The vehicle model that is being insured is probably the most important factor in finding the best cheap auto insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. Vehicles with limited top-end speed, an excellent safety record, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than higher performance models. The table below shows car insurance prices for some of the most economical automobiles to insure.
| Vehicle Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda Accord LX-P 4-Dr Sedan | $3,666 |
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $3,673 |
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $3,666 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,943 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $4,296 |
| Ford F-150 XL Regular Cab 4WD | $4,335 |
| Volkswagen Jetta SE 2.5 Station Wagon | $4,345 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $4,338 |
| Hyundai Elantra Blue 4-Dr Sedan | $4,491 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS 2WD | $4,542 |
| Toyota RAV4 4WD | $4,550 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $4,587 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $4,593 |
| Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer AWD | $4,587 |
| Honda Odyssey EX W/Rear Entertainment | $4,603 |
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Data based on single female driver age 50, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle. Price estimates do not factor in Fresno, CA location which can lower or raise premiums greatly.
Looking at the rates, we can conclude that models like the Honda Accord, Ford Escape, and Honda CR-V are most likely to be a few of the most affordable vehicles to insure for bad drivers. The price for an auto insurance policy will be more costly because there is a higher risk for drivers with a bad driving record, but generally speaking those vehicles will probably have the cheapest auto insurance rates compared to all other vehicles.
Finding good, cost effective insurance is difficult, and figuring out which company has the cheapest car insurance rates for drivers with a bad driving record calls for even more shopping around. Every insurance company has a proprietary formula to establish rates, so we need to take a look at the most competitive car insurance companies in Fresno.
It’s important to know that Fresno, CA car insurance rates are impacted by many factors which can substantially decrease or increase the policy price. Simply improving your credit, buying a new vehicle, or getting a speeding ticket can trigger changes in premium that can now make some companies more expensive than others.
Compare Cheap Insurance Quotes for Imperfect Drivers
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,109 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,181 |
| 3 | CSAA | $1,186 |
| 4 | Century National | $1,190 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,250 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,325 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,433 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,488 |
| 9 | Progressive | $1,496 |
| 10 | Allstate | $1,513 |
| 11 | GEICO | $1,559 |
| 12 | Allied | $1,588 |
| 13 | The Hartford | $1,623 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,654 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,682 |
| 16 | Esurance | $1,688 |
| 17 | State Farm | $1,733 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,806 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,946 |
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USAA may have some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Fresno at around $1,109 a year. Wawanesa, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide also rank well as some of the most economical Fresno, CA car insurance companies.
As illustrated above, if you are a policyholder with Wawanesa and switched to USAA, you might achieve an annual premium reduction of in the neighborhood of $72. California drivers with CSAA might save as much as $77 a year, and Century National insureds might cut rates by $81 a year.
Remember that these premium estimates are averages across all drivers and vehicles in California and are not factoring in a vehicle location for drivers with a bad driving record. So the insurer that fits your age and vehicle best may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That’s why you need to get car insurance quotes using your own driver data and vehicle information.
Cost difference between full coverage and liability
Paying a lower price for car insurance is the goal of most drivers, and one of the easiest ways to save on the cost of insurance for drivers with a bad driving record is to buy only liability coverage. The illustration below illustrates the difference between auto insurance rates when comparing full coverage to liability only. The information is based on no claims or driving citations, $250 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are factored in.
On average, comp and collision coverage costs an additional $3,147 per year more than buying just liability insurance. That is a big expense that brings up the question when is the right time to remove full coverage. There is no exact formula for excluding physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a broad guideline. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is about 10% or more of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s assume your vehicle’s replacement cost is $11,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most your company will settle for is $10,000 after you pay the deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $1,000 annually for full coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are some conditions where dropping full coverage is not financially feasible. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have to keep full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not opt for liability only.
Types of discounts on Fresno insurance
Auto insurance companies that provide coverage for drivers with a bad driving record may provide policy discounts that can lower rates by as much as 35% if you are eligible to receive them. The best car insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer can be found below.
- Mercury Insurance offers premium reductions for multi-car, multi-policy, age of vehicle, type of vehicle, and low natural disaster claims.
- Farmers Insurance offers discounts for switch companies, early shopping, mature driver, homeowner, multi-car, good student, and pay in full.
- Farm Bureau may include discounts for youthful driver, 55 and retired, driver training, safe driver, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including good student, defensive driving training, multiple policy, passive restraint, Drive Safe & Save, and accident-free.
- Allstate offers discounts including auto/life discount, anti-theft, good student, EZ pay plan discount, premier plus, and premier discount.
- GEICO has savings for five-year accident-free, seat belt use, anti-theft, multi-policy, and federal employee.
The illustration below shows the comparison of insurance premiums with and without discounts applied. The rate quotes are based on a female driver, three violations and two at-fault accidents, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with paperless filing, vehicle safety, multiple policy, anti-theft, paid-in-full, and marriage discounts applied. When discounts are factored in, the average savings per year on car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record is 29% or $2,348.
Irresponsible driving raises your rates
A great way to score cheap car insurance rates in Fresno for bad drivers is to drive safe and avoid tickets and accidents. The illustration below illustrates how violations and accident claims drive up auto insurance rates for different age groups. The data is based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
The data charted above shows the average cost of car insurance per year with no accidents or violations is $2,157. Get written up for one speeding ticket and the average cost jumps to $2,476, an increase of $319 each year. Next add one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record increases to an average of $3,374. That’s an increase of $1,217, or $101 per month, just for being a less-than-perfect driver!
Who has the cheapest Fresno car insurance?
Fresno car insurance rates are calculated based on many things that control the policy price. Simply having a birthday, filing a claim, or getting a few speeding tickets may generate price changes resulting in some companies being cheaper in comparison to the competition.
In addition to those changes, companies file new California car insurance rates as often as every quarter to adjust for heavy claims or excess profits. Higher than normal claims may result in high rates, while profitable underwriting may cause cheaper Fresno car insurance rates.
For example, the bar chart below shows the cheapest car insurance in Fresno, CA for a 35-year-old male driver with no prior claims, no tickets, and a high credit rating. If we compare prices based on his current risk profile, USAA offers the cheapest car insurance rates in Fresno at $1,310 a year. This is $341 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide are also included in the cheapest Fresno, CA auto insurance companies.
In this example, we will give the driver from the first rate comparison an accident claim, bad credit, and a traffic citation. Since each auto insurer has a unique approach to determining premium rates, comparing quotes most likely will result in a slightly different list of the cheapest companies as shown below.
Grange now has the best price on car insurance in Fresno, CA with Allstate, GEICO, Progressive, and Mercury also having competitive pricing. This example proves why Fresno drivers need to compare lots of rates to find the cheapest car insurance rates for drivers with a bad driving record.
Auto insurance prices consist of many things and can change substantially, so the cheapest option six months ago may now be one of the higher cost companies.