The words “low-cost” and “auto insurance” really don’t belong together, especially when you are trying to find the lowest insurance rates for first-time drivers. Because it’s so expensive, let’s go over some situations that impact car insurance premiums, and find a way to lower the price of the next policy you buy.
Determining which insurers offer the most affordable insurance rates for first-time drivers will require a bit more work in order to find the most economical policy. Every car insurance company uses a little different formula to determine premium rates, so we need to take a look at the insurance companies that tend to be cheaper in Ohio.
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Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | Utica National | $654 |
2 | Erie | $661 |
3 | Allied | $676 |
4 | Frankenmuth | $701 |
5 | Travelers | $712 |
6 | USAA | $719 |
7 | Merchants Insurance Group | $755 |
8 | Cincinnati Insurance | $772 |
9 | Motorists Mutual | $792 |
10 | General Casualty | $805 |
11 | Grange Mutual | $812 |
12 | State Farm | $867 |
13 | Central Mutual | $874 |
14 | Hastings Mutual | $884 |
15 | Atlantic States | $904 |
16 | Westfield | $908 |
17 | Auto-Owners | $968 |
18 | Western Reserve | $970 |
19 | Progressive | $982 |
20 | Nationwide | $988 |
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Utica National may offer some of the best car insurance rates in Ohio at around $654 per year. Erie, Allied, Frankenmuth, and Travelers also rank well as some of the cheaper Ohio car insurance companies.
In this example, if you are a policyholder with Frankenmuth and switched to Erie, you could earn a yearly price reduction of around $40. Ohio drivers with Travelers might save as much as $51 a year, and USAA customers might reduce prices by as much as $58 a year.
These policy prices are averages across all drivers and vehicles and are not factoring in a rate surcharge for first-time drivers. So the insurer that fits your age and vehicle best may not even be featured in the chart above. That’s why you need to get rate quotes from many companies using your own personal information and vehicle type.
One of the key criteria that play a part in determining rate quotes is where you normally keep your vehicle in Ohio. Regions with more people or even just more weather-related claims like Toledo, Youngstown, and Cleveland Heights likely pay more, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates enjoy lower car insurance rates.
The table below illustrates the highest-priced places in Ohio for first-time drivers to purchase car insurance in.
Rank | City | Annual Rate |
---|---|---|
1 | Toledo | $1,267 |
2 | Columbus | $1,247 |
3 | Youngstown | $1,235 |
4 | Cleveland | $1,222 |
5 | Cleveland Heights | $1,214 |
6 | Cincinnati | $1,210 |
7 | Euclid | $1,175 |
8 | Akron | $1,169 |
9 | Dayton | $1,142 |
10 | Hamilton | $1,135 |
11 | Springfield | $1,105 |
12 | Newark | $1,063 |
13 | Fairfield | $1,063 |
14 | Beavercreek | $1,058 |
15 | Canton | $1,058 |
16 | Cuyahoga Falls | $1,037 |
17 | Mansfield | $1,032 |
18 | Lakewood | $1,031 |
19 | Parma | $1,027 |
20 | Middletown | $1,024 |
21 | Lorain | $1,015 |
22 | Strongsville | $1,011 |
23 | Kettering | $1,009 |
24 | Mentor | $988 |
25 | Elyria | $975 |
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Information shown are estimated as the specific garaging location can influence auto insurance rates substantially.
The make and model of vehicle you are trying to insure is a large consideration when looking for cheap car insurance for first-time drivers in Ohio. Vehicles with lower acceleration and performance, a plethora of safety features, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than fast, unsafe models. The data below outlines car insurance rates for a selection of the cheaper automobiles to buy insurance for.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Chevrolet Malibu LTZ | $2,920 | $1,460 | $243 |
Ford Focus SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $2,870 | $1,435 | $239 |
Ford Fusion Sport AWD 4-Dr Sedan | $3,110 | $1,555 | $259 |
Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $2,492 | $1,246 | $208 |
Honda Civic SI 2-Dr Coupe | $3,654 | $1,827 | $305 |
Hyundai Elantra GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $2,896 | $1,448 | $241 |
Nissan Altima Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $2,920 | $1,460 | $243 |
Toyota Camry SE | $2,896 | $1,448 | $241 |
Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $2,492 | $1,246 | $208 |
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Prices based on single female driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Rate quotes do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can revise rates noticeably.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Platinum 2WD | $3,886 | $1,943 | $324 |
Chevrolet Suburban LT 2WD | $2,758 | $1,379 | $230 |
Chevrolet Traverse LT 2WD | $2,352 | $1,176 | $196 |
Ford Escape Limited 2WD | $2,328 | $1,164 | $194 |
Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer AWD | $2,758 | $1,379 | $230 |
GMC Acadia SLT AWD | $2,758 | $1,379 | $230 |
GMC Terrain SLE AWD | $2,492 | $1,246 | $208 |
Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $2,328 | $1,164 | $194 |
Honda Pilot EX 2WD | $2,594 | $1,297 | $216 |
Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $2,734 | $1,367 | $228 |
Jeep Patriot Limited 2WD | $2,734 | $1,367 | $228 |
Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4WD 2-Dr | $2,570 | $1,285 | $214 |
Toyota Highlander Sport 4WD | $2,758 | $1,379 | $230 |
Toyota RAV4 4WD | $2,734 | $1,367 | $228 |
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Table data represents single female driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Rate quotes do not factor in specific location information which can affect coverage prices noticeably.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD LTZ Crew Cab 4WD | $2,920 | $1,460 | $243 |
Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LT Extended Cab 4WD | $3,516 | $1,758 | $293 |
Chevrolet Silverado LT Regular Cab | $2,946 | $1,473 | $246 |
Dodge Ram 2500 Crew Cab Laramie 2WD | $3,296 | $1,648 | $275 |
Dodge Ram Crew Cab Laramie 4WD | $3,322 | $1,661 | $277 |
Ford F-150 FX4 Super Cab 4WD | $2,758 | $1,379 | $230 |
Ford F-250 XL Cabela Turbo Diesel 4WD | $3,352 | $1,676 | $279 |
GMC Canyon SLE Regular Cab 4WD | $2,570 | $1,285 | $214 |
GMC Sierra SLE Extended Cab 4WD | $2,920 | $1,460 | $243 |
Toyota Tundra Regular Cab 2WD | $2,756 | $1,378 | $230 |
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Data rating is based on single female driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Premium costs do not factor in Ohio location which can raise or lower price quotes considerably.
The example below illustrates how choosing a deductible can affect insurance rates when searching for cheap insurance for first-time drivers. The premiums are based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, and no additional discounts are factored in.
A 40-year-old driver could pocket $158 a year by changing their physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $240 by selecting a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, like the 20-year-old, could roll back prices as much as $528 each year just by choosing higher deductibles. When using a larger deductible, it is important to have additional funds squirreled away to be able to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense, which deters some drivers from choosing higher deductibles.
In a perfect world, the best way to maintain affordable insurance rates in Ohio for new drivers is to drive attentively and not get tickets or have accidents. The diagram below illustrates how speeding tickets and accident claims drive up premium costs for each different age category. The data is based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
In the prior example, the average cost of an auto insurance policy per year with no violations or accidents is $961. Add in one speeding ticket and the average cost surges to $1,085, an increase of $124 each year. Now get two accidents along with the one speeding ticket and the yearly cost of insurance for first-time drivers jumps again to an average of $2,235. That’s an increase of $1,275, or $106 per month, just for being a little careless behind the wheel!
If you are looking for the best auto insurance for new drivers, the companies with the most market share are Geico, Progressive, Allstate, and State Farm. When combined, they have about 50% of the entire U.S. car insurance market. They all have your normal coverages like liability, comprehensive, and collision, but each one offers somewhat different options that may influence your choice. The table below compares and contrasts some of the different options you can buy with each company.
Geico | Progressive | Allstate | State Farm | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Claims Rank | 3rd | 4th | 1st | 2nd |
Overall Satisfaction | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 4th |
Discounts Offered | 2nd | 4th | 1st | 3rd |
Policy Cost | 1st | 3rd | 4th | 2nd |
Percent of U.S. market | 11.4% | 8.8% | 10% | 18.3% |
Recommend by customers | 87% | 88% | 86% | 88% |
Emergency roadside service | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Breakdown insurance | Yes | Yes | No | No |
New car replacement | No | No | Yes | No |
Rate for vehicle usage | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Accident forgiveness | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Uber and Lyft insurance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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