The words “affordable” and “auto insurance” really shouldn’t be used together, especially when shopping around for the best price on coverage for 19 year olds. In an attempt to save some money, let’s start off by going over some of the factors that have an impact on auto insurance rates, and figure out some ways to lower the price of the next policy you buy.
The vehicle that is being insured is a large factor that determines the availability of the best car insurance for 19 year olds. Vehicles with limited top-end speed, good safety features, or a track record of few liability claims will cost substantially less to insure than higher performance models. The next table features insurance rates for a number of the most economical vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $2,949 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $2,988 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $3,192 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,231 |
| Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4WD 2-Dr | $3,295 |
| Volkswagen Jetta SE 2.5 Station Wagon | $3,435 |
| Honda Odyssey EX W/Rear Entertainment | $3,461 |
| Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $3,470 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $3,461 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $3,499 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $3,505 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 4WD | $3,499 |
| Ford F-150 FX4 4WD | $3,538 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 4WD | $3,544 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $3,538 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 S 4-Dr Sedan | $3,704 |
| Toyota Corolla S | $3,712 |
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Prices above based on single male driver age 19, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Rate information does not factor in Irvine, CA location which can raise or lower price quotes greatly.
Based on these rates, we can assume that vehicles like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Hyundai Elantra are likely to be the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for teenage drivers. The cost of auto insurance will be more expensive because there is more exposure for 19 year olds, but overall those particular models will tend to have the least expensive rates possible.
Shopping around for low-cost insurance is hard enough, and determining which companies have the most affordable auto insurance rates for 19 year olds may require even more shopping around.
Every insurance company has a unique formula for determining prices, so to begin we’ll rank the auto insurance companies with the overall best prices in Irvine, CA. It’s a good idea to be aware that Irvine auto insurance rates are influenced by many factors that will increase or decrease the price you have to pay. Improving your credit score, buying a different vehicle, or having a fender bender can trigger rate changes that may make certain companies more expensive than competitors.
Cheapest Insurance Rates for Teens
USAA has some of the lowest car insurance rates in Irvine at around $1,121 per year. Wawanesa, Nationwide, Century National, and CSAA would also make the list of some of the lowest-priced Irvine, CA auto insurance companies.
In the above example, if you currently have coverage with Century National and switched to Wawanesa, you might see a yearly price reduction of in the neighborhood of $22. California drivers with CSAA might save as much as $42 a year, and 21st Century insureds might reduce prices by as much as $187 a year.
Bear in mind that those rates are averages across all drivers and vehicles and are not factoring in a vehicle location for 19 year olds. So the car insurance company that can offer you the best price may not even be in the top 24 companies shown above. That point stresses why you need to compare as many prices as possible using your own driver information and specific vehicle type.
One of the many things that are looked at to help calculate the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is where you live. Areas with a lot of weather claims or more people are more likely to have higher rates, whereas areas that tend to be more rural get the luxury of paying less.
The following table rates the highest-priced areas in California for 19 year olds to purchase a policy in. Irvine is listed at #19 with an annual premium of $1,384 for coverage, which is about $115 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,146 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,058 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,738 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,652 |
| 6 | Long Beach | $1,626 |
| 7 | Stockton | $1,603 |
| 8 | San Bernardino | $1,596 |
| 9 | Santa Clarita | $1,595 |
| 10 | Garden Grove | $1,570 |
| 11 | Modesto | $1,547 |
| 12 | Fontana | $1,519 |
| 13 | Fresno | $1,502 |
| 14 | Moreno Valley | $1,491 |
| 15 | Riverside | $1,482 |
| 16 | Santa Ana | $1,439 |
| 17 | Anaheim | $1,430 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,395 |
| 19 | Irvine | $1,384 |
| 20 | Bakersfield | $1,381 |
| 21 | San Diego | $1,368 |
| 22 | Fremont | $1,361 |
| 23 | Huntington Beach | $1,360 |
| 24 | Oxnard | $1,358 |
| 25 | Chula Vista | $1,350 |
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Premium costs are comparative as the vehicle garaging location can decrease or increase auto insurance rates significantly.
Accidents and violations increase rates
The easiest method to snag low auto insurance premiums for teenage drivers is to be a careful driver and avoid accidents and violations. The example below highlights how speeding tickets and accident claims drive up insurance rates for different ages of insureds. The data assumes a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.
In the previous chart, the average cost of an auto insurance policy in California per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $1,570. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost jumps to $1,810, an increase of $239 each year. Then include one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the yearly cost of auto insurance for 19 year olds jumps again to an average of $2,466. That’s an increase of $896, or $75 per month, just for not being a responsible driver!
Insuring your vehicle with a high-quality car insurance company can be difficult considering how many choices there are in Irvine. The information displayed below could help you decide which car insurance providers to look at comparing prices from. The ratings below are only comprised of companies with a national presence, so companies that may only write in California are not included in the list.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 98 | 100 | 100 | 94% | A++ | 98.6 |
| American Family | 98 | 89 | 100 | 86% | A | 95.4 |
| AAA of Southern California | 91 | 94 | 97 | 92% | A+ | 94.1 |
| State Farm | 88 | 93 | 96 | 90% | A++ | 92.4 |
| The Hartford | 94 | 92 | 90 | 89% | A+ | 91.7 |
| AAA Insurance | 88 | 89 | 95 | 91% | A | 91.2 |
| GEICO | 84 | 93 | 93 | 89% | A++ | 90.3 |
| The General | 89 | 91 | 89 | 88% | A- | 90 |
| Titan Insurance | 90 | 87 | 91 | 95% | A+ | 89.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 91 | 93 | 87% | A+ | 89.5 |
| Mercury Insurance | 88 | 91 | 90 | 85% | A+ | 89.4 |
| Allstate | 85 | 90 | 92 | 88% | A+ | 89.3 |
| Nationwide | 87 | 88 | 84 | 90% | A+ | 88.7 |
| Liberty Mutual | 84 | 87 | 93 | 88% | A | 88.5 |
| 21st Century | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88% | A | 86.7 |
| Esurance | 85 | 80 | 95 | 87% | A+ | 85.9 |
| Safeco | 85 | 85 | 85 | 86% | A | 85.8 |
| Travelers | 80 | 87 | 87 | 83% | A++ | 85.2 |
| Farmers Insurance | 78 | 87 | 88 | 79% | A | 84.3 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
The benefit of shopping around
California auto insurance rates are based on many factors that control the price you have to pay. Simply having a birthday, getting divorced, or getting caught speeding can trigger changes in premium resulting in some rates now being more affordable than competitors.
In addition, companies file new California car insurance rates every year or even multiple times each year in order to be able to pay unexpected claims. Higher than usual claims can cause higher rates, while a profitable period may produce lower-cost Irvine car insurance rates.
For instance, the data below demonstrates which company has the cheapest car insurance in Irvine, CA for a 30-year-old female driver with no accidents, a clean driving record, and great credit. If we estimate prices based on her current situation, USAA may offer the best car insurance rates in Irvine at $1,219 each year. This is $432 less than the average premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, Nationwide, and CSAA round out the rest of the best Irvine, CA auto insurance companies.
The chart below compares rates after we give the driver from the above example a chargeable accident, bad credit, and a few traffic violations. Since every car insurance company has their own unique process to determining premium rates, getting updated rate quotes could now result in a different ranking of affordable Irvine car insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the best auto insurance rate in Irvine, CA with Allstate, GEICO, Progressive, and Mercury also having competitive pricing. This shows why California drivers need to compare rates when trying to get affordable car insurance quotes for 19 year olds. Insurance rates are calculated by many risk factors and can increase or decrease at any time, so the cheapest company three years ago may now be wasting a lot of money.
How to find cheaper car insurance for 19 year olds
The list below summarizes some of the recommended penny-pinching solutions that can help you locate cheaper car insurance.
- Good credit scores may make rates cheaper
- Serious violations like DUI or careless driving can make car insurance unaffordable
- Save money by insuring older vehicles for liability only
- Higher deductibles save money
- Safe vehicles cost less to insure
- Do not get into accidents that are your fault
- Check for cheaper rates once a year
That last piece of advice is certainly crucial, as we discussed in this write-up. Car insurance rates in Irvine can be modified anytime, so don’t be hesitant to switch to a new company if you find a better deal.
Having a favorite company is great, but we do not recommend it if that dedication is costing a lot of money every month. Now is a great time to shop around to find cheaper insurance for 19 year olds.