The words “cheap” and “insurance” really shouldn’t be used together, in particular when comparison shopping for the best car insurance for teachers. To save some money, let’s introduce you to a few of the things that have a considerable impact on auto insurance rates, and find a way to reduce the cost of your next policy.
The make and model of vehicle on the policy is one of the main factors when comparison shopping for affordable insurance for teachers. Vehicles with economical engines, modern passenger safety features, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than high performance models. The list below showcases coverage prices for a number of the more affordable vehicles to insure in California.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $933 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T Station Wagon | $1,065 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Hero | $1,081 |
| Hyundai Elantra Blue 4-Dr Sedan | $1,115 |
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $1,120 |
| Toyota Corolla LE | $1,135 |
| Toyota Tacoma X-Runner 2WD | $1,145 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $1,135 |
| Honda Odyssey EX-L W/Rear Entertainment | $1,141 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ 2WD | $1,156 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,159 |
| Dodge Ram 3500 Crew Cab ST 2WD | $1,198 |
| Nissan Rogue SL AWD | $1,215 |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid | $1,237 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 4WD | $1,254 |
| Dodge Ram Crew Cab Sport 4WD | $1,258 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $1,265 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | |
Table data represents single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, and homeowner. Rate quotes do not factor in vehicle garaging location which can affect premium rates greatly.
Based upon the rates shown, you can conclude that makes and models like the Honda CR-V, Volkswagen Jetta, Dodge Grand Caravan, Hyundai Elantra, and Ford Escape are a few of the cheapest vehicles to insure for teachers and educators.
For teachers and educators, one of the big components that determine car insurance rates is the neighborhood you call home. Regions with more people or even just more weather-related claims tend to have higher auto insurance costs, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims have the gratification of cheaper auto insurance rates.
The illustration below lists the most expensive cities in California for teachers to purchase a policy in. Fresno makes the list at #17 with an annual cost of $1,457 for the average policyholder, which is approximately $121 per month.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | $2,142 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | $2,083 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 4 | Oakland | $1,687 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,669 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,628 |
| 7 | Long Beach | $1,626 |
| 8 | Fontana | $1,566 |
| 9 | Garden Grove | $1,554 |
| 10 | Santa Clarita | $1,548 |
| 11 | Riverside | $1,542 |
| 12 | Stockton | $1,541 |
| 13 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 14 | Moreno Valley | $1,491 |
| 15 | Anaheim | $1,488 |
| 16 | Santa Ana | $1,483 |
| 17 | Fresno | $1,457 |
| 18 | Huntington Beach | $1,416 |
| 19 | San Jose | $1,395 |
| 20 | Fremont | $1,361 |
| Quote Best Rates Go | ||
Table data uses approximated as specific location information can lower or raise price quotes greatly.
Establishing which company offers the lowest-priced insurance rates for teachers takes a little more effort in order to find the lowest price. Every insurance provider has a different formula to set premium rates, so we’ll go over the insurance companies with the most affordable rates in California.
Find the Cheapest Car Insurance for Educators
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,143 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,181 |
| 3 | CSAA | $1,222 |
| 4 | Nationwide | $1,226 |
| 5 | Century National | $1,226 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,366 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,447 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,503 |
| 9 | Progressive | $1,512 |
| 10 | GEICO | $1,529 |
| 11 | Allstate | $1,543 |
| 12 | Allied | $1,556 |
| 13 | The Hartford | $1,575 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,654 |
| 15 | State Farm | $1,682 |
| 16 | Unitrin | $1,699 |
| 17 | Esurance | $1,705 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,842 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,966 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | ||
USAA has some of the lowest car insurance rates in Fresno at around $1,143 annually. This is $508 less than the average policy premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, CSAA, Nationwide, and Century National would also make the list of some of the cheaper Fresno, CA car insurance companies.
In the above rates, if you have coverage with Century National and switched to Wawanesa, you could realize an annual premium reduction of upwards of $45. Insureds with 21st Century might save as much as $185 a year, and Grange policyholders might see rate reductions of $266 a year.
Be aware that those policy rates are averaged across all drivers and vehicles and and are not calculated with an exact vehicle garaging location for teachers. So the company that can offer the best rates for your situation may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That is why you need to compare rates from as many companies as possible using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
Do you need full coverage?
Reducing the cost of insurance should be important to the majority of people, and an effective way to pay less for insurance for teachers is to buy only liability coverage. The chart below illustrates the difference between premium costs with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The data is based on no violations or accidents, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are factored in.
If the expense is averaged for all age categories, physical damage coverage costs an additional $2,467 per year more than just buying liability only. That amount may make you wonder if buying full coverage is worth the expense. There isn’t a steadfast formula of when to exclude physical damage coverage, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is 10% or more of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
For example, let’s say your vehicle’s claim settlement value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most you would receive is $4,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If premiums are more than $400 annually for full coverage, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
The illustration below highlights how deductible choice can change insurance premiums when researching cheap insurance for teachers. The rate quotes are based on a single male driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are applied.
As shown above, a 30-year-old driver could pocket $410 a year by switching from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $616 by changing to a $1,000 deductible. Younger drivers, like the Age 20 category, could potentially save up to $1,190 each year by choosing a larger deductible amount.
When raising deductibles, it will be important to have spare funds to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense that comes with higher deductibles.
How to find cheaper insurance for teachers
The list below summarizes some of the recommended thrifty solutions that can help you find lower-cost coverage.
- Buy a safer vehicle
- Prevent price hikes by avoiding at-fault accidents
- Buying home and auto together can help save money
- Try paying for small claims out-of-pocket
- Do not get tickets or violations
- Compare rate quotes frequently
The last item on the list is remarkably important, as we hit on in this article. Coverage prices vary considerably, so don’t hesitate to buy from a new company if a lower price can be found. Having a favorite company is great, but it’s not recommended if that devotion results in you overpaying hundreds every year. It only takes a couple minutes to shop around to find cheaper insurance for teachers in Fresno.