Cheapest Auto Insurance for a Learners Permit in Virginia

Cheapest Auto Insurance for a Learners Permit in Virginia

Our editors have a joke that when writing about auto insurance, the words “cheap” or “affordable” should never appear anywhere to describe car insurance prices. The fact is, cheap car insurance for a learners permit is not easy to find. Don’t let that ruin your day, because there may be ways you can find and buy coverage that is considered budget-friendly.

One of the key factors that help set the price of your policy is where you keep your car in Virginia. Cities with larger populations like Burke, Dale City, and McLean will most likely have higher rates, whereas cities that are not as densely populated have the benefit of cheaper auto insurance prices.

The table below rates the most expensive cities in Virginia for a learners permit in which to buy car insurance.

How much is auto insurance in Virginia?
Rank City Premium Per Year
1 Burke $1,057
2 Alexandria $1,047
3 Dale City $1,038
4 Centreville $1,037
5 McLean $1,025
6 Arlington $1,013
7 Lake Ridge $1,012
8 Norfolk $1,000
9 Reston $992
10 Richmond $975
11 Hampton $972
12 Tuckahoe $967
13 Newport News $958
14 Virginia Beach $938
15 Suffolk $937
16 Portsmouth $934
17 Danville $922
18 Chesapeake $908
19 Charlottesville $895
20 Leesburg $895
Compare Rates Now Go

Price information shown is approximated as specific location information can affect premiums substantially.

Establishing which companies have the most affordable auto insurance rates for a learners permit will involve a little more sweat than just comparing rates from one or two companies. Each auto insurance company has a proprietary formula to set policy rates, so let’s rank the auto insurance companies with the overall cheapest rates in Virginia.

It’s important to know that Virginia auto insurance rates are determined by lots of factors which can substantially change the cost of coverage. Simply getting older, buying higher coverage limits, or getting a ticket for running a stop sign can produce rate changes that can make some companies more affordable than competitors.

Best Auto Insurance Prices in Virginia

Click to Compare Rates Now

Rankings for the cheapest car insurance companies in Virginia
Rank Company Cost Per Year
1 Travelers $653
2 USAA $716
3 Penn National $740
4 Cincinnati Insurance $763
5 Auto-Owners $765
6 The Hartford $777
7 Utica National $788
8 Erie $812
9 Virginia Farm Bureau $834
10 Donegal Mutual $878
11 Nationwide $925
12 GEICO $996
13 ALFA $998
14 Allied $1,022
15 National Grange Mutual $1,093
16 State Farm $1,110
17 Chubb $1,112
18 Electric $1,192
19 Amica $1,241
20 Progressive $1,259
Compare Rates Now Go

Travelers generally has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Virginia at around $653 annually. USAA, Penn National, Cincinnati Insurance, and Auto-Owners are also some of the most economical Virginia auto insurance companies.

As shown in the table above, if you are currently insured with Penn National and switched to Travelers, you might achieve an annual premium reduction of roughly $87. Customers with Cincinnati Insurance could save as much as $110 a year, and Auto-Owners customers might reduce prices by as much as $112 a year.

To get a quick, customized rate comparison, click here to start your custom quote or feel free to get quotes from the companies below.

Be aware that those estimates are averages for all drivers and vehicles and do not factor in a price increase for a learners permit. So the company that is best for you may not even be included in the list above. That is why you need to compare as many prices as possible using your own specific driver and vehicle information.

Discounts on the cheapest auto insurance for a learners permit in Virginia

Save on auto insurance for new drivers in VirginiaInsurers that offer cheap quotes for a learners permit may additionally offer premium discounts that could potentially reduce rates by as much as 35% or more if you meet specific eligibility requirements. Popular auto insurance companies and their possible discounts are detailed below.

Auto Insurance Discounts for Popular Insurance Companies
Discount Progressive Geico State Farm Allstate
Bundled policies Yes Yes Yes Yes
Multiple vehicles Yes Yes Yes No
Theft prevention Yes Yes Yes Yes
Safe vehicle No Yes Yes Yes
Air bags No Yes Yes Yes
Newer vehicle No No Yes Yes
Hybrid vehicle No No No Yes
Accident-free Yes Yes Yes Yes
Defensive driving course Yes Yes Yes Yes
Low miles Yes No Yes Yes
Armed forces Yes Yes Yes No
Employment No Yes No No
Paid in full Yes Yes No Yes
Paperless billing Yes Yes No Yes
Customer loyalty Yes No Yes No
Early sign-up No No No Yes
Good student Yes Yes Yes Yes
Student away from home Yes No Yes Yes
Homeowner Yes No No No
Get Quotes Go

The example below shows the difference between auto insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the rates. The costs are based on a female driver, a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, Virginia state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $1,000 deductibles.

The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with paid-in-full, passive restraint, good student, continuous coverage, vehicle safety, and anti-theft discounts applied. When drivers take advantage of discounts, the average savings per year on auto insurance for a learners permit is 41% or $553.

google.charts.setOnLoadCallback(drawDiscqcibChart);function drawDiscqcibChart() {var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([[‘Age of Insured’, ‘Female Driver No Discounts’, ‘Female Driver with Discounts’],[‘Age 16’, 2781,1985],[‘Age 30’, 1043,759],[‘Age 40’, 979,709],[‘Age 50’, 857,623],[‘Age 60’, 829,601]]);var options = {title: ‘Effect of Discounts on Insurance Rates for a Learners Permit’,titleTextStyle: {color: ‘#333’,fontSize: 17,bold: true},width: ‘100%’,height: 500,’chartArea’:{left:100,top:50,’width’: ‘100%’, ‘height’: ‘70%’},legend: {position: ‘bottom’},colors: [‘#c096ca’, ‘#e1b7ec’],hAxis: {title: ‘Annual Auto Insurance Cost for Average Vehicle’,minValue: 0,format: ‘$###,###’},vAxis: {title: ‘Age of Insured’}};var formatter = new google.visualization.NumberFormat({fractionDigits: 0,prefix: ‘$’});formatter.format(data,1);formatter.format(data,2);var chart = new google.visualization.BarChart(document.getElementById(‘qcibdisc’));chart.draw(data, options);}

The example below shows how different deductible levels can increase or decrease insurance costs when searching for cheap insurance for a learners permit. The rate quotes are based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

google.charts.setOnLoadCallback(drawDfdqcibChart);function drawDfdqcibChart() {var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([[‘Age of Insured’, ‘$100 Deductible’,’$250 Deductible’,’$500 Deductible’,’$1,000 Deductible’],[‘Age 20’, 2063,1901,1719,1547],[‘Age 30’, 1435,1315,1177,1043],[‘Age 40’, 1331,1223,1099,979],[‘Age 50’, 1167,1071,963,857],[‘Age 60’, 1125,1033,929,829],[‘Age 70’, 1309,1205,1089,981]]);var options = {title: ‘Comparison of Deductible Levels and Auto Insurance Prices in Virginia’,titleTextStyle: {color: ‘#333’,fontSize: 17,bold: true},width: ‘100%’,height: 700,’chartArea’: {left:100,top:50,’width’: ‘100%’,’height’: ‘80%’},legend: {position: ‘bottom’,textStyle: {fontSize: 12}},bar: {groupWidth: ‘80%’},colors: [‘#6791b9′,’#75a8d8′,’#98bee2′,’#bad4ec’],hAxis: {title: ‘Annual Auto Insurance Cost for Average Vehicle’,minValue: 0,format: ‘$###,###’},vAxis: {title: ‘Age of Insured’}};var formatter = new google.visualization.NumberFormat({fractionDigits: 0,prefix: ‘$’});formatter.format(data,1);formatter.format(data,2);formatter.format(data,3);formatter.format(data,4);var chart = new google.visualization.BarChart(document.getElementById(‘qcibdfd’));chart.draw(data, options);}

A 40-year-old driver could reduce rates by $204 a year by increasing from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $310 by choosing a $1,000 deductible. Young drivers, such as the 20-year-old chart data, can save as much as $516 annually just by choosing larger deductibles. When choosing a higher deductible, it will be necessary to have additional funds in a savings account to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense. That is the one disadvantage of using higher deductibles.

Who has the cheapest insurance quotes for new drivers?

Drivers have a lot of different ways to compare cheaper auto insurance rates in Virginia, but the most popular are from an exlusive agent like Allstate or State Farm, a non-exclusive or independent agent, or buying direct from a company like Progressive or Geico.

You can use whichever you prefer, but each is slightly different in how they provide price quotes.

Independent agencies have contracts with many companies and can do rate comparisons with every one. These types of agencies have the freedom to provide multiple price quotes, which can give you more bang for your buck. If they find a lower price, they simply move the coverage in-house and that require little work on your part.

An exclusive ageny is able to place business with one company like a Liberty Mutual or State Farm agent. This type of agents cannot shop your coverage around, so it’s a good idea to get additional quotes.

Consumers who buy auto insurance direct forego a local insurance agent and instead shop direct from companies such as Esurance or Progressive. Buying direct can be a good choice for families who do not need advice for risk management and have an above average understanding of what specific coverages they need.

So which one of the three ways works best to buy the cheapest auto insurance for a learners permit in Virginia? It would be simple to say buying direct saves money because there are no middleman commissions, but that is not always the case. A good argument could also be made that using an independent agent is the best way since there are more companies to choose from, but that assumption is also not necessarily accurate. In many cases, exclusive agents may have prices that are the cheapest in Virginia.

Because of the variability of auto insurance rates, really the best method to make sure you’re not overpaying for auto insurance is to obtain price quotes and compare them. The ideal approach is to get price quotes from all three to get a good idea who is cheapest. For a list of companies offering online discounts, click here to view.

Tips for buying more affordable car insurance for a learners permit

The list below shows many penny-pinching suggestions that can help drivers get lower-cost coverage.

  • If your vehicles are older, consider dropping full coverage
  • Lower rates by purchasing a safer vehicle
  • Prevent price hikes by avoiding at-fault accidents
  • Improve your credit
  • Multi-policy discounts save money
  • Shop around and save

That last tip is incredibly important, as was affirmed in the prior article. Prices charged by auto insurers in Virginia can be modified anytime, so you should be ready to switch to a new company if a lower price can be found. Many consumers stick with the same company and that’s fine, but is isn’t recommended if that dedication is costing lots of hard earned cash every month. It only takes a couple minutes to compare rates to find cheaper insurance for a learners permit.