I’m sure you’ve seen the catchy advertisements from auto insurance companies like State Farm, The General, and Nationwide guaranteeing huge savings, so drivers should just pick the company with the best ad, right?
It’s not quite that easy, unfortunately, as there are a whole bunch of unknown elements like if you have points on your license, whether or not you own a home, and how experienced of a driver you are, that all go into determining the rate you pay. We are going to cover some of these factors and will hopefully give you a good beginning to your search for cheaper coverage.
Determining which companies offer the cheapest car insurance rates for used cars may require more time than just quoting one company’s rates. Each auto insurer has a unique formula to set policy rates, so let’s look at the rankings for the lowest cost car insurance companies in California.
Cheapest Insurance Rates for Used Cars
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,155 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,181 |
| 3 | Century National | $1,190 |
| 4 | CSAA | $1,222 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,263 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,325 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,433 |
| 8 | Progressive | $1,512 |
| 9 | Allstate | $1,513 |
| 10 | Mercury | $1,533 |
| 11 | Allied | $1,541 |
| 12 | GEICO | $1,559 |
| 13 | The Hartford | $1,575 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,638 |
| 15 | Esurance | $1,688 |
| 16 | Unitrin | $1,699 |
| 17 | State Farm | $1,699 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,831 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,842 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,966 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||
USAA generally has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Los Angeles at around $1,155 a year. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide also make the cut as some of the cheapest Los Angeles, CA insurance companies.
In the above example, if you currently have coverage with CSAA and switched to Wawanesa, you could see annual savings of roughly $41. California drivers with Nationwide might save as much as $82 a year, and 21st Century policyholders might cut rates by $144 a year.
To get a fast rate comparison, click here or click several companies below for low rates.
Remember that these policy rates are averages across all insureds and vehicles and do not take into consideration a vehicle location for used cars. So the car insurance company that can offer you the best price may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That point stresses why you need to quote rates from many companies using your own specific driver information and vehicle.
The car, truck, or SUV you are trying to insure is a large consideration when consumers are trying to find the most economical car insurance for used cars. Vehicles with lots of horsepower, a lack of safety features, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than more economical and safe models. The next list showcases coverage rates for some of the cheaper automobiles to buy coverage for.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,994 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $2,004 |
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $2,010 |
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $2,004 |
| Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $2,082 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport Islander Package 4WD 2-Dr | $2,187 |
| Honda Odyssey Touring | $2,229 |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE Crew Cab 4WD | $2,239 |
| Ford Fusion SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $2,229 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Regular Cab 4WD | $2,233 |
| Kia Optima LX | $2,239 |
| Nissan Rogue S 2WD | $2,233 |
| Toyota Prius | $2,243 |
| Start a Quote Go | |
Prices based on married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, claim-free, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Table data does not factor in specific location which can increase or decrease auto insurance rates significantly.
Looking at the data, you can see that cars like the Honda Accord, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Escape, and Honda CR-V will be some of the more affordable vehicles to insure for pre-owned vehicles.
Finding the highest-rated car insurance company can be challenging considering how many different companies there are to choose from in California. The rank data displayed below could help you select which companies to look at comparing rates with. The ratings below are only made up of companies that insure vehicles across America, so companies that only write business in California or surrounding areas are not factored into the list.
Top 10 Large Auto Insurance Companies in Los Angeles Ranked by Claims Service
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- Esurance
- AAA Insurance
- Progressive
- Liberty Mutual
- GEICO
- Allstate
- Titan Insurance
- The Hartford
Top 10 Large Auto Insurance Companies in Los Angeles Ranked by Value
- USAA
- American Family
- The Hartford
- AAA of Southern California
- Titan Insurance
- The General
- AAA Insurance
- State Farm
- Mercury Insurance
- Nationwide
Full coverage rates compared to liability only
Lowering the price of car insurance should be important to most drivers, and one of the fastest ways to buy cheap insurance for used cars is to not insure for full coverage. The example below shows the comparison of car insurance costs with full coverage compared to only the California minimum liability coverage. The information is based on no claims, a clean driving record, $500 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Averaged for all age groups, full coverage costs an extra $2,816 per year over and above liability only. That touches on the question if you should buy full coverage. There is no specific rule that works best for making the decision to drop physical damage insurance, but there is a guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it might be time to buy liability only.
How to find cheaper insurance for used cars
Lowering your rates is not difficult, and here are a few thrifty ideas that can help Los Angeles drivers locate cheap coverage.
- You will pay more if you get tickets or have at-fault accidents
- Don’t waste money on full coverage for older vehicles
- Safe vehicles cost less to insure
- Accidents can significantly increase rates
- Having too many claims will increase rates substantially
- Home or renters coverage can save on auto insurance
- Shop around and save
That last tip is extremely valuable, as was pointed out in the prior article. Prices charged by companies can be modified anytime, so don’t be unwilling to buy from a different company if a lower price can be found.
Many drivers have brand loyalty and that’s fine, but it isn’t a good idea if that stubbornness costs you thousands of dollars over the life of your policy. It only take a few minutes to compare prices to find cheaper car insurance for used cars in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles auto insurance agencies shown below are willing to aid you in deciding which coverage meets your needs best, as some people prefer to get help from a professional when shopping for cheaper insurance for used cars. It can be difficult to find the best rates on your own, so insurance agents licensed in the state of California can bring peace of mind knowing your policy gives you adequate protection in case of an accident or claim.
To find a Los Angeles insurance agency in your neighborhood, click the link at the bottom or click here to compare price quotes now.
Rodney Brown – State Farm Insurance Agent
7154 Melrose Ave – Los Angeles, CA 90046 – (323) 931-1466
Allyson Weber – State Farm Insurance Agent
1063 Colorado Blvd – Los Angeles, CA 90041 – (323) 258-5801
Sean Cheng State Farm Insurance Agency
767 N Hill St,109 – Los Angeles, CA 90012 – (213) 621-2526
STARC INSURANCE AGENCY,INC
5250 W Century Blvd #426 – Los Angeles, CA 90045 – (888) 400-4004
Kaz Achiwa – State Farm Insurance Agent
340 E Azusa St, Ste B – Los Angeles, CA 90012 – (213) 253-1210