For low mileage drivers, one of the largest considerations that are looked at to determine the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is your address in Fresno. More populated areas are more likely to pay higher prices, whereas areas with less congestion benefit from lower coverage costs.
The next table lists the most expensive areas in California for infrequent drivers to buy car insurance in. Fresno is listed at #17 having an annual price of $1,472 for the average insurance policy, which is approximately $123 monthly.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,168 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,121 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,763 |
| 4 | Oakland | $1,687 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,669 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,628 |
| 7 | Stockton | $1,603 |
| 8 | Santa Clarita | $1,595 |
| 9 | Long Beach | $1,578 |
| 10 | Garden Grove | $1,570 |
| 11 | Modesto | $1,547 |
| 12 | Riverside | $1,542 |
| 13 | Fontana | $1,535 |
| 14 | Moreno Valley | $1,506 |
| 15 | Santa Ana | $1,483 |
| 16 | Anaheim | $1,474 |
| 17 | Fresno | $1,472 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,381 |
| 19 | San Diego | $1,381 |
| 20 | Bakersfield | $1,381 |
| 21 | Irvine | $1,371 |
| 22 | Fremont | $1,361 |
| 23 | Huntington Beach | $1,360 |
| 24 | Oxnard | $1,344 |
| 25 | Chula Vista | $1,298 |
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Prices are approximated as vehicle location can impact prices greatly.
The vehicle model to be insured is a large factor when looking for low-priced auto insurance for infrequent drivers. Vehicles with average performance, a plethora of safety features, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than adrenaline junky models.
The table below shows auto insurance prices for a selection of the more affordable vehicles to insure in California.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $980 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD 2-Dr | $1,018 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $1,063 |
| Ford F-150 STX Regular Cab 2WD | $1,078 |
| Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,121 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LT AWD | $1,162 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $1,168 |
| Honda CR-V LX 2WD | $1,200 |
| Toyota Corolla S | $1,222 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,240 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Extended Cab 4WD | $1,245 |
| Nissan Altima 3.5 SR 4-Dr Sedan | $1,252 |
| Toyota Tacoma 4WD | $1,258 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $1,303 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $1,311 |
| Ford Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,328 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Hero | $1,335 |
| Ford F-350 Super Cab XLT Turbo Diesel 2WD | $1,348 |
| Dodge Ram 2500 Crew Cab ST 4WD | $1,350 |
| Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 4WD | $1,353 |
| Ford Focus SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $1,373 |
| Honda Odyssey EX-L | $1,398 |
| Toyota Camry SE | $1,404 |
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Data based on single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Premium costs do not factor in your specific Fresno, CA location which can modify price quotes noticeably.
Looking at the data, we can infer that makes and models like the Hyundai Elantra, Jeep Wrangler, Ford Escape, Ford F-150, and Honda Accord are a few of the cheapest vehicles to insure for low mileage drivers.
Figuring out which companies offer the most affordable auto insurance rates for infrequent drivers requires a little more effort than just picking a company at random.
Each insurer uses a different method to determine premium rates, so let’s take a look at the most budget-friendly auto insurance companies in California. Keep in mind that California auto insurance rates are influenced by many factors that can increase the cost of having a policy. Simply improving your credit, having a teen driver, or getting a DUI may generate price changes that can make some companies cheaper than competitors.
Best Auto Insurance Prices in California
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,155 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,157 |
| 3 | CSAA | $1,198 |
| 4 | Nationwide | $1,226 |
| 5 | Century National | $1,226 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,379 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,433 |
| 8 | Progressive | $1,542 |
| 9 | Allstate | $1,543 |
| 10 | Mercury | $1,548 |
| 11 | Allied | $1,556 |
| 12 | GEICO | $1,559 |
| 13 | The Hartford | $1,591 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,654 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,682 |
| 16 | State Farm | $1,733 |
| 17 | Esurance | $1,739 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,788 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 20 | Farmers | $2,026 |
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USAA offers some of the best car insurance rates in Fresno at around $1,155 a year. This is $496 less than the average policy premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, CSAA, Nationwide, and Century National also are some of the lowest-priced Fresno, CA insurance companies.
In the above rates, if you have coverage with Nationwide and switched to USAA, you could realize an annual premium reduction of upwards of $71. Customers with Century National may save as much as $71 a year, and 21st Century customers might cut rates by $224 a year.
If you want to find out if you’re overpaying, click here to start your free quote or visit several of the following companies.
Be aware that those policy prices are averages across all types of drivers and the different vehicles they drive and do not take into consideration a specific vehicle garaging location for infrequent drivers. So the auto insurance company that fits your age and vehicle best may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That helps illustrate why you need to get car insurance quotes using your own driver data and vehicle information.
Fresno auto insurance companies ranked
Selecting the top auto insurance company can be a challenge considering how many companies there are in Fresno. The ranking data shown below could help you pick which car insurance companies you want to consider when insurance shopping for infrequent drivers. The rankings below are only comprised of companies that insure vehicles nationwide, so smaller regional companies are not taken into consideration for these rankings.
Top 10 Large Auto Insurance Companies in Fresno Ranked by Customer Service
- AAA of Southern California
- GEICO
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Mercury Insurance
- The General
- Progressive
- Allstate
- AAA Insurance
- American Family
Types of discounts on Fresno auto insurance rates
Car insurance companies that offer cheap quotes for infrequent drivers may also offer policy discounts that could reduce prices by 30% or more if you qualify for them. Popular auto insurance companies and a selection of discounts are shown below.
- Travelers may offer discounts for continuous insurance, payment discounts, multi-car, early quote, driver training, and multi-policy.
- 21st Century discounts include driver training, early bird, 55 and older, theft prevention, student driver, and homeowners.
- State Farm may have discounts that include driver’s education, multiple autos, safe vehicle, good student, and anti-theft.
- GEICO offers discounts for membership and employees, multi-policy, seat belt use, driver training, multi-vehicle, anti-lock brakes, and military active duty.
- SAFECO includes discounts for anti-lock brakes, drive less, homeowner, anti-theft, teen safety rewards, multi-car, and teen safe driver.
- AAA offers premium reductions for education and occupation, good student, multi-policy, AAA membership discount, pay-in-full, good driver, and anti-theft.
The illustration below shows the comparison of insurance prices with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The prices are based on a female driver, no violations or accidents, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with marriage, accident-free, claim-free, passive restraint, multiple vehicle, and defensive driving course discounts applied. When these discounts are applied, the average savings per year on auto insurance for infrequent drivers is 28% or $830.
How accidents and tickets impact rates
A great way to find the most affordable auto insurance rates in Fresno for low mileage drivers is to drive carefully and avoid accidents and violations. The information below demonstrates how citations and at-fault collisions drive up car insurance costs for different categories of driver ages. Data assumes a single male driver, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
In the chart above, the average cost of an auto insurance policy in Fresno per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $2,467. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost rises to $2,787, an increase of $320 each year. Then throw in one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of auto insurance for infrequent drivers increases to an average of $3,677. That’s an increase of $1,209, or $101 per month, just for not being more responsible behind the wheel!
Don’t make the mistake of not shopping around
Fresno, CA auto insurance rates are determined by lots of factors which can substantially decrease or increase the price you have to pay. Improving your credit score, buying higher coverage limits, or getting a driving violation can trigger price changes that can cause some rates to be more affordable than the competition. Additionally, insurers change premium rates at least once a year as an adjustment for underwriting gains or losses. Higher than normal claim frequency or severity may cause rate hikes, while lower claim expenses can cause lower-cost Fresno car insurance rates.
The chart below shows a variety of companies that have the cheapest car insurance in Fresno, CA for a 40-year-old male driver with a clean driving record, no accidents, and a decent credit rating. When comparing rates based on his current risk factors, USAA quotes the best car insurance rates in Fresno at $1,297 per year. This is $354 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Century National, CSAA, Wawanesa, and Nationwide are the rest of the top five cheapest Fresno, CA auto insurance companies.
Now we will give the driver from above a claim, less-than-perfect credit, and a traffic ticket or two. Because every insurance company uses their own calculation for determining rates in each state, analyzing rate quotes may now present a completely different list of the cheapest companies as shown below.
Grange now has the best price on car insurance in Fresno with Progressive, Allstate, Mercury, and Allied also being competitive. This example proves why it is important to do a thorough rate comparison when trying to find affordable auto insurance rates for infrequent drivers. Prices can be determined by many different factors and can decrease or increase without notice, so the cheapest option the last time you compared rates may now not even be in the top five.