It’s hard to avoid all the catchy commercials from auto insurance companies like Liberty Mutual, State Farm, and Farmers promising the cheapest price. So you should just choose the one with the flashiest ad, right?
It’s not quite that easy, unfortunately, as there are a lot of unknown factors such as your age, if you have ever let your coverage lapse, any prior driving offenses, and the vehicle you drive. We will touch on the things that cause high insurance rates and also should give you a good beginning to your quest for cheaper car insurance.
When buying car insurance for teen drivers, one of the key considerations that influence rate quotes is where your home is located in California. Cities with larger populations or higher claim trends like Glendale, Oakland, and San Francisco are more likely to pay higher prices, whereas areas that are not as densely populated generally benefit from lower car insurance rates.
The information below rates the most costly cities in California for teenagers to purchase car insurance in.
Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | Glendale | $2,121 |
2 | Los Angeles | $2,083 |
3 | Oakland | $1,755 |
4 | Sacramento | $1,720 |
5 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
6 | Long Beach | $1,610 |
7 | Stockton | $1,603 |
8 | San Bernardino | $1,596 |
9 | Fontana | $1,581 |
10 | Santa Clarita | $1,548 |
11 | Moreno Valley | $1,536 |
12 | Modesto | $1,532 |
13 | Garden Grove | $1,524 |
14 | Fresno | $1,502 |
15 | Santa Ana | $1,497 |
16 | Riverside | $1,497 |
17 | Anaheim | $1,474 |
18 | Fremont | $1,389 |
19 | San Jose | $1,381 |
20 | Bakersfield | $1,381 |
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Rates are estimated as the specific zip code location can alter price quotes considerably.
The vehicle model you are buying coverage for is one of the biggest factors that determines if you can find the lowest-priced auto insurance for teenagers. Vehicles with high performance features, poor crash test ratings, or high incidents of liability claims will cost significantly more to insure than safer, lower-performance models. The data below ranks car insurance prices for some of the cheapest automobiles to insure.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Chevrolet Malibu LT | $4,876 | $2,438 | $406 |
Ford Focus SES 2-Dr Coupe | $5,498 | $2,749 | $458 |
Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $4,080 | $2,040 | $340 |
Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $4,802 | $2,401 | $400 |
Kia Optima LX | $5,248 | $2,624 | $437 |
Nissan Altima 3.5 SR 4-Dr Sedan | $5,126 | $2,563 | $427 |
Toyota Camry Hybrid | $5,536 | $2,768 | $461 |
Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T 4-Dr Sedan | $5,126 | $2,563 | $427 |
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Cost estimates assume single female driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Rate information does not factor in specific location information which can modify insurance rates significantly.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Acura MDX Advance/Entertainment 4WD | $5,162 | $2,581 | $430 |
Chevrolet Traverse LS AWD | $4,154 | $2,077 | $346 |
Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $4,116 | $2,058 | $343 |
Ford Expedition King Ranch 4WD | $4,688 | $2,344 | $391 |
Ford Explorer Limited 4WD | $4,876 | $2,438 | $406 |
GMC Acadia SLE AWD | $4,838 | $2,419 | $403 |
GMC Terrain SLT AWD | $4,652 | $2,326 | $388 |
Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $4,080 | $2,040 | $340 |
Honda Pilot Touring 2WD | $4,876 | $2,438 | $406 |
Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $4,838 | $2,419 | $403 |
Kia Sportage LX 4WD 4-Dr | $4,838 | $2,419 | $403 |
Nissan Pathfinder SE 2WD | $4,590 | $2,295 | $383 |
Toyota 4Runner Sport 4WD | $4,402 | $2,201 | $367 |
Toyota Highlander SE 4WD | $5,162 | $2,581 | $430 |
Toyota RAV4 Sport 4WD | $4,838 | $2,419 | $403 |
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Data based on single female driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Information does not factor in specific location information which can change rates noticeably.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Chevrolet Colorado LT Crew Cab 4WD | $4,364 | $2,182 | $364 |
Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LT Extended Cab 4WD | $6,198 | $3,099 | $517 |
Chevrolet Silverado LT Extended Cab 2WD | $5,248 | $2,624 | $437 |
Dodge Ram 2500 Crew Cab Laramie 2WD | $5,784 | $2,892 | $482 |
Dodge Ram Crew Cab Sport 4WD | $5,572 | $2,786 | $464 |
Ford F-150 STX Regular Cab 4WD | $4,590 | $2,295 | $383 |
Ford F-350 XL Crew Cab Turbo Diesel 4WD | $6,990 | $3,495 | $583 |
GMC Sierra 2500HD SLT Crew Cab 4WD | $5,374 | $2,687 | $448 |
GMC Sierra SLE Extended Cab 4WD | $5,126 | $2,563 | $427 |
Toyota Tundra Limited Crew MAX 2WD | $5,536 | $2,768 | $461 |
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Price data assumes single female driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Premium amounts do not factor in specific zip code location which can increase or decrease rates substantially.
Determining which companies offer the cheapest car insurance rates for teenagers will involve more time than just comparing rates from one or two companies. Each insurance company has a proprietary formula for setting rates, so let’s take a look at the car insurance companies with the most affordable rates in California.
Best Car Insurance Prices for Teens
Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | USAA | $1,109 |
2 | Wawanesa | $1,181 |
3 | Century National | $1,214 |
4 | CSAA | $1,222 |
5 | Nationwide | $1,226 |
6 | 21st Century | $1,325 |
7 | Grange | $1,447 |
8 | GEICO | $1,529 |
9 | Mercury | $1,533 |
10 | Allied | $1,541 |
11 | Allstate | $1,543 |
12 | Progressive | $1,558 |
13 | The Hartford | $1,639 |
14 | MetLife | $1,654 |
15 | Esurance | $1,705 |
16 | Unitrin | $1,750 |
17 | State Farm | $1,750 |
18 | Travelers | $1,788 |
19 | Bristol West | $1,831 |
20 | Farmers | $2,006 |
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USAA may have some of the cheapest car insurance rates in California at around $1,109 per year. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide also qualify as some of the cheaper California car insurance companies.
As the example above demonstrates, if you currently buy coverage from Wawanesa and switched to USAA, you could earn annual savings of about $72. Customers with Century National may save as much as $105 a year, and CSAA customers might lower prices by $113 a year.
If you would like to find cheap car insurance for teenagers in California, click here to begin a quote or feel free to get quotes from the companies below.
It’s important to note that these rates are averages across all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and and are not figured with a price surcharge for teenagers. So the company that is best suited for you may not even be featured in the list of companies above. That is why you need to quote rates from as many companies as possible using your own individual information.
Finding a good quality car insurance company is hard considering how many companies there are to choose from in California. The ranking data shown below can help you pick which car insurance providers you want to consider putting your business with. The rankings below are only made up of the largest companies in America, so smaller regional companies will not be included in the list.
It is possible to find better rates, and here are some of the better penny-pinching ideas that can help drivers get lower-cost car insurance.
The last tip is notably important, as was emphasized in the article above. Insurance rates change constantly, so don’t hesitate to buy a different policy if a more affordable rate is found.
Many drivers tend to have loyalty to a certain company, but we do not recommend it if that faithfulness ends up costing you money that could be going to better use. If you have a few minutes, now is a great time to compare prices and find cheaper car insurance for teenagers.