, meaning serious accidents are more rare.