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Allstate Connecticut car insurance is about to get a lot more expensive for thousands of drivers. One of its units filed a 19.9% average rate increase with state regulators. On a book this size, that adds more than $11 million in yearly premium.
The increase runs through Century-National Insurance Company, a specialty auto unit inside Allstate’s group. That matters, because these policies already run higher than standard rates. Most drivers won’t see it coming until the renewal notice lands.
Here’s what got filed, who it hits, and how to keep your own rate down.
What Allstate Connecticut Car Insurance Just Filed
The filing covers Century-National Insurance Company, which writes the One Choice auto product in Connecticut. It raises rates an average of 19.9% across that book. The change reaches 11,361 Connecticut policyholders.
Century-National sits inside Allstate’s group through National General. Allstate bought National General in 2021, and the California Department of Insurance exam report lists National General as Century-National’s parent. So the filing is an Allstate-group rate move, even though the name on the policy reads Century-National.
That 19.9% is an average, so some drivers will see less and some will see more. Across the book, the increase adds about $11.3 million in yearly premium. The dates are the part to watch, with new business priced on the new rates from May 21, 2026, and renewals from July 3, 2026.
| What Got Filed | Detail |
|---|---|
| Average rate change | +19.9% |
| Connecticut drivers affected | 11,361 |
| Added yearly premium | About $11.3 million |
| New business effective | May 21, 2026 |
| Renewal effective | July 3, 2026 |
Source: Connecticut Insurance Department rate filing GMMX-134740005, filed by Century-National Insurance Company. Public filing detail via SERFF filing access.
Why Century-National Drivers Feel This More
Century-National writes specialty and non-standard auto. Insurers use these books for drivers who don’t fit a clean profile, like those with a recent ticket, a gap in coverage, or a thinner credit history. Rates on these policies already sit above standard rates.
A 19.9% jump on an already-high premium stings more in dollar terms. Across this book the increase averages close to $990 per policy a year, though that number hides a wide spread. A driver on the low end of the book will see far less, while a higher-risk policy could see well past that.
Non-standard drivers also tend to shop less often, which insurers count on. Staying put out of habit is the most expensive choice here. A higher-risk label doesn’t lock you into one company, and that’s the key point.
The label can also change. Two or three clean years can move a driver from a non-standard book onto a standard one. When that happens, the savings often dwarf any single rate filing.
How Big a 19.9% Increase Looks in Real Dollars
An average percentage hides what the change feels like at the kitchen table. The dollar impact depends on what you pay today. The higher your current premium, the bigger the raw increase.
A driver paying $1,800 a year would owe about $2,158 after a 19.9% bump, or roughly $358 more. At $2,500, the same percentage adds about $498. At $3,500, which is common on a non-standard policy with a young driver, the increase runs close to $696.
Those figures are simple math on the filed average, not quotes. Your own number could land higher or lower based on your car, your ZIP code, and your record. The point holds either way, since a percentage near 20% turns into hundreds of dollars fast.
This is why a rate filing is worth your attention even before the notice arrives. A few hours of shopping can offset an entire year’s increase. That return on your time is hard to beat.
What’s Pushing Connecticut Auto Rates
Rate increases rarely come from one cause. Repair costs, medical costs, and the price of replacing totaled vehicles have all climbed in recent years. The Insurance Information Institute notes that insurers price each policy on expected claims cost, so when those costs rise, premiums follow.
Non-standard books feel that cost pressure first. Drivers on these policies file more claims on average, so a small rise in claim severity hits the math harder. That helps explain why a specialty unit is filing a steep increase while some standard carriers in the state hold rates flat.
Connecticut also runs dense, high-traffic corridors between New York and Boston. More cars and more miles mean more crashes, and more crashes push claims cost up. Our Connecticut car insurance guide breaks down what drives the state’s premiums and how they compare.
Uninsured drivers add to the bill too. When an uninsured motorist causes a crash, those costs shift onto insured drivers through higher uninsured-motorist rates. Our breakdown of uninsured driver statistics shows how much that pressure varies from state to state.
None of this means you’re stuck. It means the gap between the cheapest and priciest quote in Connecticut is wide right now. Wide gaps reward drivers who compare.
How to Compare After the Increase
Shopping a non-standard policy works a little differently. Standard carriers may quote you a lower rate once your record has cleared. Get both standard and non-standard quotes so you can see the full range.
Look past the headline premium when you compare. Match the same liability limits, the same deductibles, and the same drivers on each quote. A cheaper price with thinner coverage isn’t a real saving.
Ask each insurer about usage-based programs too. Many now offer a telematics option that rewards safe driving with a discount after a few months. For a careful driver stuck on a non-standard rate, that data can be the fastest proof you deserve a lower price. Our Allstate review covers the group’s own telematics option and how it stacks up.
Connecticut Rates Are Splitting Two Ways
This increase runs against the trend at some other carriers. Several big insurers are holding or cutting rates in 2026 even as specialty books climb. That split is the real story for drivers.
Two people in the same ZIP code can see their rates move in opposite directions, depending on the company and the book they sit on. We broke down this pattern in our look at 2026 car insurance rate changes.
For a Century-National driver facing 19.9%, the takeaway is simple. Cheaper options likely exist in the same market. The only way to find out is to compare.
A divergence like this also fades over time. Today’s hiker can be next year’s cutter, and the reverse is just as true. Shopping every renewal is what protects you across the cycle, not loyalty to one brand.
When the Increase Hits Your Policy
The timing gives you a window. If your renewal lands after July 3, 2026, the new rate shows up on that notice. Read it closely and check the new premium against your old one.
You don’t have to wait for the renewal to act. You can get quotes from other insurers any time, even mid-term. If you find a better rate, you can switch when your current term ends and skip the increase.
Drivers with a clean recent record have the most room to push back. A few years without a claim or ticket can move you off a non-standard book entirely. That shift alone can undo a 19.9% increase.
Keep your paperwork ready before you shop. Your current declarations page, your driver’s license, and your car’s details speed up every quote. For the full picture on why rates climb and how to push back, see our guide on how to avoid costly 2026 rate hikes.
What the Filing Changes and What It Doesn’t
The filing changes your price, not your coverage. Your liability limits, deductibles, and add-ons stay exactly as you set them. The increase simply raises the premium for that same protection.
Your state requirements don’t change either. Connecticut still requires liability limits of 25/50/25 plus uninsured-motorist coverage, per the Connecticut Insurance Department. The Century-National filing sits on top of those rules and doesn’t alter them.
So the choice in front of you is about value, not legality. Allstate Connecticut car insurance now costs 19.9% more for the same coverage, or you can shop that same coverage for less. The filing makes that comparison worth doing now rather than later.
How to Save on Insurance
A rate increase is the best reminder to shop your policy. These steps work for any Connecticut driver facing a hike:
- Compare quotes from at least five insurers before you renew, including standard carriers, not just specialty ones.
- Ask whether a clean recent record moves you off the Century-National book and onto a lower standard rate.
- Raise your deductible if you can cover it, which lowers your premium right away.
- Bundle auto with renters or home coverage for a multi-policy discount.
- Check your Allstate review and compare it against other carriers using our car insurance by state guide.
The Allstate Connecticut car insurance increase is locked in for Century-National policies, but your response to it is not. A single afternoon spent comparing quotes can wipe out the entire 19.9% jump for a careful driver. Treat this renewal as your deadline to shop, not just another bill to pay.
Sources Used
- Connecticut Insurance Department, rate filing GMMX-134740005 (Century-National Insurance Company, One Choice auto): SERFF filing access
- California Department of Insurance, Century-National Insurance Company exam report (parent company detail): insurance.ca.gov
- Insurance Information Institute, Background on Pricing: iii.org
- InsuranceRateGuard.com, 2026 rate-filing tracking across U.S. auto insurers
Verified: 2026-07-03