It’s hard to miss the captivating commercials from car insurance companies like Farmers, Nationwide, and Allstate that guarantee enormous savings, so you should just choose any of them, right?
That is not the case, however, as there are a lot of unknown aspects like the annual mileage you drive, where you choose to live in Alabama, if you are requesting full coverage, and if you own or rent your home. In this article, we will cover the different ways to avoid overpaying and hopefully give you enough understanding to have a good start to your coverage search.
The model of vehicle requiring coverage is one of the main factors when quoting cheap auto insurance for first-time drivers in Alabama. Vehicles with more horsepower, a lack of advanced safety features, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost substantially more to insure than safer models. The information below estimates car insurance prices for a number of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Chevrolet Malibu LT | $4,640 | $2,320 | $387 |
Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $4,552 | $2,276 | $379 |
Ford Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $4,596 | $2,298 | $383 |
Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $3,872 | $1,936 | $323 |
Hyundai Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $4,950 | $2,475 | $413 |
Kia Optima EX | $5,272 | $2,636 | $439 |
Toyota Corolla S | $4,874 | $2,437 | $406 |
Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $4,596 | $2,298 | $383 |
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Price data assumes single male driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Alabama minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Rate quotes do not factor in specific location information which can affect premiums substantially.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
BMW X5 M AWD | $5,922 | $2,961 | $494 |
Chevrolet Suburban LT 4WD | $4,640 | $2,320 | $387 |
Chevrolet Traverse LTZ 2WD | $4,236 | $2,118 | $353 |
Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $3,872 | $1,936 | $323 |
Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer 2WD | $4,514 | $2,257 | $376 |
Ford Explorer XLT 2WD | $4,320 | $2,160 | $360 |
GMC Acadia SLT AWD | $4,640 | $2,320 | $387 |
Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $3,916 | $1,958 | $326 |
Honda Pilot LX 2WD | $4,320 | $2,160 | $360 |
Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $4,596 | $2,298 | $383 |
Jeep Patriot Limited 2WD | $4,596 | $2,298 | $383 |
Nissan Pathfinder S 2WD | $4,276 | $2,138 | $356 |
Toyota Highlander SE 2WD | $4,640 | $2,320 | $387 |
Toyota RAV4 2WD | $4,596 | $2,298 | $383 |
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Prices based on single male driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Alabama minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Price information does not factor in your specific Alabama location which can modify auto insurance rates considerably.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Chevrolet Silverado LS Extended Cab 2WD | $4,950 | $2,475 | $413 |
Dodge Ram 2500 Crew Cab SLT 4WD | $5,636 | $2,818 | $470 |
Dodge Ram 3500 Crew Cab Laramie 4WD | $6,910 | $3,455 | $576 |
Dodge Ram Quad Cab ST 4WD | $4,994 | $2,497 | $416 |
Ford F-150 Lariat King Ranch 4WD | $4,962 | $2,481 | $414 |
Ford F-350 Super Cab XLT Turbo Diesel 2WD | $5,282 | $2,641 | $440 |
GMC Sierra 3500HD SLE Regular Cab 2WD | $4,962 | $2,481 | $414 |
GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 4WD | $4,918 | $2,459 | $410 |
Toyota Tacoma 2WD | $4,552 | $2,276 | $379 |
Toyota Tundra Regular Cab 2WD | $4,630 | $2,315 | $386 |
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Table data assumes single male driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Alabama minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Rate information does not factor in specific Alabama garaging location which can raise or lower coverage rates noticeably.
One of the more important factors that is looked at to determine rate quotes is where you keep your vehicle. Cities with more crime and/or more people like Birmingham, Mobile, and Homewood likely pay more, whereas areas with less congestion have the benefit of cheaper auto insurance prices.
The following table rates the highest-priced areas in Alabama for first-time drivers to purchase car insurance in.
Rank | City | Annual Rate |
---|---|---|
1 | Birmingham | $1,480 |
2 | Prichard | $1,427 |
3 | Mobile | $1,412 |
4 | Bessemer | $1,407 |
5 | Homewood | $1,364 |
6 | Gadsden | $1,353 |
7 | Vestavia Hills | $1,351 |
8 | Northport | $1,349 |
9 | Prattville | $1,331 |
10 | Hoover | $1,328 |
11 | Alabaster | $1,323 |
12 | Anniston | $1,318 |
13 | Phenix City | $1,312 |
14 | Montgomery | $1,311 |
15 | Tuscaloosa | $1,307 |
16 | Auburn | $1,295 |
17 | Athens | $1,287 |
18 | Decatur | $1,286 |
19 | Daphne | $1,276 |
20 | Enterprise | $1,267 |
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Rates are estimated as the specific Alabama residence address can influence premium rates significantly.
Establishing which company quotes the cheapest auto insurance rates for first-time drivers will take a bit more work in order to find the best price.
Each auto insurer uses their own calculation to establish rates, so to begin we’ll rank the auto insurance companies with the overall best prices in Alabama.
Compare Cheap Insurance Quotes for Inexperienced Drivers
Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | Travelers | $791 |
2 | Cincinnati Insurance | $828 |
3 | USAA | $922 |
4 | GEICO | $1,030 |
5 | Safeway | $1,182 |
6 | Country | $1,195 |
7 | Auto-Owners | $1,218 |
8 | Progressive | $1,286 |
9 | MetLife | $1,381 |
10 | State Auto | $1,386 |
11 | California Casualty | $1,496 |
12 | State Farm | $1,563 |
13 | Nationwide | $1,659 |
14 | ALFA | $1,726 |
15 | Farmers | $1,855 |
16 | Allstate | $1,930 |
17 | Safeco | $2,659 |
18 | Liberty Mutual | $2,691 |
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Travelers may have some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Alabama at around $791 per year. Cincinnati Insurance, USAA, GEICO, and Safeway also are some of the most economical Alabama auto insurance companies.
As depicted above, if you are insured with GEICO and switched to Travelers, you might achieve an annual savings of around $239. Drivers with Safeway may save as much as $391 a year, and Country insureds might see rate reductions of $404 a year.
Be aware that those estimates are averaged for all drivers and vehicles and and are not calculated with a rate surcharge for first-time drivers. So the auto insurance company that fits your age and vehicle best may not even be in the chart above. That affirms the importance of why you need to compare rates from multiple companies using your own driver information and specific vehicle type.
The common sense way to get cheap auto insurance for first-time drivers in Alabama is to drive attentively and avoid accidents and keep your driving record clean. The chart below shows how violations and at-fault fender-benders can raise insurance premiums for each age group. Data assumes a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
In the chart above, the average cost of auto insurance in Alabama per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $2,156. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost swells to $2,431, an increase of $275 each year. Then include one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the 12-month cost of auto insurance for first-time drivers goes up to an average of $3,199. That’s an increase of $1,043, or $87 per month, just for not driving safely!
It is possible to find better rates, and here are a few penny-pinching suggestions that can help Alabama drivers get the cheapest car insurance.
The last tip is notably valuable, as was emphasized in this piece. Rates in Alabama adjust frequently, so don’t be unwilling to buy from a different company if a more affordable price is available. Having brand loyalty is commendable, but it’s not a good idea if that loyalty ends up costing hundreds every year. It only takes a couple minutes to compare rates and find cheaper insurance for first-time drivers.