You have most likely seen the commercials from insurers like State Farm and GEICO that make promises of the cheapest price. So drivers just need to choose one randomly, right?
It’s not that simple, unfortunately, as there are many unknown aspects like your financial stability, if you have a spouse, if you just need liability coverage, and if you are a man or woman, that all have an effect on the price of a policy. Car insurance is kind of a dry topic, but this article will explain the best ways to avoid high prices and will give you a good start in finding the cheapest insurance in California.
Comparing rates for low-priced car insurance is challenging, and figuring out which insurers offer the cheapest auto insurance rates for state employees takes a little more work.
Each insurer uses their own method for establishing rates, so first let’s look at the rankings for the most affordable auto insurance companies in Fresno, CA.
Lowest Insurance Price Quotes in California
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,121 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,192 |
| 3 | Century National | $1,214 |
| 4 | CSAA | $1,222 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,226 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,379 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,447 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,488 |
| 9 | Allstate | $1,513 |
| 10 | GEICO | $1,513 |
| 11 | Progressive | $1,558 |
| 12 | The Hartford | $1,591 |
| 13 | Allied | $1,603 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,606 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,682 |
| 16 | Esurance | $1,705 |
| 17 | State Farm | $1,733 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,777 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,842 |
| 20 | Farmers | $2,006 |
| View More Rates Go | ||
USAA may offer some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Fresno at around $1,121 per year. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide also rank well as some of the cheaper Fresno, CA insurance companies.
In the rate table above, if you are a policyholder with Wawanesa and switched to USAA, you could realize an annual premium reduction of roughly $71. Customers with Century National might save as much as $93 a year, and CSAA policyholders might lower prices by up to $101 a year.
Bear in mind that those premium estimates are averaged for all drivers and vehicles and do not factor in a specific vehicle garaging location for state employees. So the car insurance company that fits your situation best may not even be in the top 24 companies shown above. That affirms the importance of why you need to quote rates from as many companies as possible using your own personal information and vehicle type.
The vehicle you are seeking coverage for is one of the primary factors in finding the lowest-priced car insurance for state employees. Vehicles with reasonable performance levels, a great safety record, or a positive history of liability claims will cost much less to insure than adrenaline junky models. The next list estimates coverage rates for a number of the most budget-friendly vehicles to buy insurance for.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $979 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $1,098 |
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $1,121 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $1,145 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,217 |
| Dodge Ram Quad Cab TRX4 Off Road 2WD | $1,267 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4WD 4-Dr | $1,282 |
| Hyundai Sonata SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,302 |
| Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $1,308 |
| Toyota Tacoma 2WD | $1,302 |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid | $1,325 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $1,327 |
| Toyota RAV4 2WD | $1,335 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,332 |
| Ford F-350 XLT Crew Cab Cabela Turbo Diesel 2WD | $1,345 |
| Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $1,352 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,392 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,402 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $1,397 |
| Honda Odyssey EX-L W/Navigation | $1,407 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $1,421 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD | $1,426 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LT Extended Cab 4WD | $1,484 |
| Start Your Quote Go | |
Cost estimates assume single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, and homeowner. Price estimates do not factor in specific zip code location which can alter coverage prices considerably.
Based upon the table data, you can presume that vehicles like the Honda Accord, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Ford Escape are most likely going to be the less-costly vehicles to insure for state workers.
Get discount Fresno auto insurance
Auto insurance companies that offer coverage for state employees may have discounts that can lower rates by 40% or more if you meet specific criteria. Popular auto insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts include:
- Progressive offers discounts including homeowner, multi-vehicle, good student, online quote discount, and multi-policy.
- The Hartford includes discounts for anti-theft, driver training, good student, air bag, defensive driver, bundle, and vehicle fuel type.
- Mercury Insurance has savings for type of vehicle, good student, multi-policy, good driver, and multi-car.
- GEICO may have discounts that include multi-vehicle, air bags, anti-lock brakes, driver training, multi-policy, and emergency military deployment.
- AAA policyholders can earn discounts including pay-in-full, multi-policy, good driver, multi-car, and education and occupation.
- State Farm offers premium reductions for good driver, good student, student away at school, defensive driving training, and Drive Safe & Save.
The diagram below shows the comparison of insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the premium. The rates are based on a female driver, no claims or driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $500 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multiple vehicle, safe-driver, claim-free, homeowner, multiple policy, and accident-free discounts applied. When discounts are applied, the average yearly reduction on auto insurance for state employees is 28% or $747.
Impact of careless driving on auto insurance rates
One of the best ways to receive affordable auto insurance rates in Fresno for state workers is to drive cautiously and avoid getting tickets or having accidents. The chart below illustrates how speeding tickets and fender-benders can influence auto insurance rates for different insured age categories. The prices are based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
The data in the chart shows the average cost of car insurance in Fresno per year with no violations or accidents is $2,935. Get written up for two speeding tickets and the average cost jumps to $3,944, an increase of $1,009 each year. Now get one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the annual cost of auto insurance for state employees jumps again to an average of $4,975. That’s an increase of $2,040, or $170 per month, just for not driving carefully!
The illustration below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles can change insurance prices when searching for cheap insurance for state employees. The premiums assume a married female driver, comp and collision included, and no policy discounts are applied.
The data above shows that a 30-year-old driver could cut expenses by $350 a year by changing from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $530 by using a $1,000 deductible. Youthful drivers, such as the 20-year-old chart data, could save $750 each year by choosing a higher deductible.
When using a larger deductible, it is necessary to have enough in a savings account to enable you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the main drawback of higher deductibles.
Last year’s bargain might be this year’s rip off
Fresno, CA auto insurance rates are determined by lots of factors which can substantially change the price you have to pay for coverage. Getting older, moving across town, or having an accident may cause policy rate changes resulting in some rates now being more affordable than competitors. In addition to those changes, insurers change rates as often as every three months in order to protect their financial rating. Higher than normal claim frequency or severity can result in increased policy costs, while lower claim levels can cause more affordable Fresno car insurance rates.
For example, the data below demonstrates which company has the cheapest car insurance in Fresno, CA for a 30-year-old female driver with no accidents or violations, and a good credit rating. If we estimate prices based on her current rating profile, USAA may offer the best car insurance rates in Fresno at $1,284 annually. This is $367 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Century National, Wawanesa, Nationwide, and CSAA round out the rest of the most affordable Fresno, CA auto insurance companies.
Let’s now give the driver in the first example an accident claim, bad credit, and a speeding citation. Since each auto insurer has a proprietary method to determine rates, getting updated rate quotes could now result in a new list of affordable companies as shown below.
Grange now has the cheapest price in Fresno with Progressive, Mercury, GEICO, and Allied also being competitive. This example demonstrates why drivers need to compare many different companies to find the best insurance rates for state employees.
Car insurance prices can be altered by many factors and change substantially, so the most economical company six months ago may now be an over-priced policy.