The words “bargain” and “auto insurance” really shouldn’t be used together, specifically when comparison shopping for the cheapest car insurance for active military. Because it’s not cheap, let’s open your eyes to some of the factors the can have a considerable influence on car insurance premiums, and see if you can take a little off your next policy.
Finding affordable auto insurance is not most people’s favorite thing to do, and finding out which companies quote the lowest-priced car insurance rates for active military calls for even more shopping around. Every insurance company has their own formula for setting rates, so let’s begin by taking a look at the most competitive car insurance companies in San Jose.
It’s a good idea to be aware that San Jose, CA car insurance rates are determined by lots of factors which can substantially decrease or increase your annual premium. Price variation is why consumers need to compare rates when trying to find the best auto insurance quotes for active military. Prices are calculated by many risk factors and change substantially, so the best company six months ago may now be wasting a lot of money.
Lowest Insurance Price Quotes for Military
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,121 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,146 |
| 3 | Century National | $1,190 |
| 4 | Nationwide | $1,226 |
| 5 | CSAA | $1,234 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,338 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,447 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,533 |
| 9 | Progressive | $1,542 |
| 10 | Allstate | $1,559 |
| 11 | The Hartford | $1,575 |
| 12 | GEICO | $1,575 |
| 13 | Allied | $1,603 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,654 |
| 15 | State Farm | $1,682 |
| 16 | Esurance | $1,739 |
| 17 | Unitrin | $1,750 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,831 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,860 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,946 |
| Quote Your Rates Go | ||
USAA normally has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in San Jose at around $1,121 annually. Wawanesa, Century National, Nationwide, and CSAA would also be considered some of the lowest-priced San Jose, CA auto insurance companies.
As the rates illustrate above, if you are currently insured with Nationwide and switched to USAA, you might see savings of upwards of $105. Insureds with CSAA might save as much as $113 a year, and 21st Century policyholders might reduce rates by $217 a year.
To compare your rates to other California insurance companies, click here to get quotes or quote prices from the following companies.
Be aware that those premium estimates are averaged across all drivers and vehicles and are not factoring in an exact vehicle garaging location for active military. So the company that fits your needs best may not even be in the list above. That’s why you need to quote rates from many companies using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
One of the more important things that are used to help calculate the annual cost of car insurance is where you choose to live in San Jose. Larger areas tend to have higher rates, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims tend to receive cheaper rates.
The information below shows the priciest cities in California for active military to purchase a policy in. San Jose comes in at #17 with a yearly premium of $1,437 on average, which is around $120 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,168 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,121 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,755 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,745 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,720 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,596 |
| 7 | Santa Clarita | $1,595 |
| 8 | Long Beach | $1,578 |
| 9 | Stockton | $1,556 |
| 10 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 11 | Garden Grove | $1,524 |
| 12 | Fontana | $1,519 |
| 13 | Fresno | $1,517 |
| 14 | Santa Ana | $1,497 |
| 15 | Moreno Valley | $1,491 |
| 16 | Riverside | $1,482 |
| 17 | San Jose | $1,437 |
| 18 | Anaheim | $1,430 |
| 19 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
| 20 | Bakersfield | $1,394 |
| Find Cheaper Insurance Go | ||
Information shown are estimated as the specific San Jose residence address can increase or decrease price quotes greatly.
The car, truck, or SUV requiring coverage is a significant factor that determines whether or not you can buy cheaper car insurance for active military. Vehicles with higher performance characteristics, a lack of advanced safety features, or a track record of large liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than more economical and safe models.
The next list ranks coverage premiums for a handful of the most affordable vehicles to insure in California.
| Vehicle Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Jeep Wrangler Sport Islander Package 4WD 2-Dr | $1,028 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,039 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $1,059 |
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $1,068 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $1,087 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,089 |
| Ford Edge SEL AWD | $1,096 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $1,111 |
| Ford Explorer XLT AWD | $1,148 |
| Ford Focus SES 4-Dr Sedan | $1,157 |
| Toyota Corolla XLE | $1,170 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $1,216 |
| Volkswagen Jetta SE 2.5 Station Wagon | $1,231 |
| Start Your Quote Go | |
Data assumes single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, safe-driver, and homeowner. Table data does not factor in vehicle location which can raise or lower premium rates substantially.
Based upon the table data, we can assume that cars like the Jeep Wrangler, Toyota Prius, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Escape, and Honda CR-V should be a few of the most economical vehicles to insure for military personnel.
How to get discounts on San Jose auto insurance rates
Insurance companies that provide policies for active military may have rate discounts that can reduce rates by as much as 30% if you qualify for them. Larger car insurance companies and some of the discounts are detailed below.
- State Farm offers discounts for Steer Clear safe driver discount, good student, accident-free, multiple autos, Drive Safe & Save, and good driver.
- GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including anti-lock brakes, membership and employees, seat belt use, military active duty, emergency military deployment, five-year accident-free, and multi-policy.
- Liberty Mutual has discounts for multi-policy, good student, new vehicle discount, multi-car, and newly retired.
- The Hartford has savings for bundle, anti-theft, air bag, vehicle fuel type, defensive driver, and driver training.
- MetLife may have discounts that include good student, good driver, claim-free, accident-free, multi-policy, defensive driver
- Progressive may offer discounts for online signing, multi-policy, homeowner, online quote discount, good student, and continuous coverage.
The illustration below visualizes the comparison of premium costs with and without policy discounts. Data assumes a male driver, no claims or driving citations, California state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows the average annual price with no discounts. The second shows the rates with marriage, anti-theft, vehicle safety, accident-free, claim-free, and safe-driver discounts applied. When these discounts are applied, the average amount saved each year on car insurance for active military is 28% or $630.
Finding a high-quality company can be difficult considering how many companies sell coverage in San Jose. The ranking data below could help you select which coverage providers you want to consider when trying to find cheaper insurance for active military.
The ratings below include companies with a nationwide focus, so companies without a large exposure will not be included in these rankings. To compare price quotes from these companies and more, follow this link.
| 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
Why you should shop around
San Jose car insurance rates are influenced by many factors which can significantly increase or decrease the price you have to pay for coverage. Getting older, buying another vehicle, or getting a ticket for running a stop sign may generate price changes resulting in some companies being cheaper than others.
In addition, insurance companies change rates as often as every quarter to adjust for unexpected claims or profits. Heavier than normal losses can result in higher prices, while profitable underwriting may cause more affordable San Jose car insurance rates.
To illustrate this point, the data below analyzes the cheapest car insurance in San Jose, CA for a 30-year-old male driver with a clean driving record, no accidents, and good financial standing. If we estimate rates based on his personal risk profile, USAA might offer the most affordable car insurance rates in San Jose at $1,248 each year. This is $403 less than the average premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide round out the rest of the cheapest San Jose, CA auto insurance companies.
Now we will pretend the driver from above a claim or two, slightly worse credit, and a few blemishes on his driving record. Since each auto insurance company uses their own calculation to set premium rates, analyzing rates will most likely result in a significantly different list of cheap San Jose auto insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the cheapest rate in San Jose, CA with Mercury, Allstate, Progressive, and GEICO now rounding out the top five. This example proves why California drivers need to shop around when trying to get the best auto insurance rates for active military. Rates are made up of many factors and change dramatically, so the most economical company a year ago may now be quite expensive.
If you have questions and prefer to have professional advice when comparing insurance rates for active military, the agencies below can help you make a decision which coverages and limits you need. To find an agent near you, click the button at the bottom of the list or click here to compare price quotes now.
- Nationwide Insurance: Nathan Douglas Gleason Agency
1625 The Alameda Ste 402 – San Jose, CA 95126 – (408) 656-0034 - Farmers Insurance
1080 Minnesota Ave # 4 – San Jose, CA 95125 – (408) 294-4348 - Nhut Ho – State Farm Insurance Agent
2048 Tully Rd – San Jose, CA 95122 – (408) 223-6163 - Tina Choi – State Farm Insurance Agent
4300 Stevens Creek Blvd #130 – San Jose, CA 95129 – (408) 247-4713