The car, truck, or SUV to be insured is a large consideration when consumers are trying to find low-priced car insurance for college students. Vehicles with reasonable performance levels, an excellent safety record, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost less to insure than adrenaline junky models.
The list below illustrates insurance prices for a number of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure.
Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
---|---|
Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $5,464 |
Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $5,471 |
Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $5,464 |
Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $5,955 |
Honda Odyssey LX | $6,001 |
Toyota Prius | $6,034 |
Ford F-150 STX Regular Cab 4WD | $6,083 |
Ford Explorer XLT 4WD | $6,088 |
Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $6,410 |
Toyota Camry LE | $6,492 |
Toyota RAV4 4WD | $6,499 |
Chevrolet Equinox LT AWD | $6,492 |
Chevrolet Malibu LT | $6,571 |
Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $6,579 |
Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $6,571 |
Ford Edge Sport 2WD | $6,898 |
Toyota Corolla XLE | $6,903 |
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Prices based on single male driver age 20, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Table data does not factor in Los Angeles, CA location which can lower or raise coverage prices significantly.
Looking at the rates, we can assume that vehicles like the Ford Escape, Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Elantra, and Honda Odyssey are likely to be some of the cheapest vehicles to insure for students in college. The price for car insurance will be more expensive because there is a higher risk for college students, but in general those makes and models will most likely have the cheapest auto insurance rates compared to all other vehicles.
Establishing which company offers the lowest-priced car insurance rates for college students takes more work than just comparing rates from one or two companies. Every car insurance company uses a little different formula to set premium rates, so let’s look at the rankings for the car insurance companies with the most affordable rates in California.
It’s important that readers know that California car insurance rates are calculated based on many things which can substantially decrease or increase the cost of coverage. Simply having another birthday, adding a teenager to your policy, or getting a speeding ticket can produce rate changes that can now make some companies more affordable than before.
Cheapest Insurance Rates for College Students
Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | USAA | $1,143 |
2 | Wawanesa | $1,146 |
3 | Century National | $1,214 |
4 | CSAA | $1,234 |
5 | Nationwide | $1,263 |
6 | 21st Century | $1,338 |
7 | Grange | $1,477 |
8 | GEICO | $1,513 |
9 | Progressive | $1,542 |
10 | Mercury | $1,548 |
11 | Allied | $1,556 |
12 | Allstate | $1,559 |
13 | The Hartford | $1,639 |
14 | MetLife | $1,654 |
15 | Esurance | $1,688 |
16 | State Farm | $1,699 |
17 | Unitrin | $1,733 |
18 | Travelers | $1,788 |
19 | Bristol West | $1,831 |
20 | Farmers | $2,026 |
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USAA quotes some of the lowest car insurance rates in Los Angeles at around $1,143 each year. This is $508 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide also rank well as some of the cheaper Los Angeles, CA insurance companies.
As illustrated above, if you are currently insured with Nationwide and switched to Wawanesa, you could realize a yearly savings of in the vicinity of $117. Insureds with 21st Century might save as much as $192 a year, and Grange policyholders might reduce rates by $331 a year.
To see if your current coverage is too expensive, click here to get a free quote or visit several of the following companies.
Be aware that those rates are averages across all drivers and vehicles in California and and are not figured with a vehicle location for college students. So the company that fits you best may not even be in the list above. That is why you need to get rate quotes using your own personalized driver profile and vehicle information.
One of the many criteria that are used to help calculate car insurance rates is where you normally keep your vehicle. More densely populated places tend to have more expensive auto insurance rates, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims have the benefit of cheaper car insurance.
The information below rates the most expensive areas in California for college students in which to purchase auto insurance. Los Angeles is listed at #1 having an annual price of $2,104 for the average policyholder, which is approximately $175 per month.
Rank | City | Annual Rate |
---|---|---|
1 | Los Angeles | $2,104 |
2 | Glendale | $2,058 |
3 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
4 | Oakland | $1,687 |
5 | Sacramento | $1,652 |
6 | San Bernardino | $1,628 |
7 | Long Beach | $1,626 |
8 | Santa Clarita | $1,580 |
9 | Fontana | $1,566 |
10 | Stockton | $1,541 |
11 | Moreno Valley | $1,536 |
12 | Riverside | $1,527 |
13 | Fresno | $1,517 |
14 | Garden Grove | $1,508 |
15 | Modesto | $1,502 |
16 | Santa Ana | $1,497 |
17 | Anaheim | $1,474 |
18 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
19 | San Jose | $1,395 |
20 | Bakersfield | $1,394 |
21 | San Diego | $1,368 |
22 | Fremont | $1,361 |
23 | Chula Vista | $1,350 |
24 | Oxnard | $1,344 |
25 | Irvine | $1,343 |
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Price information shown is comparative as specific location information can decrease or increase prices noticeably.
California car insurance companies ranked
Choosing the highest-rated auto insurance company can be a challenge considering how many companies sell insurance in Los Angeles. The company rank data in the next section can help you decide which companies you want to consider comparing rates with. These ratings are for the largest auto insurers in America, so companies that only write business in California or surrounding areas are not included in the list.
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 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
The example below highlights how deductible selection can increase or decrease insurance rates when researching cheap insurance for college students. The price estimates are based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.
As shown above, a 50-year-old driver could reduce rates by $308 a year by switching their comprehensive and collision coverages from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $466 by changing to a $1,000 deductible. Even younger insureds, like the age 20 example, could save as much as $1,026 annually just by choosing higher deductibles.
When increasing deductibles, it will be required to have emergency funds available to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the one disadvantage of using larger deductibles.
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California car insurance rates are based on many factors that can increase the price you have to pay. Improving your credit score, marrying your spouse, or having an accident can trigger rate changes resulting in some rates now being affordable when they were higher priced.
Additionally, companies change their prices at least once a year as an adjustment for underwriting gains or losses. Unexpectedly high claims can cause high rates, while a profitable period can cause cheaper Los Angeles car insurance rates.
For instance, the chart below shows the company with the cheapest car insurance in Los Angeles, CA for a 30-year-old male driver with no prior accidents, a clean driving record, and great credit. If we estimate prices based on his personal risk profile, USAA may have the lowest car insurance rates in Los Angeles at $1,890 annually. This is $239 more than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Century National, Wawanesa, CSAA, and Nationwide are the rest of the best Los Angeles, CA auto insurance companies.
In this next rate comparison, we will give the driver from the first rate comparison an accident surcharge, a lower credit rating, and a stop sign violation. Since each auto insurer uses their own formula to set policy rates, comparing quotes most likely will result in a significantly different list of affordable Los Angeles car insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the best price on car insurance in Los Angeles, CA with Mercury, Allstate, GEICO, and Allied completing the list. This example proves why consumers need to take the time to spend some time comparing rates to get cheap auto insurance rates for college students.
Car insurance prices are determined by many things and can change without notice, so the cheapest rate two years ago may now be costing you a lot of money.