Wouldn’t this article be short if we could tell you instantly the one company that has the cheapest coverage for infrequent drivers? It’s not that simple, unfortunately, as there are a whole bunch of unknown elements like your gender, your financial stability, and the crash test ratings of your vehicle, that all impact the price you pay. This article will cover the best ways to save on auto insurance and educate you enough to have a good start in finding the cheapest car insurance in San Diego.
The vehicle model that is being insured is one of the largest factors when comparison shopping for low-priced auto insurance for infrequent drivers. Vehicles with more horsepower, poor safety ratings, or a history of substantial liability claims will cost significantly more to insure than more modest models.
The table below estimates auto insurance premiums for a handful of the most cost-effective vehicles to buy insurance for.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $891 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $919 |
| Toyota Tacoma 4WD | $929 |
| Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $942 |
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $947 |
| Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $950 |
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $1,006 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD 2-Dr | $1,039 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,041 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,092 |
| Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab Hybrid 4WD | $1,109 |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid | $1,113 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Super Cab 2WD | $1,127 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LT Crew Cab Diesel 2WD | $1,134 |
| Dodge Ram 3500 Mega Cab Laramie 2WD | $1,127 |
| Honda Odyssey EX | $1,166 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,175 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | |
Price data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Table data does not factor in zip code location which can influence price quotes considerably.
Based upon the table data, cars like the Hyundai Elantra, Dodge Grand Caravan, Toyota Tacoma, and Honda Accord will definitely be the cheaper vehicles to insure for low mileage drivers.
For low mileage drivers, one of the more important things that aid in calculating car insurance rates is where you live in San Diego. More populated areas tend to pay slightly more, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims have the gratification of cheaper auto insurance rates.
The information below sorts the most costly cities in California for infrequent drivers in which to buy car insurance. San Diego ranks #22 with an annual rate of $1,381 for car insurance, which is approximately $115 monthly.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,168 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,079 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,763 |
| 4 | Oakland | $1,738 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,703 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,644 |
| 7 | Santa Clarita | $1,595 |
| 8 | Long Beach | $1,578 |
| 9 | Garden Grove | $1,570 |
| 10 | Fontana | $1,566 |
| 11 | Stockton | $1,556 |
| 12 | Moreno Valley | $1,551 |
| 13 | Riverside | $1,527 |
| 14 | Anaheim | $1,488 |
| 15 | Modesto | $1,487 |
| 16 | Fresno | $1,472 |
| 17 | Santa Ana | $1,453 |
| 18 | Huntington Beach | $1,416 |
| 19 | Fremont | $1,403 |
| 20 | San Jose | $1,395 |
| 21 | Bakersfield | $1,394 |
| 22 | San Diego | $1,381 |
| 23 | Irvine | $1,330 |
| 24 | Oxnard | $1,318 |
| 25 | Chula Vista | $1,311 |
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Premium costs are approximated as the specific geographic location can decrease or increase coverage rates substantially.
Discount San Diego car insurance
Auto insurance companies that offer cheap quotes for infrequent drivers may also provide price discounts that may potentially lower prices by 25% or more if you meet the requirements. Larger auto insurance companies and their offered discounts can be read below.
- GEICO offers discounts for good student, membership and employees, defensive driver, air bags, and daytime running lights.
- Mercury Insurance has savings for multi-policy, ease of repair, type of vehicle, accident-free, low natural disaster claims, and good driver.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include alternative fuel, pay in full, mature driver, good student, teen driver, and youthful driver.
- Auto-Owners Insurance policyholders can earn discounts including safe driver, multi-policy, anti-theft, mature driver, multiple vehicles, and paid in full.
- Liberty Mutual has discounts for good student, newly married, multi-policy, teen driver discount, hybrid vehicle, newly retired, and multi-car.
- SAFECO offers discounts including teen safety rewards, anti-theft, teen safe driver, safe driver, drive less, and anti-lock brakes.
- Progressive may include discounts for good student, online quote discount, continuous coverage, online signing, homeowner, and multi-policy.
- USAA may have discounts that include defensive driver, driver training, vehicle storage, annual mileage, and new vehicle.
The chart below shows the comparison of insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the rates. The data is based on a male driver, no violations or accidents, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $250 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multiple policy, accident-free, defensive driving course, vehicle safety, homeowner, and marriage discounts applied. When these discounts are applied to the policy premium, the average savings per year on auto insurance for infrequent drivers is 28% or $640.
Selecting a good quality car insurance provider can be difficult considering how many companies there are to choose from in San Diego. The company information in the next section can help you decide which coverage providers you want to consider when comparing auto insurance rates for infrequent drivers. These ratings only include companies that insure vehicles across America, so companies that may only write in California are not factored into 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 |
| 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 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Last year’s bargain might be this year’s rip off
California auto insurance rates are based on many factors which can substantially change the cost of your policy. Improving your credit rating, having a claim, or getting caught speeding can trigger price changes that can now make some companies cheaper than competitors.
Additionally, insurers change premium rates without warning to reflect underwriting profits or losses. Significantly higher claims may cause additional price hikes, while better underwriting can produce cheaper San Diego car insurance rates.
To illustrate this point, the chart below shows which companies have the cheapest car insurance in San Diego, CA for a 40-year-old male driver with a clear driving record, no claims, and excellent credit. Based on his current risk factors, USAA might quote the most affordable car insurance rates in San Diego at $1,141 per year. This is $510 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. CSAA, Wawanesa, Nationwide, and Century National are the rest of the cheapest San Diego, CA auto insurance companies.
The chart below compares rates after we give the driver from the above example a couple of claims, poor credit, and a speeding citation. Since each auto insurer has a proprietary method to establish rates, comparing prices may now show a slightly different list of the cheapest San Diego car insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the cheapest rate in San Diego, CA with Progressive, Mercury, Allstate, and GEICO also being competitive. This example demonstrates why it is important to take the time to shop around to find the best car insurance quotes for infrequent drivers.
Car insurance prices are made up of many factors and can increase or decrease at any time, so the cheapest option a year ago may now be wasting a lot of money.
The insurance agents in San Diego listed below can aid you in deciding which car insurance company is the best fit, as lots of drivers aren’t clear which coverage they need and would like to have a professional recommendation when trying to find the best insurance rates for low mileage drivers. It can be hard to find the cheapest car insurance policy, so a professional agent can give you comfort knowing your coverage gives you decent coverage if you have a claim.
To locate an agency nearest to you, click the button after the list.
Allstate Insurance: David James
8333 Clairemont Mesa Blvd Ste 110 – San Diego, CA 92111 – (858) 278-4880
Val Myers – State Farm Insurance Agent
12925 El Camino Real, Ste J26 – San Diego, CA 92130 – (858) 481-0401
B H Gold Insurance
9699 Tierra Grande St # 100 – San Diego, CA 92126 – (800) 421-4653
Rod Thelen – State Farm Insurance Agent
110 W A St #775 – San Diego, CA 92101 – (619) 234-4882
View map of San Diego, CA insurance agents
How to find the cheapest car insurance for infrequent drivers
Lowering your rates is not difficult, and here are some of the recommended penny-pinching suggestions that can help San Diego drivers find cheaper coverage.
- Raise your deductibles
- Speeding tickets and other violations increase rates
- Do not get into accidents that are your fault
- Better credit rating means better rates
- Safe vehicles cost less to insure
- Compare rates often to find the best deal
That final tip is particularly vital, as was emphasized in this article. Prices charged by car insurance companies can change significantly in a year, so you should be ready to switch to a new company if a cheaper price is available.
Having a favorite company is great, but it isn’t a good idea if that inflexibility results in costing you a small fortune year after year. In just a few minutes you could compare prices to find cheaper insurance for infrequent drivers in San Diego.