State profile · AL · CMS + NAIC
Alabama marketplace insurers denied 22.1% of claims (9th of 30 states); drivers average $1081/yr for auto cover, #31 nationally by cost.
The verdict
Marketplace insurers in Alabama deny 22.1% of claims - near the 20% national average, the 9th-highest of 30 states, and drivers pay an average $1081 a year for auto cover, less than the $1191 national average (the 31st-most-expensive of 51 states).
UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company: 25.2% denied (1,867,378 of 7,407,082)
25 % of claims denied
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama: 20.4% denied (2,220,164 of 10,908,371)
20 % of claims denied
Celtic Insurance Company: 19.9% denied (437,843 of 2,195,527)
20 % of claims denied
What this shows These carriers deny the largest share of marketplace claims filed in Alabama. Denial rates reflect plan design and network rules as much as carrier behaviour.
3 insurers reporting marketplace claims in Alabama
| # | Insurer | Claims | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company F | 7,407,082 | |
| 2 | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama C | 10,908,371 | |
| 3 | Celtic Insurance Company C | 2,195,527 |
Among carriers with enough reported claims to compare, Alabama's highest marketplace denial rates in this dataset belong to UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company (25.2%), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (20.4%), and Celtic Insurance Company (19.9%). A high rate often reflects utilization-review intensity and network design, not just claim legitimacy -- check the carrier's own profile before drawing conclusions.
The reported-claims sample is highly concentrated: the 3 largest insurers account for 100% of the 20,510,980 claims represented here. That makes the statewide rate especially sensitive to the mix and experience of a few reporting carriers. Only insurers with at least 1,000 claims in the CMS filing are included, so this is a description of the available dataset rather than the full insurance market.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama: 2,608 of 5,200 reported appeals overturned
50 appeals overturned (%)
UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company: 1,054 of 2,741 reported appeals overturned
39 appeals overturned (%)
What this shows Across the 2 carriers with at least 100 reported appeals in Alabama, 46.1% of reported appeals were overturned (3,662 of 7,941). This filing field describes reported outcomes, not the likelihood that an individual claim will change.
2019: $928 average expenditure
$928 avg expenditure
2020: $919 average expenditure
$919 avg expenditure
2021: $928 average expenditure
$928 avg expenditure
2022: $966 average expenditure
$966 avg expenditure
2023: $1081 average expenditure
$1,081 avg expenditure
What this shows Alabama drivers' average auto cost rose 16% between 2019 and 2023.
Year over year, Alabama's average auto expenditure rose 11.9% from 2022 to 2023, part of a 16% increase (+$153) since 2019. See the full 5-year state-by-state comparison.
Alabama auto rates in detail →Alabama: $1081/yr average auto expenditure (this state)
$1,081 avg expenditure
Oklahoma: $1085/yr average auto expenditure
$1,085 avg expenditure
New Mexico: $1082/yr average auto expenditure
$1,082 avg expenditure
West Virginia: $1063/yr average auto expenditure
$1,063 avg expenditure
Arkansas: $1051/yr average auto expenditure
$1,051 avg expenditure
Evidence map
The order below follows the evidence with the greatest bearing on this state record, while keeping the CMS claims filing, NAIC cost series, and state-rule context distinct.
Reporting-sample shape
The 3 largest reporting insurers represent 100% of the 20,510,980 claims in this page's CMS sample. That concentration means the statewide rate can be strongly affected by a few carriers and their plan mix.
Marketplace claims filing
Alabama's reporting insurers denied 22.1% of submitted marketplace claims, ranking 9th among the 30 states with a comparable federal filing. This is a carrier-reported claims measure, not a consumer-complaint rate or a prediction of how an individual claim will be resolved.
Auto-cost position
Alabama's 2023 average auto expenditure was $1081, 31st of 51 jurisdictions by cost and 9.2% below the national average. The figure reflects the coverage mix recorded by NAIC, not an individual driver's quote.
State insurance rules
Alabama uses an at-fault (tort) auto-insurance system: the driver responsible for an accident, or their insurer, is liable for the other party's damages -- unlike the 12 no-fault states. Alabama's insurance commissioner is an appointed office (in most states, by the governor), not an elected position -- one of 39 states structured this way.
Nearest expenditure peers. By average auto expenditure, Alabama's closest peers in PlainInsurer's dataset are New Mexico ($1082/yr) and Oklahoma ($1085/yr) -- both within a few dollars of Alabama's own $1081/yr.
Border comparison. Alabama borders Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Alabama's auto costs run higher than 3 of them and lower than 1, by average auto expenditure -- geography is one of several factors (alongside regulation and risk pool) that shapes these differences, not a direct cause.
Rate regulation and guaranty-fund coverage are state-specific, so a state record can differ from an insurer's national average. Sources: CMS Transparency in Coverage PUF PY2026; NAIC 2023 Auto Insurance Database; Insurance Information Institute; Ballotpedia.
State insurance-department directory links come from NAIC. PlainInsurer is not affiliated with NAIC or CMS.
Every figure on PlainInsurer comes directly from NAIC MCAS and CMS Transparency in Coverage data; no editor types in numbers. See our editorial standards or methodology, or report an error. Data current as of 2026-08-11. Grades measure only the published complaint/denial data; we don't recommend any insurer or policy.