Nebraska Car Insurance [Rates + Cheap Coverage Guide]

Coach Tom Osborne. Tommie Frazier. Johnny Rodgers. Mike Rozier. Eric Crouch. Ndamukong Suh. All are Nebraska gridiron legends who helped make Memorial Stadium Nebraska’s third largest city on gameday.

Much of the tradition and success of the Cornhusker football program can be summed up in with one word: Option.

Under the tutelage Osborne, class after class of the Scarlet and Cream footballers utilized the Option Playbook to pummel their opponents every Saturday from September to January.

These men were able to dominate their competition because they took advantage of all the options that their offensive scheme afforded them.

Likewise, when it comes to affordable auto insurance, you should take advantage of all of your options by shopping for premium rates from multiple carriers.

Enter your zip code to start comparing quotes today!

Nebraska Insurance Coverage and Rates

Researching all that there is to know about car insurance rates and coverage can be both time-consuming and exhausting. We have done the bulk of the heavy lifting for you.

We’ll show you why rates in Omaha are higher than elsewhere in the state.

We will help you discover the key indicators that insurance companies consider risks and how you can mitigate those risks.

We’ll help you to know what the state requires, what you may want or need, and where you can get it at the best price.

– Nebraska Minimum Coverage

Nebraska is a traditional “fault” state, meaning that if you cause an accident, you’re responsible to pay for all the resulting damages.

Nebraska law requires all drivers to maintain “proof of financial responsibility.” This can be proof of a bond or certificate of deposit (typically in the amount of $75,000) or, for the majority of motorists, a certificate of insurance showing liability coverage at state-mandated minimum

The required minimum limits for basic coverage in Nebraska is to 25/50/25 for all motorists. This means that car owners must carry the following minimum levels of liability insurance:

$25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle, $50,000 for total bodily injury or death in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle, and $25,000 for property damage per accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle.

While Nebraska does not require you to carry Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage, it is available and it can protect you and your passengers if the at-fault driver has no insurance, or if you’re the victim of a hit-and-run.

How risky is it to only carry minimum coverage? It depends on your monthly budget and on how susceptible to potential litigation you want to leave yourself.

If you have assets or future assets that you wish to protect, you want to consider increasing your liability coverage.

The experts at the Wall Street Journal recommend liability limits of 100/300/50 and offer the following advice for choosing your coverage limits:

Make sure you’re covered for an amount equal to the total value of your assets (Add up the dollar values of your house, your car, savings, and investments).

Please be aware that basic coverage only provides you with liability protection; It will not pay to repair or replace your car for an accident that you cause.

If you’re looking to repair or replace your car after an accident, then collision and comprehensive coverage are worth the investment. These policies come with a deductible and they pay out based on the current value of your car, not necessarily the price you might have paid for it.

Self-insurance is available in Nebraska to individuals and businesses with 26 or more cars registered in the state. For a list of self-insured entities in Nebraska, click here.

Next, we will take a look at how much the average Nebraskan pays for car insurance. The amount you pay may, in all likelihood, be higher or lower than these figures, but this data will give you a framework from which you can project your own situation with reasonable accuracy.

– Premiums as a Percentage of Income

Former President of the United States Ronald Reagan once said this about taxes and income: “The taxpayer: that’s someone who works for the federal government, but doesn’t have to take a civil service examination.”

That humorous quip from the late Commander-in-Chief illustrates the concept of one’s Disposable Personal Income (DPI), which is what one makes after taxes are paid to the government.

You are mandated by law to carry at least the basic coverage. A full coverage policy includes liability, comprehensive, and collision insurance. Here’s a peek at the average cost of each:

Now that we have sorted through some data about auto insurance costs to the individual consumer, let’s take a look at some important statistics about the insurance companies themselves.

First, let us examine the concept of loss ratio.

– Loss Ratio

What exactly is a loss ratio? And what is its effect on your premiums?

The insurance loss ratio is the loss to the insurance company for claims that were paid out, divided by the premiums collected. A high loss ratio means that an insurance company has too many customers filing claims, which will subsequently lead to a rise in future premiums for all consumers.

Example: Suppose the owner of a small car dealership pays $50,000 in annual premiums to insure his or her inventory. Then, a polar vortex causes $75,000 in damages, for which the business owner submits a claim.

The insurance company’s one-year loss ratio with that customer becomes $75,000/$50,000, or 150 percent.

– Add-ons, Endorsements, Riders

Less than 10 percent of drivers in Nebraska (6.8 percent to be exact) don’t have insurance.

God forbid that you’re unfortunate enough to hit by one of those 6.8. Your misfortune would be compounded if you had declined the optional (but recommended) Uninsured Motorist Coverage.

Medical Payments Coverage is optional in Nebraska. It will pay for reasonable and necessary medical expenses, without regard to legal liability, resulting from accidental bodily injury while operating or occupying an insured vehicle or being struck as a pedestrian by a motor vehicle.

“MedPay” is often purchased in nominal amounts, such as $1,000 or more, to provide a means for quick payment of minor medical bills without having to deal with the courts or other insurance companies.

Med Pay insurance applies regardless of whether the insured or another driver was at fault. It even applies when the insured or the insured’s family are pedestrians on the street and are struck by another motorist.

Despite the increasing popularity of pay-by-the-mile car insurance plans offered by companies like Metromile, they are currently not being offered in Nebraska.

Other Usage-Based Insurance programs (UBI) are active and available to drivers in Nebraska. Programs like Drivewise from Allstate or Snapshot from Progressive or CoverageMyWay from Esurance offer discounts to drivers based on how well and how often they drive.

Additionally, there are several more optional enhancements that you can explore to decide if any of them are the right fit for you:

• Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP)
• Personal Umbrella Policy (PUP)
• Rental Reimbursement
• Emergency Roadside Assistance
• Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
• Non-Owner Car Insurance
• Modified Car Insurance Coverage
• Classic Car Insurance

– Male Vs. Female Rates in Nebraska

In 2011, Beyoncé forcefully asked and answered the questioned, “Who run the world? Girls!” Do you agree? Was she correct in her proclamation? Does this authority and endless power also extend to the auto insurance quotes that girls receive as compared to their male counterparts?

You be the judge.

Based on our research, if you’re older and married, USAA is the top choice for you. And if you’re younger and single, American Family Mutual (ironically) is the top choice for you.

Here’s a look at the Top 25 Least Expensive Demographic rates in the state of Nebraska. Where do you fit in?

Now, here are the Top 25 Most Expensive Demographic rates in Nebraska.

– Nebraska Insurance Rates by Zip Code

Do you remember that one company did a study and found Omaha drivers to be the worst in the United States?

I’ll give you one guess as to which city the most expensive Zip Codes belong. Here are the 25 zip codes with the highest average annual premiums in Nebraska:

So that you can compare and contrast, here are the 25 zip codes with the lowest average annual premiums in Nebraska:

-Nebraska Insurance Rates by City

Nebraska Car Insurance Companies

Selecting the auto insurance company that is a right fit for you can be an intimidating process.

Who’s going to give you the best rates? Who has the best customer service? Do you qualify for any discounts or upgrades? Like a hapless defender trying to tackle Tommie Frazier or Mike Rozier, it’s hard to even know where to begin and the effort alone might leave gasping for air.

We will show you how you can have confidence in choosing the best company for your specific needs.

When picking which car insurance company to give your business, you should seriously examine its public reputation.

Hopefully, the company you choose will think more highly of the public’s opinion of its reputation than Joan Jett cared about how she was perceived.

A company’s public reputation can sometimes be reflective of the kind of rates it offers to its consumers. We’ll show how the largest companies rate in the areas of financial stability and customer satisfaction.

– Financial Ratings

AM Best is a credit rating agency. It evaluates insurance companies and grades them based on their financial stability. The table below shows the ten largest insurance companies in Nebraska as measured by direct premiums written with their AM Best rating.

– Customer Satisfaction Ratings

– Companies in Nebraska with the Most and Least Complaints

For any relationship to be successful and long-lasting, trust has to be a major factor. Both parties must work together to achieve satisfaction.

Unfortunately, satisfaction isn’t always 100 percent guaranteed. When a consumer is dissatisfied, he or she can file a complaint. Those complaints, justified or not, are factored into a company’s complaint ratios.

The complaint ratio is how many complaints a company receive per one million dollars of business.

These are the companies that had the best complaint ratios in the state.

Obviously, a large company will have more complaints than a small company due to the sheer volume of business they conduct, so what matters more than the number of complaints is the complaint ratio.

If you wish to file a complaint against an insurance company in the state of Nebraska, use this form.

Click here for some facts to consider before filing a complaint.

– Complaint Ratios for Nebraska’s 10 Largest Auto Insurers

Take a look at how the largest car insurance companies in Nebraska compare with one another in terms of complaint ratios:

– Largest Car Insurance Companies in Nebraska

Ever wonder how many licensed auto insurance companies are in Nebraska? The answer is 901. 34 of those companies are in-state, while the remaining 867 are foreign to the Cornhusker State.

– Nebraska Car Insurance Rates by Company

Now, we’re going to examine which carriers, on average, give the best rates statewide.

– Nebraska Rates by Carrier and Commute

– Nebraska Rates by Carrier and Coverage Level

– Nebraska Rates by Carrier and Credit History

Have you ever wondered how your credit history affects your car insurance premiums? Consumer Reports conducted a study for Nebraska analyzing how credit history impacts premiums.

– Nebraska Rates by Carrier and Driving Record

When it comes to owning a not-so-clean driving record, your reputation can precede you. Each auto insurance company has its own underwriting criteria and each view certain violations differently. Here is a quick look at how different auto insurers in Nebraska price various driving violations:

– Nebraska Rates by Carrier and Demographic

Note: All carriers and situations are not created equal. Examine the vast difference between the rates offered to a 60-year-old married female and a 17-year-old single female by USAA:

A married 60-year-old female will pay $1,260.17 on average with USAA; while a 17-year-old single female will pay $4,333.52 with the same company.

Don’t worry about keeping up with the Joneses or with the Kardashians. Focus on your personal situation and circumstance, and choose the company offering the best rates for you.

The best way to ensure that you’re getting the best possible coverage at the best possible rates for your specific circumstance is to compare rates from multiple carriers.

Another sure-fire way to make sure your rates stay as low as possible is to be a good driver. And being a good driver entails knowing the rules of the road and adhering to them. We’ll go over the laws of the land to keep you informed and your driving record spotless.

Nebraska Laws

Trying to memorize every traffic law in Nebraska would be both time-consuming and irrational. We’ll help you to sift through the minutiae and highlight those regulations which are most relevant to motorists in Nebraska.

– Car Insurance Laws

State laws have considerable influence on auto insurance. Each state determines the type of tort law and threshold (if any) that applies in the state, the type and amount of liability insurance required, and the system used for approval of insurer rates and forms.

Insurance companies in Nebraska are subject to the regulations set by that state insurance commissioner. Ultimately, all rates and regulations must meet the fair competition standards set by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

– Car Insurance Rate-Setting Regulations

“Open competition” is the capitalistic process in which rates are formed; however, if the insurance commissioner decides that rates are excessive or could be harmful to the company’s solvency, he or she will step in and adjust those figures.

– High-Risk Insurance

The SR-22 form must be filed by drivers who have committed violations or have multiple infractions, as well as uninsured drivers and others. If your license has been revoked or suspended, you may need to file an SR-22 to have it reinstated.

The SR-22 form is available from your insurance company but it is not an insurance policy.

If you do require the SR-22 insurance proof in NE, that means your license is or will be suspended or revoked and you cannot legally drive in Nebraska. Filing the correct documentation and meeting other requirements per the DMV can help you toward eventually reinstating your driving privileges.

Please be sure to have the correct address on your driver’s license to ensure that you receive the notice.

In Nebraska the following offenses may lead to your license receiving points or being suspended:

• Driving with an expired license: 1 point.
• Speeding 11 to 15 mph over the posted limit on a highway: 2 speeding ticket points.
• Negligent driving: 3 points.
• Driving in a careless manner: 4 careless driving points.
• Operating a vehicle in a reckless manner: 5 reckless driving points in NE.
• First driving under the influence (DUI) offense: 6 DUI points.
• Point Suspension — When you accumulate 12 or more points against your license in a two-year period, your license will be revoked for a six-month duration.
• Driving Under the Influence — If breath, blood, or urine tests reveal you are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or if you are convicted of DUI.
• Collision with Bicyclist or Pedestrian — If you cause a collision with a person riding a bicycle or a pedestrian.

Your license may be canceled for an incorrect or fraudulent license application or it may be canceled if a check written to pay driver license fees is returned for insufficient funds.

– Windshield Coverage

Nebraska has no specific laws requiring windshield replacement. The state also doesn’t require insurance companies to offer special glass coverage or no-deductible windshield replacement. Your insurance company may require you to use a specific repair shop in order to receive coverage.

– Automobile Insurance Fraud in Nebraska

Insurance fraud is the second largest economic crime in America. Insurance fraud impacts premium rates and the prices consumers pay for goods and services. The department’s insurance fraud prevention division plays an important role in investigating suspected fraud.

During 2017, the division received 710 case referrals, resulting in over $8.3 million in losses statewide.

And if those fraud numbers continue to escalate it is more likely that the insurance will pass on some of that cost to you as the consumer in the form of increased premiums.

If companies didn’t have to waste your premium dollars on false claims, you could see a reduction in the rates you pay.

There are two classifications of fraud: hard and soft.

• Hard Fraud – A purposefully fabricated claim or accident
• Soft Fraud – A misrepresentation of information to the insurance company

Soft fraud is more common than hard fraud. Twenty to 40 percent of consumers admitted to lying to their insurer about one of the following:

• Number of annual miles driven
• Number of drivers in the household
• How the vehicle would be used

Insurance fraud is a felony in Nebraska. First violation: Fine of up to $5,000. Second violation: Fine of up to $10,000. Each subsequent violation: Fine of up to $15,000.

Insurance fraud is a crime no matter how you slice it. Even the “little, white lie” you tell to get a lower rate can lead to harmful consequences. That kind of willful misrepresentation of facts is called known as “rate evasion” and is $16 billion annual expense to auto insurers.

If you suspect insurance fraud, you can fill out and turn in this form.

In conjunction with the Attorney General’s Office, Nebraska has employed an Insurance Fraud Prevention Division to investigate fraudulent activity throughout the state.

– Statute of Limitations

Nebraska’s statute of limitations for filing a claim are as follows:

– Vehicle Licensing Laws

Don’t make the mistake of driving in the state of Nebraska without proper registration and insurance. The penalties for doing so are not worth the risk.

– Penalties for Driving Without Insurance

The Nebraska DMV has an online portal where residents can perform tasks such renew their registrations and drivers’ licenses, update or change their address, and retrieve their driving history. Vehicle registration and insurance information can be easily accessed through the state database.

The penalty for driving without insurance in Nebraska is as follows: License and registration suspension will be suspended; you will be assessed a reinstatement fee of $50 for each; proof of insurance mandates will remain on your record for three years.

– Proof of Financial Responsibility

Nebraska accepts the following forms as acceptable proof of financial responsibility:

• Certificate of Insurance – picture of current insurance card or pdf file of coverage on a phone, tablet, or another electronic device.
• Bond – The bond must be conditioned for the payment of up to $75,000, and it must be filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles and shall not be cancelable except after 10 days written notice to the Department.
• Property Bond – Such bond shall constitute a lien in favor of the state upon the real estate up to $75,000.
• Certificate of Deposit – A certificate of deposit or money issued by the State Treasurer after a person deposits $75,000 in cash or securities into the custody of the State Treasurer’s office.
• Certificate of Self-Insurance – A minimum of 26 vehicles registered in the state is required to qualify.

– Affidavit for Storage and Non-Use

If a vehicle has not been driven on a public highway in the State of Nebraska for at least a full registration period, the owner of the vehicle is not required to pay the registration fees for the period of time the vehicle was stored and not used.

Newly acquired vehicles that have not been driven at any time prior to registration also qualify for Storage and Non-Use for the previous months of non-use.

The individual(s) making an application for registration must present an affidavit in the form of a written statement, explaining where, when and for how long the vehicle was stored.

Such individual(s) should complete the Affidavit for Storage and Non-Use and submit it to the County Treasurer or to his or her local motor vehicle office.

– Teen Driver Laws

Proverbs 22:6 states “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Nebraska legislators must have really taken this axiom to heart when creating their teen driving laws because young motorists in the state are eligible to earn a school learner’s permit as early as 14 years old!

The regulations for a school learner’s permit state that if a teen lives in a qualified rural area and live more than one and one-half miles from school, he or she may apply for a special school-only permit (LPE).

When the adolescent motorist turns 14 years, two months and has driven under a school learner’s permit for at least two months, he or she can apply for a school permit (SCP).

With a school permit, a teen driver may drive unsupervised to and from school. He or she may also drive immediate family members (residing in the same household) to and from their respective schools.

The SCP also entitles the driver to operate a vehicle anywhere when accompanied by a licensed driver age 21 or older.

Another thing to note about teen drivers in Nebraska: hands-on experience behind the wheel supervised by an adult is mandatory.

Applicants must complete either a driver safety course or 50 hours (10 of which must be nighttime) of parent instruction.

When a teen driver in Nebraska turns 16 and has driven with a permit for at least six months without accumulating three or more points on his or her driving record, he or she can acquire a provisional license.

With a provisional license, teens are allowed to drive alone; however, they must be accompanied by a parent or licensed adult age 21 or older when driving between midnight and 6 a.m.

Exceptions apply when driving between home, work, and school. For the first six months, they’re limited to no more than one passenger under age 19.

A teen in Nebraska may apply for a full license after he or she has driven with a provisional license for 12 months or reaches the age of 18 without accumulating three or more points on his or her driving record.

All drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using a cell phone or any other wireless device while driving. Nebraska has a universal texting ban for all drivers.

– Older Driver License Renewal

Senior drivers in Nebraska must get their licenses renewed every five years just like every other driver in the general population.

Drivers age 72 and older must provide proof of adequate vision every time they renew their license, and they must renew in person as they are not permitted to renew online.

While these regulations may seem a bit unfair to older motorists, lawmakers in Nebraska say it’s a matter of public safety and are proposing even more legislation that could be viewed as restrictive to elderly drivers.

– New Resident Licensing

If you’ve recently moved to Nebraska, you may have some questions regarding how and when to apply for a new license from the Cornhusker State. The Nebraska DMV has got you covered:

New residents to Nebraska will be required to provide:

1. Proof of U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Status, containing Name and Date of Birth, and Identity.
2. Principal Address in Nebraska (at least two documents are required).
3. Applicants must disclose their valid social security number which can be verified through the Social Security Administration or show proof of exemption from the requirement by presenting a valid, unexpired Record of Arrival and Departure in a valid foreign passport (I-94 or I-94A).

Bring all required documentation to a driver’s licensing location to obtain your new Nebraska license.

– License Renewal

Driver licenses must be renewed every five years. Renewals may be completed online, in person, or by mail. You should not wait until your license expires.

The State Department of Motor Vehicles sends renewal notice postcards to applicants 30 days prior to the expiration of their current operator’s license, commercial driver’s license or state identification card.

Individuals may apply for renewal 60 days prior to their 21st birthday, however, the license will not be valid until 10 days prior to 21st birthday. Individuals 21 and over may renew 90 days prior to their birthday.

– REAL ID

The Cornhusker State is compliant with the REAL ID Act passed by Congress and enforced by Homeland Security. This means that a Nebraska-issued driver’s license or state ID is an acceptable form of identification at federal facilities, airports, and nuclear power plants.

As of October 1, 2020, anyone wishing to board an airplane or enter a federal facility must have a REAL ID-compliant form of identification.

– Rules of the Road

Nebraska is a fault state, meaning that the person at fault in an accident is responsible to pay for damages done to the other party. This is also commonly referred to as a tort state.

– Keep Right and Move Over Laws

Nebraska law requires that you keep right if driving slower than the average speed of traffic around you.

Bill (LB92) was passed in 2009, requiring drivers to move over laws for emergency vehicles. The law bars drivers from driving in the lane next to shoulders where emergency and nonemergency workers were present.

Omaha firefighter Tom Bartek is a fan of the law, which is designed to protect law enforcement officers and emergency workers.

– Speed Limits

– Seat belt Laws

Nebraska requires drivers and all front-seat passengers 18 and older to wear a seat belt. A violation is not a primary offense. Passengers in the back seat ages eight through 17 years are permitted to use an adult safety belt.

Not wearing a seat belt by itself cannot be a cause for your getting pulled over but should you be stopped for some other traffic violation, you can be ticketed for failure to wear a seat belt.

The minimum fine is $25. Additionally, failure to wear a seat belt in Nebraska could result in a decrease in monetary damages awarded in a lawsuit.

– Pickup Truck Restrictions

Nebraska Law permits passengers 18 or older to ride in the cargo areas or those partaking in a parade.

– Car Seat Laws

All children seven years old or younger are required to be seated in a child safety seat. They are not permitted to use an adult seat belt under any circumstances. Nebraska law mandates children under the age of two be seated in a rear-facing car seat.

– Ridesharing

The following insurance companies offer coverage for ridesharing services:

• Farmer’s
• GEICO
• State Farm
• USAA

– Automation on the Road

Nebraska has a limited deployment of automation statewide. Depending on the vehicle type and the level of automation, liability insurance may be required.

– Safety Laws

The goal of all safety laws should be to ensure the well-being of all motorists and pedestrians on the road. The Nebraska Department of Transportation has curated a list of helpful safety resources regarding traffic and safety laws.

One of those such resources is the Nebraska Strategic Highway Safety Plan.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has also joined the effort to educate Nebraskans about traffic safety. For example, here is a useful guide for Teen Driving Safety.

– DUI Laws

The Blood-Alcohol Content (BAC) limit in Nebraska is 0.08 percent; the High BAC limit is 0.15 percent. The first three instances of a DUI within a 15-year period are classified as misdemeanors. The fourth DUI within that same time frame is a Class IIIA felony and every successive DUI is a Class III felony.

– Drug-Impaired Driving Laws

Currently, Nebraska has no marijuana-impaired driving laws.

Nebraska Can’t-Miss Facts

Here are some can’t-miss facts about the Cornhusker State:

– Vehicle Theft in Nebraska

Car theft is no laughing matter. Which cars in Nebraska are most popular to car thieves? Check out the chart below to find out.

– Vehicle Theft by City

The table below gives a breakdown of the top cities for auto theft within the state.

– Risky and Harmful Behavior

For your information, we’ve compiled a list of all driving-related fatalities in Nebraska.

-Fatalities Involving Speeding by County

– Fatalities by DUI or Alcohol-Impaired Driver by County

– Fatality Rates Rural Vs. Urban

– Fatalities by Person Type

– EMS Response Time

– Transportation

How bad is the commute look for the motorists of Nebraska? How does rush-hour traffic compare to the rest of the nation? What methods do they use to get to work? The answers to those questions are coming up next.

– Car Ownership

– Commute Time

At just under 18 minutes, Nebraskans are well under the national average of 25.3 minutes of commute time. Only 1.16 percent of Nebraskans experience a “super commute” of 90 minutes or more.

– Commuter Transportation

You are now up-to-date on the crucial data about Nebraska driving laws and insurance requirements. And with all your newfound knowledge, you can make an informed decision in regards to whom to give your auto insurance business.

Enter your zip code below to compare car insurance quotes and to get the best rates available. It would be very un-Nebraskan of you not to make use of your best option.