The words “low-cost” and “insurance” really don’t belong together, especially when trying to find the best car insurance for teenagers. To help control this cost, let’s learn about some of the factors that determine insurance premiums, and come up with some ideas to lower the price of your next policy.
The type of vehicle you are seeking coverage for is a significant factor when comparison shopping for the lowest-priced car insurance for teenagers. Vehicles with lots of horsepower, poor safety ratings, or an increased likelihood of liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than more economical and safe models.
The information below showcases insurance costs for the most cost-effective automobiles to buy insurance for.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $3,855 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $3,888 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $4,123 |
| Toyota Prius | $4,159 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T Station Wagon | $4,391 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $4,539 |
| Ford Edge Limited 2WD | $4,544 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $4,539 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $4,572 |
| Toyota RAV4 2WD | $4,581 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $4,572 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS 2WD | $4,579 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Extended Cab 4WD | $4,572 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | |
Data based on single female driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Price estimates do not factor in Fresno, CA location which can affect insurance rates significantly.
Based upon the rates shown, makes and models like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Honda Accord are going to be some of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for teen drivers. The cost of auto insurance will tend to be more expensive just because there is more inherent risk for teenagers, but overall those vehicles will have the cheapest car insurance rates that you are likely to find.
For teen drivers, one of the more important considerations that determine auto insurance rates is the neighborhood you call home in Fresno. Regions with more people or even just more weather-related claims tend to have more expensive car insurance rates, whereas areas with less crime or weather claims have the gratification of cheaper auto insurance rates.
The information below lists the most costly cities in California for teenagers in which to buy car insurance. Fresno is ranked #15 with an annual premium of $1,472 for the average insurance policy, which is approximately $123 per month.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | $2,142 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | $2,104 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,763 |
| 4 | Sacramento | $1,720 |
| 5 | Oakland | $1,704 |
| 6 | Stockton | $1,603 |
| 7 | San Bernardino | $1,596 |
| 8 | Long Beach | $1,578 |
| 9 | Garden Grove | $1,570 |
| 10 | Santa Clarita | $1,548 |
| 11 | Riverside | $1,542 |
| 12 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 13 | Fontana | $1,519 |
| 14 | Moreno Valley | $1,506 |
| 15 | Fresno | $1,472 |
| 16 | Anaheim | $1,444 |
| 17 | Santa Ana | $1,439 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,423 |
| 19 | San Diego | $1,381 |
| 20 | Huntington Beach | $1,374 |
| 21 | Bakersfield | $1,353 |
| 22 | Fremont | $1,348 |
| 23 | Irvine | $1,343 |
| 24 | Oxnard | $1,318 |
| 25 | Chula Vista | $1,311 |
| Compare Prices Now Go | ||
Premium costs are approximated as the specific area where the vehicle is garaged can decrease or increase premium rates greatly.
Finding good, low-priced insurance is confusing at best, and finding out which company has the best auto insurance rates for teenagers requires a bit more work. Each insurance company has a different process to set policy rates, so first let’s look at the rankings for the auto insurance companies with the overall best prices in Fresno.
It’s a good idea to know that Fresno, CA auto insurance rates are calculated based on many things which can substantially change the policy price. Events like a birthday, moving across town, or getting a couple of tickets can produce rate changes that can cause some rates to be more expensive than competitors.
Best Car Insurance Prices for Teens
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,121 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,146 |
| 3 | Century National | $1,178 |
| 4 | Nationwide | $1,213 |
| 5 | CSAA | $1,222 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,379 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,447 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,488 |
| 9 | GEICO | $1,513 |
| 10 | Progressive | $1,542 |
| 11 | Allied | $1,556 |
| 12 | Allstate | $1,559 |
| 13 | MetLife | $1,590 |
| 14 | The Hartford | $1,623 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,682 |
| 16 | Esurance | $1,688 |
| 17 | State Farm | $1,733 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,795 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,806 |
| 20 | Farmers | $2,026 |
| Find Your Rate Go | ||
USAA generally has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Fresno at around $1,121 a year. This is $530 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, Nationwide, and CSAA would also make the list of some of the best Fresno, CA insurance companies.
As the example above demonstrates, if you currently buy coverage from Nationwide and switched to USAA, you might see yearly savings of in the vicinity of $92. Policyholders with CSAA could save as much as $101 a year, and 21st Century policyholders might cut rates by $258 a year.
To see how much you can save, click here to start your custom quote or visit any of the low-priced companies below.
It’s important to note that these prices are averages for all types of insureds and vehicles and and are not figured with a specific vehicle garaging location for teenagers. So the car insurance company that has the cheapest price for you may not even be in the list above. That’s why you need to compare as many prices as possible using your own driver information and specific vehicle type.
Get discount Fresno car insurance rates
Insurance companies that sell policies for teenagers may additionally offer special discounts that may potentially lower prices by 40% or more if you meet certain criteria. Popular auto insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer can be found below.
- American Family offers premium reductions for mySafetyValet, Steer into Savings, accident-free, early bird, and bundled insurance.
- Nationwide has savings for good student, anti-theft, accident-free, family plan, business or organization, Farm Bureau membership, and defensive driving.
- MetLife offers discounts for multi-policy, good driver, claim-free, accident-free, and good student.
- 21st Century has discounts for anti-lock brakes, air bags, teen driver, automatic seat belts, theft prevention, and defensive driver.
- Farmers Insurance may include discounts for teen driver, multi-car, good student, distant student, youthful driver, and pay in full.
- Allstate includes discounts for anti-lock brakes, farm vehicle, resident student, good payer, auto/life discount, utility vehicle, and defensive driver.
The example below compares insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the premium. The premiums are based on a male driver, a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, California state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows the price with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with continuous coverage, vehicle safety, anti-theft, passive restraint, paperless filing, and paid-in-full discounts applied. When drivers take advantage of discounts, the average amount saved each year on auto insurance for teenagers is 28% or $764.
Full coverage versus liability-only in Fresno
Buying cheaper auto insurance is important to most people, and one of the quickest ways to find cheaper insurance for teenagers is to buy only liability coverage. The illustration below illustrates the difference between insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage. The premium estimates are based on no claims, a clean driving record, $250 deductibles, drivers are single, and no policy discounts are applied.
If we average the cost for all age groups, full coverage costs $2,314 per year over and above liability only. Lot’s of drivers question if it’s a good idea to buy full coverage. There is no set rule to drop physical damage insurance, but there is a general guideline you can use. 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 might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your vehicle’s claim settlement value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, you would only receive $8,000 after you pay the deductible. If it’s costing you more than $800 annually for physical damage coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
There are some cases where removing full coverage is not in your best interest. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not drop full coverage.
Safe drivers pay less for auto insurance
The obvious way to earn good auto insurance premiums in California for teen drivers is to drive safe and not get tickets or have accidents. The illustration below shows how violations and fender-benders increase auto insurance costs for each age group. The premium estimates are based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
In the previous chart, the average cost of car insurance per year with no accidents or violations is $1,948. Receive two speeding tickets and the average cost increases to $2,776, an increase of $828 each year. Now add in one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the annual cost of auto insurance for teenagers increases to an average of $3,605. That’s an increase of $1,657, or $138 per month, just for not driving attentively!