The words “low-priced” and “insurance” probably shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, especially when you are searching for the cheapest car insurance for drivers under 21. Because of the high cost, let’s go over a few of the factors that help determine auto insurance premiums, and find a way to cut the cost of your next policy.
Finding cost effective insurance is difficult, and determining which companies quote the cheapest auto insurance rates for drivers under 21 calls for a little more work.
Each company has a different process to establish rates, so first we will examine the lowest cost auto insurance companies in Chula Vista, CA. We do need to point out that California auto insurance rates are impacted by many factors which can substantially decrease or increase the cost of having a policy. Price variation is why California drivers need to shop around when trying to find the cheapest auto insurance quotes for drivers under 21. Car insurance prices are influenced by many different factors and change substantially, so the best option a year ago may now be one of the higher cost companies.
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USAA offers some of the lowest car insurance rates in Chula Vista at around $1,109 a year. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide also are some of the cheapest Chula Vista, CA car insurance companies.
In the rate table above, if you have coverage with CSAA and switched to Wawanesa, you might realize yearly savings of in the neighborhood of $52. California drivers with Nationwide may save as much as $67 a year, and 21st Century insureds might realize rate reductions of up to $233 a year.
It’s important to note that these estimates are averaged across all drivers and vehicles in California and and are not calculated with an exact zip code location for drivers under 21. So the car insurance company that is best for you may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That is why you need to get rate quotes using your own driver and vehicle profiles.
The vehicle model to be insured is probably the biggest factor that determines the availability of the cheapest car insurance for drivers under 21. Vehicles with lots of speed or power, a lack of safety features, or an increased likelihood of liability claims will cost significantly more to insure than safer, lower-performance models.
The next table ranks insurance premiums for a handful of the cheaper automobiles to insure.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $2,063 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $2,093 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $2,246 |
| Toyota Prius | $2,278 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $2,296 |
| Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4WD 2-Dr | $2,304 |
| Ford F-150 STX Super Cab 4WD | $2,328 |
| Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $2,419 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $2,425 |
| GMC Sierra SL Extended Cab 2WD | $2,449 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $2,454 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $2,449 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $2,455 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $2,481 |
| Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 4WD | $2,490 |
| Ford Focus SES 4-Dr Sedan | $2,571 |
| Toyota Corolla LE | $2,602 |
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Data assumes single male driver age 20, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Rate quotes do not factor in zip code location which can influence premiums substantially.
Based upon these rates, you can expect makes and models like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Volkswagen Jetta will be some of the cheaper vehicles to insure for minors. The price for an auto insurance policy will tend to be higher just because there is more claim exposure for drivers under 21, but in general those makes and models will most likely have the least expensive rates available.
One of the more important components that help determine the annual cost of car insurance is the neighborhood you call home in Chula Vista. Areas with more people or even just a higher incidence of claims tend to have more expensive car insurance rates, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims can boast about having cheaper rates.
The next table sorts the priciest cities in California for drivers under 21 in which to buy car insurance. Chula Vista is ranked #25 costing $1,337 for the average policyholder, which is about $111 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | $2,121 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | $2,104 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,763 |
| 4 | Oakland | $1,704 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,703 |
| 6 | Long Beach | $1,626 |
| 7 | Santa Clarita | $1,595 |
| 8 | Stockton | $1,588 |
| 9 | San Bernardino | $1,580 |
| 10 | Garden Grove | $1,570 |
| 11 | Fontana | $1,566 |
| 12 | Riverside | $1,542 |
| 13 | Moreno Valley | $1,536 |
| 14 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 15 | Fresno | $1,517 |
| 16 | Santa Ana | $1,439 |
| 17 | Anaheim | $1,430 |
| 18 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
| 19 | San Jose | $1,381 |
| 20 | Irvine | $1,371 |
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Annual rates are estimated as the specific zip code location can revise auto insurance rates substantially.
Does it make sense to buy full coverage?
Paying less for auto insurance should be important to most people, and one of the fastest ways to reduce the cost of insurance for drivers under 21 is to only buy liability coverage. The illustration below shows the difference between car insurance costs with full coverage and liability only. The rate quotes are based on no accidents, no driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are factored in.
If we average the cost for ages 20 through 70, comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy costs $2,467 per year more than carrying just liability coverage. That raises the question if paying for full coverage is worth it. There isn’t a written rule to drop comp and collision coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than about 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your vehicle’s replacement cost is $4,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most you would receive is $3,000 after paying your policy deductible. If you are paying more than $300 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
There are a few situations where dropping full coverage is not a good plan. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not buy liability only.
How to get discounts on Chula Vista car insurance rates
Insurance providers that provide policies for drivers under 21 may provide rate discounts that can lower rates by 25% or more if you are eligible for them. Companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are:
- Progressive includes discounts for multi-vehicle, online signing, good student, multi-policy, online quote discount, continuous coverage, and homeowner.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include pay in full, homeowner, teen driver, switch companies, electronic funds transfer, and distant student.
- Farm Bureau may offer discounts for youthful driver, good student, multi-policy, 55 and retired, multi-vehicle, safe driver, and renewal discount.
- State Farm offers discounts for accident-free, defensive driving training, safe vehicle, anti-theft, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and student away at school.
- GEICO may have discounts that include five-year accident-free, emergency military deployment, multi-vehicle, federal employee, air bags, and military active duty.
- SAFECO offers discounts including teen safe driver, homeowner, accident prevention training, teen safety rewards, and bundle discounts.
- Liberty Mutual offers premium reductions for exclusive group savings, multi-policy, preferred payment discount, new move discount, safety features, and good student.
The diagram below illustrates the comparison of premium costs with and without discounts applied. The data assumes a male driver, no tickets, no at-fault accidents, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $100 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the price with no discounts. The second shows the rates with paid-in-full, continuous coverage, paperless filing, good student, passive restraint, and vehicle safety discounts applied. When these discounts are applied to the policy premium, theaverage yearly reduction on auto insurance for drivers under 21 is 18% or $511.
Ideas for buying budget-friendly car insurance for drivers under 21
Below you’ll find many penny-pinching solutions that can help California drivers locate low-cost auto insurance.
- Do not waste money insuring older vehicles for full coverage
- Buying your home and auto policies from the same company can earn a discount
- Raise deductibles to save money
- Increase your credit rating
- Buy a safer vehicle
- Frequent claims will increase rates
- Shop around for cheaper prices
That last piece of advice is extremely crucial, as was affirmed in this write-up. Auto insurance rates adjust often, so drivers shouldn’t be reluctant to switch to a new company if a lower price can be found. Brand loyalty is not necessarily bad, but it’s not a great idea if it’s costing you hundreds every year. If you have a few minutes, now is a great time to shop around and find cheaper car insurance for drivers under 21 in Chula Vista.