The words “low-priced” and “auto insurance” probably shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, specifically when trying to find the best insurance rates for 17 year olds. In an attempt to save some money, let’s get started by showing you some of the factors that significantly impact auto insurance prices, and see if we can help you take a little off the next policy you buy.
Finding decent, low-cost car insurance is not the easiest thing to accomplish, and finding out which companies quote the lowest-priced car insurance rates for 17 year olds will require additional perseverance. Each insurer uses a little different formula for establishing rates, so let’s begin by taking a look at the car insurance companies with the overall cheapest rates in Irvine.
It’s important that you understand Irvine car insurance rates are impacted by many things that may substantially change the price you have to pay. Price variation is why it is crucial to take the time to shop around to get the best auto insurance rates for 17 year olds. Insurance rates are impacted by many factors and change substantially, so the most economical option when you last compared rates may now be priced much higher than other options.
Best Cheap Insurance Rates for Teens
USAA offers some of the best car insurance rates in Irvine at around $1,155 a year. This is $496 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide also rank well as some of the best Irvine, CA auto insurance companies.
As the rates illustrate above, if you currently buy coverage from CSAA and switched to USAA, you could see yearly savings of in the vicinity of $79. Policyholders with Nationwide could save as much as $108 a year, and 21st Century insureds might lower prices by up to $170 a year.
To find the cheapest rates for your vehicle, click here or visit several of the following companies.
Bear in mind that those prices are averages across all types of drivers and the different vehicles they drive and do not factor in an exact zip code location for 17 year olds. So the insurer that can offer you the best rate may not even be in the list above. That point stresses why you need to compare as many prices as possible using your own specific driver information and vehicle.
The type of vehicle you are trying to insure is one of the largest considerations when shopping around for the lowest-priced insurance for 17 year olds. Vehicles with higher performance characteristics, a lack of modern safety features, or high incidents of liability claims will cost much more to insure than more economical and safe models. The next list features auto insurance rates for a handful of the most affordable vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $3,191 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $3,225 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $3,434 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,466 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Super Cab 2WD | $3,580 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 2WD | $3,590 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $3,754 |
| Toyota RAV4 2WD | $3,788 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $3,793 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $3,788 |
| Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid | $3,794 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LT 2WD | $3,788 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Crew | $3,821 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Off-Road Package 4WD | $3,826 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Regular Cab 2WD | $3,851 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport Islander Package 4WD 4-Dr | $3,959 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE 4-Dr Sedan | $3,997 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | |
Data variables include single male driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Premium amounts do not factor in your specific Irvine, CA location which can change price quotes significantly.
Based on these rates, we can conclude that makes and models like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Honda Accord, Toyota Prius, and Ford F-150 are likely to be the cheapest vehicles to insure for teen drivers. The cost of auto insurance will be higher anyway because of the fact that there is more liability exposure for 17 year olds, but in general those particular models will most likely have the lowest prices that you’ll find.
Reckless driving habits raise Irvine car insurance rates
In a perfect world, the best way to find low car insurance premiums for teen drivers is to be a safe driver and have a clean driving record. The information below highlights how speeding tickets and at-fault accidents raise yearly insurance costs for each age group. The premiums are based on a single male driver, full physical damage coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
In the previous chart, the average cost of an auto insurance policy per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $2,525. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost rises to $2,844, an increase of $319 each year. Then throw in one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of car insurance for 17 year olds jumps again to an average of $3,742. That’s an increase of $1,217, or $101 per month, just for not being more responsible behind the wheel!
Should you buy full coverage?
Reducing premiums for car insurance should be important to most vehicle owners, and one of the fastest ways to find cheaper insurance for 17 year olds is to not insure for full coverage. The example below compares insurance costs when comparing full coverage to liability only. The information is based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, single status, and no additional discounts are factored in.
If all age groups are averaged, comp and collision coverage costs $3,385 per year over liability only. That is a big expense that brings up the question if buying full coverage is a good investment. There isn’t a steadfast formula of when to exclude comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
There are some scenarios where only buying liability is not financially feasible. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you have to keep full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not consider dropping full coverage.
The diagram below demonstrates how deductible levels can influence yearly insurance costs when searching for cheap insurance for 17 year olds. The rates are based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
A 30-year-old driver could lower their car insurance rates by $476 a year by switching the physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $718 by using a $1,000 deductible. Younger drivers, such as the 20-year-old chart data, could reduce their rates up to $1,434 or more by choosing a higher deductible.
If you do raise deductibles, it will be required to have additional funds squirreled away to offset the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the main drawback of higher deductibles.