The words “affordable” and “insurance” really shouldn’t be used together, in particular when you are shopping around for the lowest insurance prices for teenagers. Because it’s so expensive, let’s start the ball rolling by going over a few of the things the can have a considerable influence on auto insurance prices, and find some ways to take the sting out of your next policy.
Figuring out which companies have the most affordable car insurance rates for teenagers may require a bit more effort in order to find coverage that fits your budget. Each insurer uses their own formula to determine rates, so let’s look at the rankings for the most budget-friendly car insurance companies in Los Angeles.
It’s a good idea to be aware that Los Angeles, CA car insurance rates are calculated based on many things which can substantially change the policy premium. Simply improving your credit, moving to a new city, or getting into an accident may cause policy rate changes resulting in some companies being cheaper in comparison to the competition.
Best Insurance Companies for Teens
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wawanesa | $1,146 |
| 2 | USAA | $1,155 |
| 3 | Century National | $1,190 |
| 4 | CSAA | $1,222 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,226 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,379 |
| 7 | Mercury | $1,488 |
| 8 | Grange | $1,491 |
| 9 | Progressive | $1,512 |
| 10 | GEICO | $1,513 |
| 11 | Allstate | $1,543 |
| 12 | The Hartford | $1,575 |
| 13 | Allied | $1,588 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,590 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,682 |
| 16 | State Farm | $1,733 |
| 17 | Esurance | $1,739 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,777 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,860 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,966 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | ||
Wawanesa has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Los Angeles at around $1,146 a year. USAA, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide also rank well as some of the lowest-priced Los Angeles, CA car insurance companies.
In the above rates, if you currently have coverage with CSAA and switched to Wawanesa, you might realize a yearly savings of roughly $76. California drivers with Nationwide could save as much as $80 a year, and 21st Century insureds might see rate reductions of $233 a year.
To see if your current coverage is too expensive, click here to start your free quote or quote prices from the following companies.
Be aware that those policy prices are averages across all drivers and vehicles in California and do not factor in a specific zip code for teenagers. So the company that can offer you the lowest price may not even be in the list above. That underscores the importance of why you need to compare rates from as many companies as possible using your own individual information.
The type of vehicle that needs insurance is probably the largest consideration that determines whether or not you can buy the cheapest insurance for teenagers. Vehicles with lower acceleration and performance, excellent safety ratings, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than high performance models.
The information below ranks insurance rates for a handful of the cheaper automobiles to insure.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $7,235 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $7,687 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $7,695 |
| Toyota Prius | $7,757 |
| Ford Edge SE 2WD | $7,969 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $8,421 |
| Toyota RAV4 2WD | $8,493 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $8,500 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Crew | $8,563 |
| Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 4WD | $8,571 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $8,563 |
| Ford F-150 FX4 4WD | $8,569 |
| Honda Civic VP 4-Dr Sedan | $8,873 |
| Hyundai Elantra Blue 4-Dr Sedan | $8,880 |
| Toyota Corolla XLE | $8,945 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 2WD 4-Dr | $8,954 |
| Toyota Camry XLE | $8,945 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 4WD | $9,015 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ 2WD | $9,023 |
| Nissan Altima 3.5 SR 4-Dr Sedan | $9,015 |
| Honda Odyssey Touring | $9,024 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2WD | $9,015 |
| Hyundai Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $9,201 |
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Data variables include single female driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Rate information does not factor in Los Angeles, CA location which can revise premiums substantially.
Based upon the table data, we can infer that makes and models like the Honda CR-V, Volkswagen Jetta, Ford Escape, and Toyota Prius will definitely be some of the cheaper vehicles to insure for teen drivers. Prices will trend higher just because there is more exposure for teenagers, but overall those particular models will have the lowest insurance rates available.
One of the more important components that are looked at to help calculate car insurance rates is where you choose to live in Los Angeles. Cities with larger populations tend to pay slightly more, whereas less populated areas have the benefit of cheaper auto insurance prices.
The illustration below rates the most expensive places in California for teenagers to purchase auto insurance in. Los Angeles makes the list at #1 with an annual premium of $2,168 for the average policy, which is approximately $181 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,168 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,058 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,755 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,711 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,652 |
| 6 | Long Beach | $1,626 |
| 7 | Stockton | $1,603 |
| 8 | Santa Clarita | $1,595 |
| 9 | Fontana | $1,581 |
| 10 | San Bernardino | $1,580 |
| 11 | Riverside | $1,542 |
| 12 | Fresno | $1,517 |
| 13 | Garden Grove | $1,508 |
| 14 | Modesto | $1,502 |
| 15 | Santa Ana | $1,497 |
| 16 | Moreno Valley | $1,491 |
| 17 | Anaheim | $1,444 |
| 18 | Huntington Beach | $1,416 |
| 19 | San Jose | $1,381 |
| 20 | Bakersfield | $1,353 |
| 21 | Fremont | $1,348 |
| 22 | Irvine | $1,343 |
| 23 | San Diego | $1,340 |
| 24 | Oxnard | $1,318 |
| 25 | Chula Vista | $1,298 |
| Compare Prices Now Go | ||
Premium amounts are estimated as the vehicle garaging location can decrease or increase premium rates greatly.
Car insurance companies ranked
Picking a good quality car insurance company can be difficult considering how many different companies sell coverage in California. The company information in the lists below may help you decide which insurers to look at when shopping insurance around for teenagers. These ratings include large insurance companies, so smaller companies are not factored into these rankings.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 98 | 100 | 100 | 94% | A++ | 98.6 |
| American Family | 98 | 89 | 100 | 86% | A | 95.4 |
| AAA of Southern California | 91 | 94 | 97 | 92% | A+ | 94.1 |
| State Farm | 88 | 93 | 96 | 90% | A++ | 92.4 |
| The Hartford | 94 | 92 | 90 | 89% | A+ | 91.7 |
| AAA Insurance | 88 | 89 | 95 | 91% | A | 91.2 |
| GEICO | 84 | 93 | 93 | 89% | A++ | 90.3 |
| The General | 89 | 91 | 89 | 88% | A- | 90 |
| Titan Insurance | 90 | 87 | 91 | 95% | A+ | 89.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 91 | 93 | 87% | A+ | 89.5 |
| Mercury Insurance | 88 | 91 | 90 | 85% | A+ | 89.4 |
| Allstate | 85 | 90 | 92 | 88% | A+ | 89.3 |
| Nationwide | 87 | 88 | 84 | 90% | A+ | 88.7 |
| Liberty Mutual | 84 | 87 | 93 | 88% | A | 88.5 |
| 21st Century | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88% | A | 86.7 |
| Esurance | 85 | 80 | 95 | 87% | A+ | 85.9 |
| Safeco | 85 | 85 | 85 | 86% | A | 85.8 |
| Travelers | 80 | 87 | 87 | 83% | A++ | 85.2 |
| Farmers Insurance | 78 | 87 | 88 | 79% | A | 84.3 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
The illustration below illustrates how your choice of deductibles can change insurance rates when searching for cheap insurance for teenagers. The price estimates are based on a married male driver, full coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.
A 50-year-old driver could save $308 a year by switching from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $466 by changing to a $1,000 deductible. Younger drivers, such as the 20-year-old chart data, can cut as much as $1,026 every year just by choosing higher deductibles when buying full coverage. If you do make the decision to raise your deductibles, it is essential to have additional funds squirreled away to satisfy the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the main disadvantage of using high deductibles.
How to find economical auto insurance for teenagers
Lowering your rates is not difficult, and here are some of the recommended money-saving solutions that can help Los Angeles drivers quote cheaper coverage.
- Do not get into accidents
- Earn discounts for being claim-free
- Safe vehicles generally have lower rates
- Bundle car and home insurance and save money
- Avoid getting citations and tickets
- Compare rates regularly to ensure the best deal
The last tip in the list is remarkably significant, as we noted in this piece. Prices charged by car insurance companies in Los Angeles go up and down frequently, so drivers shouldn’t be resistant to buy a policy from a new company if a better deal can be had.
Staying with the same car insurance company is fine, but it’s not a great idea if your bullheadedness ends up costing you a lot of money. Now is a great time to compare rates to find cheaper auto insurance for teenagers.