How Much Does Auto Insurance Cost for Uninsured Drivers in California?

For California drivers, one of the factors that control the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is where your home is located in California. Densely populated urban areas like Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Francisco will most likely have higher rates, whereas cities that are not as densely populated have the gratification of cheap insurance for uninsured drivers in California.

The information below rates the more expensive cities in California for uninsured drivers to buy an auto insurance policy in.

Table data uses comparative as the specific area where the vehicle is garaged can decrease or increase coverage prices considerably.

The vehicle you are seeking coverage for is one of the biggest factors when shopping around for low-cost insurance for uninsured drivers. Vehicles with lower performance, an excellent safety record, or a low likelihood of liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than fast, unsafe models.

The next list features insurance rates for a handful of the most economical automobiles to buy insurance for.

Data variables include single male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, and claim-free. Information does not factor in zip code location which can influence premium rates substantially.

Looking at the rates, we can presume that models like the Jeep Wrangler, Ford Escape, and Hyundai Tucson will be some of the more affordable vehicles to insure for drivers with no prior coverage.

Deciphering which company quotes the cheapest insurance rates for uninsured drivers takes a bit more effort in order to find the best price.

Every car insurance company uses a slightly different approach for determining rates, so we’ll take a look at the most affordable insurance companies in California. It’s a good idea to know that California insurance rates are impacted by many things that control the price you pay for coverage. Simply improving your credit, marrying your spouse, or getting a DUI can cause premium changes resulting in some rates now being much cheaper than others.

Best Insurance Companies in California

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USAA quotes some of the cheapest car insurance rates in California at around $1,109 per year. Wawanesa, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide also are some of the most economical California insurance companies.

In the above rates, if you have coverage with Century National and switched to USAA, you could see a yearly price reduction of roughly $105. Insureds with Nationwide might save as much as $117 a year, and 21st Century policyholders might lower prices by up to $270 a year.

To see if your current coverage is too expensive, click here to get quotes or visit any of the companies below.

Understand that those premium estimates are averaged across all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and and are not figured with a price discount for uninsured drivers. So the car insurance company that can offer you the best rate may not even be included in the rate chart shown above. That points out the importance of why you need to quote rates from many companies using your own driver and vehicle profiles.

Impact of careless driving on insurance rates

A great way to enjoy low insurance prices in California for drivers with no prior coverage is to be a safe driver and avoid at-fault accidents and violations. The diagram below highlights how traffic violations and accident claims drive up insurance costs for different age groups. The premiums are based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

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In the prior example, the average cost of car insurance in California per year with no violations or accidents is $2,558. Factor in two speeding tickets and the average cost rises to $3,399, an increase of $841 each year. Next add two accidents along with the two speeding tickets and the 12-month cost of insurance for uninsured drivers goes up to an average of $6,357. That’s an increase of $3,799, or $317 per month, just for not being a responsible driver!

Insurance companies ranked

Picking a high-quality insurance company is hard considering how many companies sell insurance in California. The company ratings in the lists below could help you analyze which car insurance providers you want to consider shopping your coverage with.

The ratings below are only comprised of companies who write in the majority of U.S. states, so smaller companies that only insure vehicles in California are not factored into this list. To compare prices from many more California auto insurance companies, just click here.

Allstate, Geico, Progressive, or State Farm: Who is best?

When it comes to auto insurance for drivers with no prior coverage in California, four companies to take a look at are Allstate, Geico, Progressive, and State Farm. Combined they insure nearly half of the entire U.S. auto insurance market. The table below compares and contrasts pricing and service ratings, as well as optional policy coverages that policyholders can buy.

Who has the cheapest insurance quotes for drivers with no prior coverage?

There are many different ways to quote and buy insurance in California, but the most prevalent are through an independent insurance agent, a captive (or exclusive) agent like Allstate or State Farm, or from a direct company like Progressive or Geico. Each way has the same basic process, but they are slightly different in how they function.

Independent insurance agents write business for many companies and can provide price quotes from each one. They are not locked into one company and can give you a larger rate selection, which may provide you with a better chance of saving money. If your agent finds a cheaper company, your policy is moved internally which requires no work on your part.

An exclusive agent is only able to quote your policy with a single company, two popular examples being Allstate and Liberty Mutual agents. They generally cannot provide multiple price quotes, so you will not be able to compare their rates to other companies.

If you choose to buy insurance direct, you forego local insurance agents and instead shop direct online or over the phone from a company like Esurance or Progressive. This insurance option may be good for families who have fewer assets and have some degree of understanding of what specific coverages they need.

Which method is best for finding cheap insurance for uninsured drivers in California? It would be premature to say buying from a direct car insurance company saves money because there are no middleman commissions, but unfortunately, that is not the case. It could also be said going through an independent agent guarantees the best prices since there are more companies to choose from, but that’s not always true, either. In many cases, exclusive agents have extremely competitive rates that other insurance companies cannot touch.

Due to that fact that insurance uses so many rating variables, the only true way to make sure you’re not overpaying for insurance is to compare lots of quotes. If time allows, get prices from all three to have enough rates to compare. For a list of companies with cheap rates in California, click here to view.