Finding low-priced car insurance is not the easiest thing to do, and finding out which companies quote the best car insurance rates for drivers under 25 involves even more work. Each insurance company has a unique approach to set premium rates, so let’s begin by examining the lowest cost car insurance companies in California.
It’s important to know that San Jose, CA car insurance rates are determined by lots of factors that may substantially change the price you have to pay for coverage. Price variation is why it is critical to compare rates to find cheap car insurance rates for drivers under 25. Rates are impacted by many things and change frequently, so the cheapest rate the last time you shopped around may now be one of the higher cost companies.
Best Insurance Companies for Young Drivers
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,143 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,192 |
| 3 | Century National | $1,214 |
| 4 | CSAA | $1,222 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,263 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,366 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,433 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,488 |
| 9 | Allied | $1,541 |
| 10 | Progressive | $1,558 |
| 11 | Allstate | $1,559 |
| 12 | GEICO | $1,559 |
| 13 | The Hartford | $1,591 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,606 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,699 |
| 16 | State Farm | $1,699 |
| 17 | Esurance | $1,739 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,806 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,946 |
| Quote Your Rates Go | ||
USAA has some of the lowest car insurance rates in San Jose at around $1,143 annually. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide also rank well as some of the most economical San Jose, CA car insurance companies.
In the rate table above, if you currently have coverage with CSAA and switched to USAA, you could earn savings of around $79. Policyholders with Nationwide might save as much as $120 a year, and 21st Century customers might reduce prices by as much as $223 a year.
Bear in mind that those estimates are averaged for all insureds and vehicles and and are not calculated with a specific location for drivers under 25. So the car insurance company that fits your situation best may not even be in the top 24 companies shown above. That helps illustrate why you need to compare rates from as many companies as possible using your own driver data and vehicle information.
The make and model of vehicle you are trying to insure is a significant factor that determines whether or not you find the most affordable auto insurance for drivers under 25. Vehicles with high performance features, poor safety ratings, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost significantly more to insure than safer, lower-performance models. The data below ranks insurance premiums for a handful of the cheaper vehicles to buy insurance for.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $2,356 |
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $2,366 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $2,564 |
| Toyota Prius | $2,601 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $2,622 |
| Ford F-150 FX2 Super Cab 2WD | $2,628 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $2,762 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $2,768 |
| Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $2,762 |
| Toyota RAV4 2WD | $2,796 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $2,804 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $2,796 |
| Dodge Ram 3500 Crew Cab Laramie 2WD | $2,833 |
| Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $2,838 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $2,833 |
| Hyundai Elantra Blue 4-Dr Sedan | $2,938 |
| Honda Civic EX 4-Dr Sedan | $2,943 |
| Honda Odyssey EX-L W/Navigation | $2,973 |
| Toyota Corolla S | $2,979 |
| Toyota Tacoma X-Runner 2WD | $2,973 |
| Start Your Quote Go | |
Prices above 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. Premium amounts do not factor in vehicle garaging location which can influence coverage prices substantially.
Looking at the rates, you can conclude that makes and models like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and Volkswagen Jetta should be some of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for drivers age 25 and younger. The price for car insurance will tend to be more expensive just due to the fact that there is more liability exposure for drivers under 25, but overall those vehicles will tend to have the cheapest auto insurance rates that you’ll find.
One of the more important things that help determine the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is the neighborhood you call home. Cities with larger populations or higher claim trends tend to pay more, whereas areas that tend to be more rural can boast about having cheaper rates.
The information below sorts the most costly cities in California for drivers under 25 in which to buy car insurance. San Jose is listed at #17 having an annual price of $1,437 for the average policyholder, which is about $120 per month.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,168 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,079 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,763 |
| 4 | Oakland | $1,755 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,720 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,644 |
| 7 | Stockton | $1,603 |
| 8 | Long Beach | $1,578 |
| 9 | Garden Grove | $1,570 |
| 10 | Modesto | $1,547 |
| 11 | Fontana | $1,535 |
| 12 | Santa Clarita | $1,533 |
| 13 | Fresno | $1,502 |
| 14 | Moreno Valley | $1,491 |
| 15 | Riverside | $1,482 |
| 16 | Santa Ana | $1,453 |
| 17 | San Jose | $1,437 |
| 18 | Anaheim | $1,430 |
| 19 | Fremont | $1,403 |
| 20 | Irvine | $1,384 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||
Rates are comparative as the specific geographic location can raise or lower prices greatly.
The example below demonstrates how deductible levels can increase or decrease annual premium costs when quoting cheap insurance for drivers under 25. The rates are based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are applied.
The data above shows that a 40-year-old driver could lower their car insurance rates by $506 a year by increasing from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $762 by selecting a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, such as the Age 20 example, could potentially save up to $1,674 annually by using a higher deductible.
If you do make the decision to raise your deductibles, it is important to have spare funds to allow you to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense. That is the one disadvantage of using higher deductibles.
How to find a good San Jose car insurance company
Selecting a high-quality company can be difficult considering how many companies are available to choose from in San Jose. The company rank data shown next may help you choose which companies to look at when comparing rates.
The rankings below are for the largest companies in America, so companies without a large exposure are not taken into consideration for the list. If you’d like to compare prices from many more California auto insurance companies, click this link.
Top 10 Major Car Insurance Companies in San Jose Ranked by Value
- USAA
- American Family
- The Hartford
- AAA of Southern California
- Titan Insurance
- The General
- AAA Insurance
- State Farm
- Mercury Insurance
- Nationwide
Top 10 Major Car Insurance Companies in San Jose Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- Titan Insurance – 95%
- USAA – 94%
- AAA of Southern California – 92%
- AAA Insurance – 91%
- Nationwide – 90%
- State Farm – 90%
- The Hartford – 89%
- GEICO – 89%
- The General – 88%
- 21st Century – 88%
If you would rather have professional advice when comparing insurance rates for drivers age 25 and younger, the agents listed below can aid you in deciding which auto insurance coverages would be the best in your situation. To find an auto insurance agency close to you, click the button after the list.
Jim Edington – State Farm Insurance Agent
361 Piercy Rd – San Jose, CA 95138 – (408) 225-2463
GEICO Insurance Agent
2195 Monterey Rd #20 – San Jose, CA 95125 – (408) 286-4342
Art Holland – State Farm Insurance Agent
5520 Almaden Expy – San Jose, CA 95118 – (408) 229-7870
More insurance agents in San Jose, CA
Ideas for buying budget-friendly auto insurance for drivers under 25
The list below details many money-saving suggestions that can help California drivers locate lower-cost coverage.
- The safer your car, the less it costs to insure
- Do not waste money insuring older vehicles for full coverage
- Multi-policy discounts save money
- Higher credit scores can equal lower rates
- Avoid having at-fault accidents
- Compare rates often to find the best deal
That final tip is remarkably necessary, as was noted in the article above. Rates in San Jose can change considerably based on profitability, so don’t hesitate to switch companies if a more affordable rate is found.
Being loyal to a particular company is commendable, but is isn’t recommended if that loyalty ends up costing a small fortune year after year. Take a few minutes and compare rates to find cheaper insurance for drivers under 25.