For new drivers, one of the big things that determine auto insurance rates is where you normally keep your vehicle in Fresno. Areas with increased crime or more people likely pay more, whereas areas that tend to be more rural have the enjoyment of a little cheaper coverage.
The following table lists the most expensive cities in California for inexperienced drivers to purchase car insurance in. Fresno is ranked #16 costing $1,457 on average, which is approximately $121 monthly.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | $2,142 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | $2,104 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 4 | Oakland | $1,687 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,669 |
| 6 | Long Beach | $1,610 |
| 7 | San Bernardino | $1,580 |
| 8 | Stockton | $1,556 |
| 9 | Santa Clarita | $1,548 |
| 10 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 11 | Fontana | $1,519 |
| 12 | Garden Grove | $1,508 |
| 13 | Moreno Valley | $1,506 |
| 14 | Riverside | $1,482 |
| 15 | Anaheim | $1,474 |
| 16 | Fresno | $1,457 |
| 17 | Santa Ana | $1,453 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,437 |
| 19 | Irvine | $1,384 |
| 20 | San Diego | $1,368 |
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Prices are approximated as specific Fresno garaging address can change premiums greatly.
The car, truck, or SUV requiring coverage is probably the most important factor that determines whether or not you can buy the lowest-priced insurance for inexperienced drivers. Vehicles with limited top-end speed, good crash test ratings, or a track record of few liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than adrenaline junky models.
The data below illustrates insurance prices for a number of the more affordable automobiles to insure.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,094 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,117 |
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $1,153 |
| Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,163 |
| Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,192 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $1,197 |
| Ford F-150 Lariat Super Cab 4WD | $1,215 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Crew | $1,223 |
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $1,238 |
| Toyota Corolla XLE | $1,254 |
| Toyota Tacoma X-Runner 2WD | $1,259 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4WD | $1,276 |
| GMC Sierra SLT Crew Cab 2WD | $1,286 |
| Ford Fusion SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $1,276 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ 2WD | $1,281 |
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Table data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, and claim-free. Premium costs do not factor in vehicle location which can change coverage prices noticeably.
Looking at the rates, we can infer that makes and models like the Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Prius, and Honda CR-V are likely to be a few of the cheapest vehicles to insure for new drivers.
Finding decent, affordable insurance is challenging, and finding out which company has the most affordable insurance rates for inexperienced drivers requires even more rate comparisons. Every car insurance company has their own unique process for determining prices, so let’s rank the most competitive insurance companies in California.
It’s a good idea to be aware that Fresno, CA insurance rates are calculated based on many things which can substantially change the price of coverage. Simply improving your credit, buying a home, or getting caught speeding can trigger changes in premium that may make certain companies affordable when they were higher priced.
Find the Cheapest Car Insurance for Newbies
USAA may offer some of the lowest car insurance rates in Fresno at around $1,143 each year. This is $508 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide would also be considered some of the cheapest Fresno, CA insurance companies.
As shown above, if you are a customer of Wawanesa and switched to USAA, you might achieve yearly savings of around $38. Policyholders with Century National might save as much as $71 a year, and CSAA insureds might reduce rates by $79 a year.
To get a quick, customized rate comparison, click here to start your custom quote or click several companies below for low rates.
Understand that those premium estimates are averages for all types of drivers and the different vehicles they drive and do not factor in a specific zip code for inexperienced drivers. So the car insurance company that has the cheapest price for you may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That helps illustrate why you need to compare as many prices as possible using your own driver data and vehicle information.
Insurance rate increases from tickets or accidents
A great way to snag cheap insurance premiums in Fresno for new drivers is to drive cautiously and avoid traffic citations and accidents. The chart below shows how traffic citations and accidents can influence insurance prices for different age groups of insureds. Data assumes a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
In the chart above, the average cost of a car insurance policy in California per year with no accidents or violations is $2,596. Add in two speeding tickets and the average cost hikes up to $3,710, an increase of $1,114 each year. Next add one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the 12-month cost of insurance for inexperienced drivers jumps again to an average of $4,851. That’s an increase of $2,255, or $188 per month, just for not driving attentively!
Types of discounts on Fresno insurance rates
Car insurance companies that sell policies for inexperienced drivers could also offer premium discounts that could reduce prices by 40% or more if you meet specific eligibility requirements. Large insurance companies and their offered discounts are shown below.
- AAA offers discounts for anti-theft, multi-policy, education and occupation, good driver, and good student.
- Progressive includes discounts for online signing, online quote discount, multi-policy, continuous coverage, and good student.
- State Farm may include discounts for multiple autos, multiple policy, good driver, student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, anti-theft, and accident-free.
- Esurance discounts include Switch & Save, good driver, good student, homeowner, renters, anti-lock brakes, and Pac-12 alumni.
- Nationwide offers premium reductions for Farm Bureau membership, easy pay, business or organization, multi-policy, and family plan.
The diagram below compares car insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. Data assumes a male driver, a clean driving record, no claims, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $100 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the price with no discounts. The second shows the rates with defensive driving course, accident-free, multiple policy, marriage, vehicle safety, and passive restraint discounts applied. When these discounts are applied, the average amount saved on insurance for inexperienced drivers is 28% or $698.
Do you need full coverage?
Finding cheaper insurance is the goal of most drivers, and one easy way to find cheap insurance for inexperienced drivers is to only buy liability insurance. The information below compares insurance costs with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The information is based on no claims or violations, $100 deductibles, single status, and no other discounts are factored in.
If we average the cost for all age groups, physical damage coverage on your policy costs an additional $2,525 per year more than buying just liability insurance. Many of you may wonder if paying for full coverage is a waste of money. There isn’t a written rule to eliminate full coverage, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than about 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your vehicle’s replacement cost is $10,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, you would only receive $9,000 after you pay the deductible. If it’s costing you more than $900 annually to have full coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
There are some situations where buying only liability insurance is not advised. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not buy liability only.