The words “low-priced” and “insurance” really don’t belong together, in particular when looking for the best car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. Because it’s not cheap, let’s open your eyes to some of the things that determine insurance rates, and figure out some ways to take a little off your next policy.
The vehicle requiring coverage is one of the primary factors when comparing quotes for economical insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. Vehicles with limited top-end speed, good safety features, or low incidents of liability claims will cost less to insure than higher performance models.
The data below ranks auto insurance prices for some of the cheapest vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $3,242 |
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $3,284 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,493 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T Station Wagon | $3,516 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Crew Cab 2WD | $3,518 |
| Toyota Tacoma 4WD | $3,624 |
| Ford Edge Limited 2WD | $3,651 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 4WD | $3,670 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $3,687 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $3,763 |
| Honda Odyssey EX W/Rear Entertainment | $3,792 |
| Ford Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $3,801 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LT AWD | $3,806 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $3,836 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $3,844 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Crew | $3,839 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $3,855 |
| Toyota Corolla XRS | $3,889 |
| Ford Focus SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $3,938 |
| Toyota Camry SE | $4,003 |
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Cost estimates assume single male driver age 40, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Estimates do not factor in specific location which can affect rates considerably.
Looking at the rates, we can assume that vehicles like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and Toyota Prius will definitely be the cheapest vehicles to insure for bad drivers. The price for an auto insurance policy will tend to be higher just due to the fact that there is more liability risk for drivers with a bad driving record, but in general those vehicles will most likely have the cheapest rates compared to all other vehicles.
Comparing rates for reasonably-priced insurance is not the easiest thing to do, and deciding which companies offer the lowest-priced insurance rates for drivers with a bad driving record may require even more work.
Every insurance company has their own unique process for determining rates, so we’ll go over the most budget-friendly insurance companies in San Diego. We do need to point out that California insurance rates are based on many factors which can significantly increase or decrease the price you have to pay. Improving your financial situation, buying a home, or getting a ticket for careless driving may generate price changes that can make some companies cheaper than competitors.
Compare Cheap Insurance Quotes for Imperfect Drivers
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,109 |
| 2 | Century National | $1,178 |
| 3 | Wawanesa | $1,192 |
| 4 | CSAA | $1,222 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,263 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,379 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,433 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,533 |
| 9 | Progressive | $1,558 |
| 10 | Allstate | $1,559 |
| 11 | The Hartford | $1,575 |
| 12 | GEICO | $1,575 |
| 13 | Allied | $1,588 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,606 |
| 15 | State Farm | $1,682 |
| 16 | Unitrin | $1,750 |
| 17 | Esurance | $1,756 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,795 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,806 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,946 |
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USAA may have some of the best car insurance rates in San Diego at around $1,109 each year. Century National, Wawanesa, CSAA, and Nationwide also are some of the cheapest San Diego, CA auto insurance companies.
In the above example, if you are currently insured with Wawanesa and switched to USAA, you could earn a yearly price reduction of in the vicinity of $83. Drivers with CSAA might save as much as $113 a year, and Nationwide policyholders might realize rate reductions of up to $154 a year.
To discover how much you can save, click here or feel free to get quotes from the companies below.
Remember that these premium estimates are averaged across all drivers and vehicles and and are not calculated with an exact vehicle garaging location for drivers with a bad driving record. So the auto insurance company that has the cheapest price for you may not even be in the list above. That emphasizes why you need to compare as many prices as possible using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
The information below shows how choosing a deductible can raise or lower insurance costs when researching cheap insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. The costs are based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
In the chart above, a 30-year-old driver could reduce rates by $350 a year by increasing from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $530 by choosing a $1,000 deductible. Young drivers, like the Age 20 chart data, can save $750 every year by choosing a higher deductible.
If you do raise deductibles, it will be important to have enough in a savings account to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the one disadvantage of using larger deductibles.
Cautious drivers save money
The common sense way to snag the most affordable insurance premiums for bad drivers is to drive safe and avoid accidents and keep your driving record clean. The illustration below demonstrates how citations and at-fault claims raise yearly insurance costs for each different age category. The rate quotes are based on a married male driver, full coverage, $250 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
The data in the chart shows the average cost of car insurance in San Diego per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $1,975. Receive one speeding ticket and the average cost rises to $2,269, an increase of $294 each year. Now include two accidents along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of insurance for drivers with a bad driving record jumps again to an average of $4,804. That’s an increase of $2,829, or $236 per month, just for not being a responsible driver!
Why you should be shopping around
California insurance rates are based on many factors that control the policy premium. Improving your credit score, buying a different home, or getting a ticket for careless driving can produce rate changes that can make some companies cheaper than competitors. Also, auto insurance companies file new California car insurance rates multiple times each year in order to offset underwriting gains or losses. Heavy losses may cause higher rates, while a lower level of claims may result in lower-cost 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 45-year-old male driver with no prior accidents, a clean driving record, and a good credit history. When quoting prices based on his personal profile, USAA might offer the cheapest car insurance rates in San Diego at $1,204 a year. This is $447 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide are the remainder of the most affordable San Diego, CA auto insurance companies.
Now we will give the driver from the above example a claim surcharge, a little lower credit rating, and a traffic citation. Since each company uses their own formula for setting rates, comparing prices may now result in a completely different list of affordable San Diego car insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the cheapest auto insurance in San Diego, CA with Mercury, Allstate, GEICO, and Allied also having competitive pricing. This demonstrates why it is important to take the time to shop around when trying to find the most economical auto insurance quotes for drivers with a bad driving record. Auto insurance prices are impacted by many things and can decrease or increase without notice, so the best option the last time you shopped around may now be costing you a lot of money.
How to find budget-friendly car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record
Here are some of the better money-saving ideas that can help you locate low-cost auto insurance.
- Pay less by remaining claim-free
- Violations like speeding or DUI increase rates
- Vehicles with good safety ratings are usually cheaper to insure
- Do not get into accidents that are your fault
- Bundle car and home insurance and save money
- Keep rates low by shopping around frequently
The last tip is extremely crucial, as we discussed in this write-up. Rates fluctuate constantly, so you should be ready to buy from a new company if a better deal can be had. Staying with the same car insurance company is fine, but it’s not recommended if that faithfulness ends up costing you lots of hard earned cash every month. It only take a few minutes to compare prices to find cheaper car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record in San Diego.
If you aren’t sure which coverage you need and prefer to have a professional recommendation when comparing insurance rates for drivers with a bad driving record, the agents below can most likely aid you in deciding which coverage fits your budget.
To locate a San Diego car insurance agency close to you, click the button at the bottom of the list.
- Allstate Insurance: Patrick Wang
8650 Genesee Ave Ste 108 – San Diego, CA 92122 – (858) 623-3344 - State Farm: Tom Latsko
8680 Navajo Rd #214 – San Diego, CA 92119 – (619) 462-5701 - Kevin Kane – State Farm Insurance Agent
3914 Murphy Canyon Rd a252 – San Diego, CA 92123 – (858) 514-0385 - Stanley Wong Insurance
4619 Convoy St # C – San Diego, CA 92111 – (858) 569-0383