Your odds of finding affordable coverage for a Nissan Altima in California hinges on a lot of rating criteria such as your marital status, the performance level of your vehicle, and any prior driving offenses you have. California drivers will pay around $1,790 a year for Altima insurance, but that amount is a ballpark figure using rate data for a 40-year-old single male driver that has full physical damage coverage and $100 physical damage deductibles.
More than likely, you are not 40 years old and maybe not even male, maybe you are married instead of single, or maybe your Altima is an older model. Just a minor change in quote information can induce significant differences in the price of coverage.
Everyone has unique insurance needs, and this illustrates why the best way to find the cheapest coverage for your Nissan is to comparison shop your policy at each renewal. Comparing quotes is easy and you will be able to see rates from the best auto insurance companies that insure vehicles in California.
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Vehicle trim level tends to have a direct effect on the coverage cost, so the rate you will pay to insure a Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan trim level will be $424 less expensive the cost to insure the more well-appointed Altima 3.5 SR 2-Dr Coupe trim level, as shown in the chart below.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $372 | $790 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $1,888 | $157 |
Altima 2.5 S 4-Dr Sedan | $372 | $930 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $2,028 | $169 |
Altima Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $420 | $930 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $2,076 | $173 |
Altima 2.5 S 2-Dr Coupe | $420 | $930 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $2,170 | $181 |
Altima 3.5 SR 4-Dr Sedan | $420 | $930 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $2,076 | $173 |
Altima 3.5 SR 2-Dr Coupe | $420 | $1072 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $2,312 | $193 |
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Above prices assume single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Price estimates do not factor in California location which can raise or lower coverage prices noticeably.
Choosing the highest-rated insurance company is difficult considering how many different companies insure vehicles in California. The company rank data shown below could help you decide which auto insurers to look at comparing prices from. The ratings below are for the companies with a significant amount of written premium nationwide, so smaller regional companies are not taken into consideration for this list.
Insurance providers that sell the cheapest insurance for a Nissan Altima in California may provide price discounts that may potentially lower prices by as much as 35% or more if you meet specific criteria. Larger car insurance companies and the discounts they provide can be found below.
Discount | Geico | Allstate | State Farm | Progressive |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bundled policies | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Multiple vehicles | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Theft prevention | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Safe vehicle | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Passive restraint | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
New vehicle | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Accident-free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Defensive driving course | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Active duty military | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Professional affiliation | Yes | No | No | No |
Full payment | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Email statements | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Loyalty | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Smart student | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Student at college | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Own home | No | No | No | Yes |
Seat belt use | Yes | No | No | No |
Get quote online | No | No | No | Yes |
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The diagram below illustrates the difference between insurance prices with and without discounts applied to the rates. The premium estimates are based on a male driver, no claims or driving citations, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $250 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with anti-theft, multiple vehicle, vehicle safety, marriage, passive restraint, and defensive driving course discounts applied. When these discounts are applied to the policy premium, the the average yearly reduction on car insurance for a Nissan Altima is % or $.
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If you want reliable auto insurance, four companies to consider are State Farm, Progressive, Allstate, and Geico. All four can cover your vehicle for liability and physical damage, but each one has slightly different options that buyers can choose from. The data below compares and contrasts some of the different options shoppers can expect to find with each one.
State Farm | Progressive | Allstate | Geico | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Discounts Available | 3rd | 4th | 1st | 2nd |
Policy Cost | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 1st |
Client Satisfaction | 4th | 3rd | 2nd | 1st |
Claims Service | 2nd | 4th | 1st | 3rd |
Percent of customers who recommend | 88% | 88% | 86% | 87% |
A.M. Best financial rating | A++ | A+ | A+ | A++ |
Breakdown insurance | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Uber and Lyft insurance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Accident forgiveness coverage | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
New car replacement coverage | No | No | Yes | No |
Roadside service | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Rating based on usage | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Coverage in California | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Insurance Agents | Can only buy from State Farm agents | Buy online or from an independent agent | Only buy from Allstate agents | From a Geico agent or online |
Number of agents | 18,000+ | 30,000+ | 11,000+ | 150+ |
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Below you’ll find some of the recommended thrifty ideas that can help drivers locate cheaper car insurance.
That last idea is particularly significant, as we hit on in the prior article. Insurance prices change constantly, so don’t be afraid to buy a policy from a new company if you can save money.
Brand loyalty is great, but it isn’t a good idea if that inflexibility results in costing you thousands of dollars over the life of your policy. If you have a few minutes, now is a great time to compare prices and find cheaper car insurance for a Nissan Altima.
Thanks to technology, there are a lot of ways to shop around for car insurance in California, but the most preferred are through an exclusive agency such as Liberty Mutual or Allstate, an independent insurance agent, or buying direct from a company like Geico or Progressive.
All three ways can provide car insurance quotes, but buyers should know the differences in how they provide price quotes.
Independent agencies are appointed by several companies and can compare coverage rates with each one. They have the option to provide multiple price quotes, which may give you a better chance of saving money. If a cheaper price is found, they can switch companies in-house and you stay with the same agent.
An exlusive, or captive, agency is only able to quote rates with one company such as an Auto-Owners or Allstate agent. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide prices from multiple companies, which will not provide a complete price comparison.
Consumers who buy car insurance direct do not use a local agent and buy direct either online or via phone. Shopping for car insurance direct is good for consumers who do not need advice for asset protection and know more than average about what is covered and what is not.
Which method is best to find the cheapest insurance for a Nissan Altima in California? Our initial answer would be buying from a direct company results in the cheapest rates since there isn’t an agent involved, but that turns out to not be true. We could also assume that buying car insurance from an independent agent guarantees the lowest rates due to increased selection, but that assumption is not true either. In some circumstances, exclusive agencies have really good rates that are the cheapest in California.
Because of the variability of car insurance rates, really the best method to buy the cheapest coverage is to obtain price quotes and compare them. Smart shoppers will get quotes from all three to get a good idea who is cheapest. To see some of the cheapest online companies available, click here to view.