The words “bargain” and “insurance” probably shouldn’t be used together, in particular when trying to find the lowest insurance prices for good drivers. Because of the high cost, let’s start the ball rolling by going over some of the things that have an effect on insurance premiums, and see how we can help you shave a little off the next policy you buy.
The vehicle requiring insurance is probably the largest consideration that determines whether or not you can buy the lowest-priced car insurance for good drivers. Vehicles with reasonable performance levels, modern passenger safety features, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost much less to insure than higher performance models. The next table outlines auto insurance prices for a number of the most economical vehicles to insure.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $946 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,005 |
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $1,016 |
| Ford Explorer XLT AWD | $1,038 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,077 |
| Ford Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,096 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $1,107 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $1,113 |
| Ford Edge SE 2WD | $1,111 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $1,118 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,131 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $1,135 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport Islander Package 4WD 2-Dr | $1,153 |
| Honda Odyssey Touring | $1,177 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,179 |
| Toyota Tacoma 4WD | $1,181 |
| Ford F-150 STX Regular Cab 4WD | $1,190 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $1,203 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LTZ Crew Cab 2WD | $1,218 |
| Ford F-350 XLT Crew Cab Lariat 2WD | $1,227 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $1,240 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 S 2-Dr Coupe | $1,257 |
| Kia Optima EX | $1,262 |
| Compare Cheap Rates Go | |
Prices based on single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Price information does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can alter premiums considerably.
Looking at the rates, you can assume that makes and models like the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Escape, Ford Explorer, and Ford Focus are likely to be the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for safe drivers.
Trying to find cheap insurance is not the easiest thing to do, and deciding which companies offer the cheapest auto insurance rates for good drivers will take a little more work. Every car insurance company has their own formula for establishing rates, so let’s begin by examining the most competitive auto insurance companies in California.
It’s important that you understand San Jose, CA auto insurance rates are impacted by many things that can increase your annual premium. This is why it is so important to compare rates to get the most affordable car insurance rates for good drivers. Rates are determined by many risk factors and can change substantially, so the best option a year ago may now be quite expensive.
Find Cheaper Car Insurance for Good Drivers
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,121 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,157 |
| 3 | CSAA | $1,186 |
| 4 | Nationwide | $1,213 |
| 5 | Century National | $1,226 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,338 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,447 |
| 8 | Progressive | $1,496 |
| 9 | Mercury | $1,503 |
| 10 | GEICO | $1,513 |
| 11 | Allstate | $1,513 |
| 12 | MetLife | $1,590 |
| 13 | Allied | $1,603 |
| 14 | The Hartford | $1,623 |
| 15 | State Farm | $1,682 |
| 16 | Unitrin | $1,682 |
| 17 | Esurance | $1,688 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,860 |
| 20 | Farmers | $2,026 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | ||
USAA offers some of the lowest car insurance rates in San Jose at around $1,121 a year. Wawanesa, CSAA, Nationwide, and Century National also rank well as some of the most economical San Jose, CA auto insurance companies.
As shown in the rates above, if you currently buy coverage from Nationwide and switched to Wawanesa, you might realize a yearly price reduction of about $56. California drivers with Century National might save as much as $69 a year, and 21st Century insureds might see rate reductions of $181 a year.
To find the cheapest rates for your vehicle, click here to get a free quote or quote prices from the following companies.
It’s important to note that these premiums are averaged across all drivers and vehicles and and are not calculated with an exact location for good drivers. So the auto insurance company that can offer you the lowest price may not even be in the top 24 companies shown above. That point stresses why you need to get rate quotes from many companies using your own personalized driver profile and vehicle information.
How careless driving impacts auto insurance rates
The obvious way to receive cheap auto insurance prices for safe drivers is to be a careful driver and maintain a clean driving record. The illustration below demonstrates how traffic citations and at-fault fender-benders can raise insurance rates for each age group. The premium estimates are based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
The data charted above shows the average cost of an auto insurance policy in California per year with no accidents or violations is $1,948. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost swells to $2,267, an increase of $319 each year. Then include one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of auto insurance for good drivers jumps again to an average of $3,165. That’s an increase of $1,217, or $101 per month, just for not being more responsible behind the wheel!
Liability-only versus full coverage
Paying less for auto insurance is the goal of most vehicle owners, and an effective way to lower the cost of insurance for good drivers is to only buy liability insurance. The example below shows the comparison of insurance prices with and without full coverage. The data is based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no policy discounts are applied.
As an average, physical damage insurance costs $2,314 per year over liability only. That raises the question when is the right time to remove full coverage. There is no set guideline for dropping comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a broad guideline. If the annual cost of coverage is more than about 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
How to find budget-friendly auto insurance for good drivers
The list below summarizes many penny-pinching ideas that can help San Jose drivers buy cheap coverage.
- Having at-fault accidents will increase rates
- Violations and traffic tickets increase rates
- Increase your policy deductibles
- Drop full coverage on older vehicles
- Avoid filing excessive claims
- Check for cheaper rates once a year
The last tip is notably vital, as we pointed out in the article above. Car insurance prices fluctuate constantly, so don’t hesitate to switch companies if a more affordable price is available.
Many drivers have brand loyalty and that’s fine, but it’s not a good idea if that inflexibility results in costing you lots of hard earned cash every month. If you have a few minutes, compare prices and find cheaper auto insurance for good drivers in San Jose.
If you aren’t sure which coverage you need and prefer to have a professional recommendation when shopping for the best coverage for good drivers, the agencies below can help you determine which is the best policy.
To find a San Jose insurance agent in your neighborhood, click the link after the list.
- Lords Insurance Agency Inc
2239 Moorpark Ave #100 – San Jose, CA 95128 – (408) 289-5445 - Frank Kachkouche – State Farm Insurance Agent
901 S White Rd – San Jose, CA 95127 – (408) 923-2073 - Van (Von) Le – State Farm Insurance Agent
301 N Jackson Ave #12 – San Jose, CA 95133 – (408) 259-8826 - Mike Murillo – State Farm Insurance Agent
1449 Park Ave #3 – San Jose, CA 95126 – (408) 295-0554