The vehicle model that needs insurance is probably the most important factor when comparing quotes for cheaper insurance for drivers under 21. Vehicles with reasonable performance levels, an excellent safety record, or a positive history of liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than adrenaline junky models. The table below presents auto insurance costs for a handful of the cheaper automobiles to insure.
| Insured Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda Accord LX-P 4-Dr Sedan | $2,910 |
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $2,916 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $2,910 |
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $2,917 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,187 |
| Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4WD 2-Dr | $3,252 |
| Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 2WD | $3,259 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T Station Wagon | $3,391 |
| Honda Odyssey EX | $3,420 |
| Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $3,426 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $3,420 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $3,425 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $3,456 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS AWD | $3,466 |
| Toyota RAV4 4WD | $3,456 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $3,463 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Hero | $3,456 |
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Data based on single female driver age 19, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Estimates do not factor in your specific Fresno, CA location which can modify premium rates substantially.
Looking at the data, you can conclude that makes and models like the Honda Accord, Ford Escape, Hyundai Elantra, and Honda CR-V are going to be some of the more affordable vehicles to insure for minors. The cost of auto insurance will be higher anyway just because there is more claim risk for drivers under 21, but overall those vehicles will most likely have the least expensive rates compared to other types of vehicles.
For minors, one of the more important things that help determine the price you pay for insurance is where you keep your car in Fresno. Areas with more people or higher crime rates will most likely pay more, whereas less populated areas have the benefit of cheaper auto insurance prices.
The information below lists the priciest cities in California for drivers under 21 in which to buy car insurance. Fresno comes in at #15 with the annual price of $1,502 for coverage, which is about $125 monthly.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,146 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,142 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,738 |
| 4 | Sacramento | $1,720 |
| 5 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 6 | Stockton | $1,603 |
| 7 | Santa Clarita | $1,580 |
| 8 | San Bernardino | $1,580 |
| 9 | Fontana | $1,566 |
| 10 | Long Beach | $1,562 |
| 11 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 12 | Riverside | $1,527 |
| 13 | Garden Grove | $1,508 |
| 14 | Moreno Valley | $1,506 |
| 15 | Fresno | $1,502 |
| 16 | Anaheim | $1,488 |
| 17 | Santa Ana | $1,439 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,423 |
| 19 | Huntington Beach | $1,416 |
| 20 | Fremont | $1,389 |
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Rates are estimated as the specific garaging location can affect coverage prices greatly.
Determining which company quotes the best car insurance rates for drivers under 21 will take a little more work than just getting one or two price quotes.
Every insurance provider has a proprietary method to set their prices, so let’s rank the car insurance companies with the overall best prices in Fresno. It’s a good idea to know that Fresno car insurance rates are impacted by many factors which can substantially change the price you have to pay. Getting older, buying a home instead of renting, or getting a DUI may generate price changes resulting in some rates now being cheaper than before.
Cheapest Insurance Rates for Minors
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,121 |
| 2 | Century National | $1,178 |
| 3 | Wawanesa | $1,181 |
| 4 | CSAA | $1,222 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,250 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,338 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,491 |
| 8 | Progressive | $1,496 |
| 9 | GEICO | $1,529 |
| 10 | Allstate | $1,543 |
| 11 | Mercury | $1,548 |
| 12 | Allied | $1,556 |
| 13 | The Hartford | $1,575 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,638 |
| 15 | Esurance | $1,688 |
| 16 | Unitrin | $1,699 |
| 17 | State Farm | $1,699 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,806 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,831 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,966 |
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USAA may have some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Fresno at around $1,121 per year. Century National, Wawanesa, CSAA, and Nationwide are also some of the cheapest Fresno, CA insurance companies.
In the rate table above, if you are currently insured with CSAA and switched to USAA, you could realize a yearly price reduction of roughly $101. Policyholders with Nationwide could save as much as $129 a year, and 21st Century customers might cut rates by $217 a year.
These premium estimates are averaged across all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and are not factoring in an exact location for drivers under 21. So the car insurance company that can offer you the best price may not even be in the top 24 companies shown above. That emphasizes why you need to compare rates from as many companies as possible using your own driver and vehicle profiles.
How violations and accidents impact rates
The common sense way to obtain the best car insurance premiums for minors is to drive safe and maintain a clean driving record. The illustration below illustrates how speeding tickets and at-fault accidents raise insurance costs for different categories of driver ages. The premiums assume a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
The data above shows the average cost of car insurance in Fresno per year with no violations or accidents is $2,637. Factor in one speeding ticket and the average cost rises to $2,993, an increase of $356 each year. Then throw in one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of car insurance for drivers under 21 goes up to an average of $3,993. That’s an increase of $1,356, or $113 per month, just for not maintaining a clean driving record!
Difference between full coverage and liability only rates
Finding cheaper car insurance is important to most vehicle owners, and one of the quickest ways to reduce the cost of insurance for drivers under 21 is to buy liability only. The diagram below compares insurance rates with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The costs are based on a clean driving record, no claims, $1,000 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Averaged for all age groups, comp and collision coverage costs $1,849 per year over having just liability coverage. That is a large expense and it proposes the question if physical damage coverage is worth the money. There is no written rule for eliminating comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is more than around 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
There are a few situations where dropping physical damage coverage is not financially feasible. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should keep full coverage in place.
Why are you paying too much for Fresno car insurance?
Fresno, CA car insurance rates are based on many factors that may substantially change the price of your policy. Getting older, buying a different vehicle, or getting a ticket for running a stop sign can trigger changes in premium that can cause some rates to be affordable when they were higher priced.
In addition to those changes, insurers change prices as often as every quarter in order to remain profitable. Higher than normal claims may cause high rates, while a profitable period can cause cheaper Fresno car insurance rates.
For instance, the graph below demonstrates which company has the cheapest car insurance in Fresno, CA for a 45-year-old female driver with a clean driving record, no accidents, and a high credit rating. If we look at prices based on her current rating profile, USAA may have the lowest car insurance rates in Fresno at $1,284 annually. This is $367 less than the average policy premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, Nationwide, and CSAA round out the rest of the top five cheapest Fresno, CA auto insurance companies.
In this next rate comparison, we will give the driver from above a claim, a lower credit score, and a few traffic violations. Since each auto insurance company uses their own calculation for setting rates, comparing insurance quotes could result in a different ranking of the cheapest car insurance companies in Fresno as shown below.
Grange now has the lowest price in Fresno with Progressive, GEICO, Mercury, and Allstate also having competitive pricing. This shows why drivers need to take the time to shop around when trying to get affordable auto insurance rates for drivers under 21.
Insurance rates are calculated by many things and can change substantially, so the most economical company the last time you compared rates may now not even be in the top five.