Our content editors always give us grief that when writing about car insurance, the words “cheap” or “affordable” should not appear anywhere to describe car insurance prices. The fact is, cheap auto insurance for first-time drivers is not always easy to find. But don’t despair, because we can show you some ways you can find and buy coverage that is cheaper than your current rate.
For new drivers, one of the big factors that help set the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is where you keep your vehicle in Connecticut. Areas that are more densely populated or have higher claim rates like Hartford, Bridgeport, and West Haven will most likely pay more, whereas areas with less congestion benefit from having to pay less for coverage.
The table below rates the most expensive places in Connecticut for first-time drivers to purchase a policy in.
Rank | City | Annual Premium |
---|---|---|
1 | Hartford | $2,024 |
2 | New Haven | $1,998 |
3 | Bridgeport | $1,987 |
4 | Waterbury | $1,966 |
5 | West Haven | $1,888 |
6 | East Haven | $1,846 |
7 | East Hartford | $1,759 |
8 | Milford | $1,755 |
9 | Shelton | $1,706 |
10 | New Britain | $1,697 |
11 | Trumbull | $1,683 |
12 | Stamford | $1,665 |
13 | Naugatuck | $1,649 |
14 | Stratford | $1,646 |
15 | Middletown | $1,641 |
16 | West Hartford | $1,607 |
17 | Meriden | $1,589 |
18 | Manchester | $1,582 |
19 | Norwalk | $1,570 |
20 | Torrington | $1,529 |
21 | Norwich | $1,525 |
22 | Newington | $1,515 |
23 | Danbury | $1,508 |
24 | Bristol | $1,505 |
25 | New London | $1,433 |
Find Cheaper Rates Go |
Price information shown is estimated as the specific Connecticut residence address can impact prices noticeably.
The make and model of vehicle you are seeking coverage for is one of the biggest factors when shopping for affordable auto insurance for first-time drivers. Vehicles with limited speed and performance, modern passenger safety features, or a positive history of liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than high performance models.
The next list shows car insurance prices for a selection of the cheapest vehicles to buy coverage for.
Vehicle Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
---|---|
Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $3,055 |
Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $3,060 |
Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $3,084 |
Ford Escape Limited 2WD | $3,093 |
Subaru Forester X AWD | $3,304 |
Chevrolet Traverse LTZ AWD | $3,309 |
Toyota Prius | $3,304 |
Hyundai Tucson GLS 4WD | $3,430 |
Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 2WD | $3,436 |
Kia Forte LX 4-Dr Sedan | $3,430 |
Toyota Tacoma 2WD | $3,593 |
Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $3,622 |
Toyota Camry LE | $3,628 |
Toyota Sienna LE AWD | $3,622 |
Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $3,630 |
Ford F-150 XLT Crew Cab 4WD | $3,651 |
Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $3,660 |
Chevrolet Malibu LT | $3,651 |
Subaru Outback 3.6R Premium | $3,656 |
Ford Focus SES 4-Dr Sedan | $3,787 |
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 2WD 4-Dr | $3,814 |
Hyundai Santa Fe SE 4WD | $3,816 |
Toyota Corolla S | $3,821 |
Start Your Quote Go |
Table data assumes single female driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Connecticut minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Prices do not factor in specific location information which can decrease or increase prices significantly.
Looking at the data, you can figure that cars like the Honda Accord, Hyundai Elantra, Honda CR-V, and Ford Escape will be some of the most affordable vehicles to insure for new drivers. Auto insurance rates will be higher anyway just because there is more inherent risk for first-time drivers, but overall those particular models will have the lowest prices compared to other types of vehicles.
Finding decent, low-cost car insurance is difficult, and finding out which company quotes the best car insurance rates for first-time drivers may require even more perseverance. Coverage prices will be significantly greater than the average policy in Connecticut, with the extra cost attributed to the potentially higher risk associated with selling coverage for new drivers, but competitively-priced coverage may be available with a little diligence. Each company has their own process for setting prices, so we’ll go over the car insurance companies with the overall best prices in Connecticut.
It’s a good idea to be aware that Connecticut car insurance rates are impacted by many factors which can significantly increase or decrease the cost of your policy. This price variability is why it is important to compare lots of rates when trying to find the most affordable car insurance quotes for first-time drivers. Insurance rates are made up of many risk factors and change substantially, so the cheapest option two years ago may now be one of the higher cost companies.
Compare Cheap Insurance Quotes for Inexperienced Drivers
Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | Utica National | $1,005 |
2 | Travelers | $1,137 |
3 | USAA | $1,234 |
4 | Amica | $1,244 |
5 | Nationwide | $1,383 |
6 | Unitrin | $1,534 |
7 | MetLife | $1,580 |
8 | State Farm | $1,623 |
9 | California Casualty | $1,664 |
10 | General Casualty | $1,671 |
11 | Progressive | $1,813 |
12 | Safeco | $1,902 |
13 | GEICO | $2,018 |
14 | Middlesex | $2,095 |
15 | Encompass | $2,279 |
16 | Victoria | $2,372 |
17 | Electric | $2,376 |
18 | Liberty Mutual | $2,647 |
19 | Foremost | $3,198 |
20 | Allstate | $3,514 |
View More Rates Go |
Utica National normally has some of the lowest car insurance rates in Connecticut at around $1,005 each year. Travelers, USAA, Amica, and Nationwide also rank well as some of the most economical Connecticut car insurance companies.
In this example, if you have coverage with Amica and switched to Utica National, you may realize a yearly savings of upwards of $239. Drivers with Nationwide could save as much as $378 a year, and Unitrin policyholders might realize rate reductions of up to $529 a year.
Be aware that those policy rates are averaged for all drivers and vehicles in Connecticut and do not take into consideration a rate surcharge for first-time drivers. So the auto insurance company that has the lowest price for you may not even be featured in the above list. That is why you need to get quotes using your own personal information and vehicle type.
The ideal way to enjoy the cheapest car insurance for first-time drivers in Connecticut is to drive carefully and maintain a clean driving record. The information below demonstrates how speeding tickets and at-fault fender-benders increase car insurance rates for each age group. The premium estimates are based on a single male driver, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
google.charts.setOnLoadCallback(drawVioqcibChart);function drawVioqcibChart() {var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([[‘Age of Insured’, ‘No Violations or Accidents’, ‘One Speeding Ticket and No Accidents’, ‘One Speeding Ticket and Two Accidents’],[‘Age 20’, 3429,3681,5789],[‘Age 30’, 1785,2037,4143],[‘Age 40’, 1769,2019,4127],[‘Age 50’, 1605,1857,3965],[‘Age 60’, 1551,1805,3909],[‘Age 70’, 1877,2129,4237]]);var options = {title: ‘Violations, Accidents, and Connecticut Insurance Prices’,titleTextStyle: {color: ‘#333’, fontSize: 17, bold: true},width: ‘100%’,height: 600,’chartArea’: {left:100,top:50,’width’: ‘100%’, ‘height’: ‘70%’},legend: {position: ‘bottom’,textStyle: {fontSize: 12}},colors:[‘#b2da64′,’#eed355′,’#e39e71’],hAxis: {title: ‘Annual Auto Insurance Cost for Average Vehicle in Connecticut’,minValue: 0,format: ‘$###,###’},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);var chart = new google.visualization.BarChart(document.getElementById(‘qcibvio’));chart.draw(data, options);}
In the previous chart, the average cost of car insurance per year with no violations or accidents is $2,003. Factor in one speeding ticket and the average cost hikes up to $2,255, an increase of $252 each year. Next add two accidents along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of car insurance for first-time drivers jumps again to an average of $4,362. That’s an increase of $2,359, or $197 per month, just for being a careless driver!