Best Cheap Car Insurance for Retired Military in California

Best Cheap Car Insurance for Retired Military in California

The words “economical” and “auto insurance” really don’t belong together, specifically when you are looking for the lowest insurance prices for retired military. Because it’s so expensive, let’s take a look at a few of the factors that can significantly affect insurance premiums, and find a few ways to cut the cost of the next policy you buy.

Trying to find affordable car insurance is confusing at best, and finding out which companies have the lowest-priced auto insurance rates for retired military calls for a bit more work. Every car insurance company uses their own formula to set their prices, so we need to take a look at the auto insurance companies with the overall cheapest rates in California.

It’s a good idea to be aware that California auto insurance rates are influenced by many factors that may substantially change the cost of coverage. That is why consumers need to do a thorough rate comparison when trying to find the most affordable auto insurance rates for retired military. Auto insurance prices are impacted by many things and change substantially, so the most economical option the last time you checked may now be priced much higher than other options.

Best Cheap Insurance Rates for Vets

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Wawanesa generally has some of the lowest car insurance rates in California at around $1,146 annually. USAA, CSAA, Nationwide, and Century National also qualify as some of the most economical California auto insurance companies.

As illustrated above, if you buy coverage from Nationwide and switched to USAA, you may realize an annual premium reduction of in the vicinity of $58. California drivers with Century National might save as much as $59 a year, and 21st Century policyholders might lower prices by $183 a year.

If you would like to find the best cheap car insurance for retired military in California, click here to begin a quote or quote rates from the companies below.

These rates are averaged across all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and and are not calculated with a rate discount for retired military. So the insurer that is most affordable for your situation may not even be shown in the chart above. That point stresses why you need to compare rates from as many companies as possible using your own personal information and vehicle type.

The safety and performance level of the vehicle that is being insured is probably the largest consideration that determines if you can find the best cheap car insurance for retired military in California. Vehicles with lower performance, good crash test ratings, or a positive history of liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than adrenaline junky models. The information below estimates coverage costs for a number of the most economical automobiles to buy insurance for.

Auto Insurance Rates for Popular Cars in California
Make, Model, and Trim Level Annual Cost Semi-Annual Cost Monthly Cost
Ford Focus SE 2-Dr Coupe $1,540 $770 $128
Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan $1,270 $635 $106
Honda Civic LX 2-Dr Coupe $1,670 $835 $139
Hyundai Elantra GLS 4-Dr Sedan $1,454 $727 $121
Hyundai Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan $1,458 $729 $122
Nissan Altima 3.5 SR 2-Dr Coupe $1,652 $826 $138
Toyota Camry LE $1,372 $686 $114
Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T Station Wagon $1,384 $692 $115
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Data assumes single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Prices do not factor in your specific California location which can modify premium rates substantially.

Car Insurance Rates for Popular SUVs and Crossovers in California
Make, Model, and Trim Level Annual Cost Semi-Annual Cost Monthly Cost
Acura MDX with Tech/Entertainment 4WD $1,516 $758 $126
Buick Enclave CX 2WD $1,486 $743 $124
Chevrolet Traverse LTZ AWD $1,302 $651 $109
Ford Escape XLT 4WD $1,190 $595 $99
Ford Explorer Limited 4WD $1,404 $702 $117
GMC Acadia SL AWD $1,292 $646 $108
Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD $1,190 $595 $99
Honda Pilot EX-L 4WD $1,404 $702 $117
Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2WD $1,486 $743 $124
Kia Sportage LX 4WD 4-Dr $1,372 $686 $114
Lexus RX 350 4WD $1,682 $841 $140
Nissan Pathfinder SE 2WD $1,292 $646 $108
Toyota Highlander SE 4WD $1,516 $758 $126
Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD $1,372 $686 $114
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Cost estimates assume single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, claim-free, safe-driver, multi-policy, and homeowner. Premium amounts do not factor in zip code location which can alter premiums substantially.

Auto Insurance Rates for Popular Pickup Trucks in California
Make, Model, and Trim Level Annual Cost Semi-Annual Cost Monthly Cost
Chevrolet Colorado LT Extended Cab 4WD $1,160 $580 $97
Chevrolet Silverado LS Extended Cab 2WD $1,458 $729 $122
Dodge Ram 2500 Crew Cab ST 2WD $1,652 $826 $138
Dodge Ram Quad Cab ST 2WD $1,378 $689 $115
Ford F-150 XL Super Cab 4WD $1,292 $646 $108
Ford F-350 Super Cab Cabela Package 2WD $1,516 $758 $126
GMC Sierra 3500HD SLE Regular Cab 4WD $1,762 $881 $147
GMC Sierra Denali Crew Cab 4WD $1,596 $798 $133
Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Off-Road Package 4WD $1,404 $702 $117
Toyota Tundra Regular Cab 2WD $1,348 $674 $112
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Cost estimates assume single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, claim-free, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Rate information does not factor in specific zip code location which can affect auto insurance rates significantly.

For veterans, one of the largest things that determine the policy price is where you keep your car. Areas that are more densely populated like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento tend to have more expensive car insurance rates, whereas areas that are not as densely populated can boast about having cheaper rates.

The illustration below displays the priciest cities in California for retired military to purchase auto insurance in.

Most expensive California cities for auto insurance
Rank City Premium Per Year
1 Los Angeles $2,146
2 Glendale $2,121
3 San Francisco $1,711
4 Oakland $1,704
5 Sacramento $1,703
6 San Bernardino $1,628
7 Long Beach $1,610
8 Fontana $1,581
9 Garden Grove $1,554
10 Santa Clarita $1,548
11 Modesto $1,547
12 Stockton $1,541
13 Moreno Valley $1,491
14 Anaheim $1,488
15 Santa Ana $1,483
16 Riverside $1,482
17 Fresno $1,472
18 San Jose $1,437
19 Bakersfield $1,381
20 Huntington Beach $1,374
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Price information shown is comparative as specific California zip code can decrease or increase prices significantly.

The information below illustrates how your deductible choice can change insurance costs when researching cheap insurance for retired military. The rate quotes are based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.

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In the chart above, a 50-year-old driver could lower rates by $420 a year by increasing from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $634 by using a $1,000 deductible. Even younger insureds, like the age 20 example, can save $1,042 or more by using a higher deductible. If you make the decision to raise deductibles, it is a good idea to have plenty of money set aside to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense that deters many people from opting for higher deductibles.

State Farm, Progressive, Geico, and Allstate compared

If you want reliable car insurance for veterans in California, the companies that insure more vehicles than anyone else are State Farm, Progressive, Geico, and Allstate. The next table compares ratings for price, service, and claims, in additional to some of the optional coverages that are available for policyholders.

Largest U.S. Car Insurance Company Ratings
State Farm Progressive Geico Allstate
Customer Satisfaction 4th 3rd 1st 2nd
Discounts Available 3rd 4th 2nd 1st
Handling of Claims 2nd 4th 3rd 1st
Price Rank 2nd 3rd 1st 4th
A.M. Best financial rating A++ A+ A++ A+
Usage-based insurance Yes Yes No Yes
Accident forgiveness coverage No Yes Yes Yes
Roadside service Yes Yes Yes Yes
Mechanical breakdown insurance No Yes Yes No
New car replacement coverage No No No Yes
Coverage for Uber and Lyft drivers Yes Yes Yes Yes
Insure in California Yes Yes Yes Yes
Where you can buy State Farm-only agents Online or from independent agents Both online and from Geico agents Allstate exclusive agents
Number of agents 18,000+ 30,000+ 150+ 11,000+
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How to get the best cheap car insurance for retired military in California

Here are many money-saving ideas that can help California drivers locate the cheapest coverage.

  • Buy vehicles with good safety ratings
  • Save money by insuring older vehicles for liability only
  • Pay for small claims rather than turning them in to your insurance company
  • Clean up your credit rating
  • Higher deductibles mean lower rates
  • Buy your homeowners policy from the same company as your auto insurance
  • Compare rate quotes frequently

That last idea is very significant, as we hit on in the prior article. Insurance rates go up and down frequently, so you should be ready to change to a new company if a lower price can be found. Having a favorite company is great, but it’s not a great idea if that dedication is costing a wad of cash every year. Take a few minutes and compare rates to find cheaper auto insurance for retired military.