Determining which companies offer the cheapest auto insurance rates for drivers under 21 may require a little more sweat in order to find the lowest price quote. Each insurance company has a different formula for determining rates, so let’s take a look at the most affordable auto insurance companies in San Diego, CA.
It’s a good idea to be aware that San Diego auto insurance rates are influenced by many factors that can increase your annual premium. Improving your credit rating, getting divorced, or getting a ticket for careless driving can produce rate changes resulting in some rates now being more affordable than competitors.
Find Cheaper Car Insurance for Minors
USAA may offer some of the lowest car insurance rates in San Diego at around $1,155 a year. Century National, Wawanesa, CSAA, and Nationwide also make the cut as some of the more affordable San Diego, CA auto insurance companies.
As illustrated above, if you have coverage with Wawanesa and switched to USAA, you might realize yearly savings of in the neighborhood of $37. Insureds with CSAA may save as much as $67 a year, and Nationwide policyholders might reduce prices by as much as $71 a year.
To see if you’re overpaying, click here to begin a quote or visit any of the companies below.
It’s important to note that these prices are averages for all drivers and vehicles and and are not figured with a specific location for drivers under 21. So the car insurance company that can offer you the lowest price may not even be in the top 24 companies shown above. That’s why you need to compare prices as often as possible using your own individual information.
The vehicle model driven is probably the largest consideration that determines whether or not you can buy the most affordable auto insurance for drivers under 21. Vehicles with limited top-end speed, good crash test ratings, or low incidents of liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than adrenaline junky models.
The data below features auto insurance premiums for some of the cheaper automobiles to buy insurance for.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $2,645 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $2,828 |
| Toyota Prius | $2,860 |
| Honda Odyssey LX | $2,888 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $2,917 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $3,071 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LT AWD | $3,100 |
| Toyota RAV4 2WD | $3,109 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 4-Dr Sedan | $3,100 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $3,106 |
| Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $3,132 |
| Dodge Ram 3500 Crew Cab Laramie 2WD | $3,137 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Off-Road Package 4WD | $3,132 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport 2WD 4-Dr | $3,162 |
| Ford Edge Sport 2WD | $3,283 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | |
Data assumes single female driver age 19, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Price estimates do not factor in zip code location which can modify rates significantly.
By looking at the data, you can see that cars like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Toyota Prius, Honda Odyssey, and Dodge Grand Caravan are most likely to be a few of the cheaper vehicles to insure for minors. The cost of auto insurance will tend to be more expensive because there is more risk for drivers under 21, but in general those vehicles will most likely have the best rates that you are likely to find.
For minors, one of the more important considerations that aid in calculating the cost of insurance is where you live. Areas with more people or more claims are more likely to have higher rates, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims benefit from lower prices.
The following table rates the most costly cities in California for drivers under 21 to buy car insurance in. San Diego is listed at #23 with a yearly cost of $1,327 for the average policyholder, which is about $111 monthly.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,104 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,079 |
| 3 | Sacramento | $1,703 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 5 | Oakland | $1,687 |
| 6 | Stockton | $1,603 |
| 7 | San Bernardino | $1,596 |
| 8 | Fontana | $1,581 |
| 9 | Long Beach | $1,578 |
| 10 | Garden Grove | $1,554 |
| 11 | Santa Clarita | $1,548 |
| 12 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 13 | Fresno | $1,517 |
| 14 | Moreno Valley | $1,506 |
| 15 | Santa Ana | $1,483 |
| 16 | Riverside | $1,482 |
| 17 | Anaheim | $1,474 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,437 |
| 19 | Bakersfield | $1,381 |
| 20 | Irvine | $1,371 |
| Find the Best Rates Go | ||
Premium amounts are estimated as zip code location can decrease or increase premiums significantly.
The information below demonstrates how deductibles can raise or lower premium costs when researching cheap insurance for drivers under 21. The rates are based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are applied.
As shown above, a 50-year-old driver could reduce rates by $490 a year by switching the physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $736 by using a $1,000 deductible. Youthful drivers, such as the 20-year-old example, could possibly save as much as $1,246 or even more by using a higher deductible. When using a larger deductible, it is necessary to have enough savings set aside to allow you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense that comes with higher deductibles.
Choosing a good quality car insurance provider is hard considering how many companies provide coverage in California. The information in the lists below could help you analyze which auto insurers to look at comparing prices from. The rankings below are only made up of the largest companies in America, so companies that only write business in California or surrounding areas are not included in this 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 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Full coverage or liability only
Buying cheaper auto insurance is important to most people, and one of the best ways to pay lower rates for insurance for drivers under 21 is to only pay for liability coverage. The chart below shows the comparison of insurance costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying the minimum liability limits required in California. The data assumes no claims or violations, $500 deductibles, drivers are single, and no additional discounts are factored in.
As an overall average, comp and collision coverage costs $2,075 per year over liability only. That may make you wonder if buying full coverage is worth the expense. There is no exact rule to drop full coverage, but there is a general school of thought. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is 10% or more of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
There are a few situations where dropping full coverage is not advised. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not drop full coverage.
If you like to get some guidance when shopping for cheaper insurance for drivers under 21, the insurance agencies listed below can aid you in deciding which insurance coverage you need. To find a San Diego insurance agent near you, click the button below the list or click here to compare rates now.
- Mike Foley – State Farm Insurance Agent
5210 Balboa Ave, Ste A1 – San Diego, CA 92117 – (858) 277-1400 - Kevin Kane – State Farm Insurance Agent
3914 Murphy Canyon Rd a252 – San Diego, CA 92123 – (858) 514-0385 - Steve Elder – State Farm Insurance Agent
9225 Mira Mesa Blvd #208d – San Diego, CA 92126 – (858) 271-8928 - Anchor General Insurance Agency-Texas
10256 Meanley Dr – San Diego, CA 92131 – (858) 527-3600
More San Diego, CA insurance agents
Ideas to find cheaper auto insurance for drivers under 21
The list below shows many money-saving ideas that can help San Diego drivers get cheaper coverage.
- Raise your physical damage coverage deductibles
- Serious violations like DUI or reckless driving can increase rates dramatically
- Having at-fault accidents will increase rates
- The safer your car, the less it costs to insure
- Pay lower rates with good credit
- On older vehicles, drop full coverage
- Keep rates low by comparing prices once a year
That final tip is highly crucial, as we hit on in the prior article. Insurance prices can change significantly in a year, so don’t be afraid to switch carriers if a better deal can be had.
Having a favorite company is great, but we do not recommend it if that dedication is costing big bucks every year. Take a couple minutes and shop around to find cheaper insurance for drivers under 21 in San Diego.