How Much is Auto Insurance for 17 Year Olds in San Francisco?

The words “low-priced” and “auto insurance” really shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, in particular when you are searching for the best coverage prices for 17 year olds. To save some money, let’s teach you some situations that have a considerable impact on car insurance prices, and see how we can help you slash the price of your next policy.

Buying budget auto insurance is easier said than done, and determining which companies have the cheapest auto insurance rates for 17 year olds takes even more perseverance.

Every insurance provider uses a little different formula to set premium rates, so let’s rank the most competitive auto insurance companies in California.

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USAA generally has some of the lowest car insurance rates in San Francisco at around $1,109 annually. This is $542 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide also qualify as some of the lowest-priced San Francisco, CA car insurance companies.

As depicted above, if you have coverage with CSAA and switched to USAA, you could realize an annual savings of approximately $89. Drivers with Century National could save as much as $117 a year, and Nationwide policyholders might lower prices by $154 a year.

To compare your rates to other California insurance companies, click here to get a free quote or click several companies below for low rates.

It’s important to note that these prices are averages across all insureds and vehicles and and are not figured with a specific vehicle garaging location for 17 year olds. So the auto insurance company that is most affordable for your situation may not even be in the top 24 companies shown above. That underscores the importance of why you need to compare rates from as many companies as possible using your own driver and vehicle profiles.

For teen drivers, one of the largest considerations that determine the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is the neighborhood you call home. Cities with more crime and/or more people tend to have more expensive auto insurance rates, whereas areas that tend to be more rural have the benefit of cheaper car insurance.

The next table lists the highest-priced places in California for 17 year olds in which to buy car insurance. San Francisco is ranked at #3 with the annual price of $1,745 for car insurance, which is around $145 per month.

Rate information is comparative as vehicle location can lower or raise rates substantially.

The vehicle you are buying coverage for is one of the main factors when looking for the lowest-priced car insurance for 17 year olds. Vehicles with high performance, a lack of advanced safety features, or a track record of large liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than more modest models.

The list below outlines car insurance prices for a selection of the most affordable vehicles to insure in California.

Above prices assume single female 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. Price information does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can affect prices significantly.

Based upon these rates, we can presume that makes and models like the Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and Ford F-150 should be a few of the most economical vehicles to insure for teen drivers. Rates will tend to be higher because there is more inherent risk for 17 year olds, but generally speaking those vehicles will most likely have the best rates compared to other vehicles.

The diagram below illustrates how choosing a deductible can raise or lower insurance costs when trying to find cheap insurance for 17 year olds. Data assumes a married male driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are factored in.

The chart above illustrates that a 30-year-old driver could lower rates by $476 a year by increasing from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $718 by using a $1,000 deductible. Young drivers, like the Age 20 category, could potentially save up to $1,434 annually by choosing a higher deductible. When choosing a higher deductible, it will now be necessary to have additional funds in a savings account to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which deters some people from using high deductibles.

Impact of speeding/accidents on San Francisco auto insurance rates

The obvious way to earn good auto insurance rates for teen drivers is to drive safely and not have accidents or get tickets. The information below shows how violations and at-fault fender-benders influence insurance prices for each different age group. The premiums are based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.

In the previous chart, the average cost of an auto insurance policy in San Francisco per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $1,598. Get written up for one speeding ticket and the average cost rises to $1,862, an increase of $264 each year. Now include one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the yearly cost of auto insurance for 17 year olds goes up to an average of $2,597. That’s an increase of $999, or $83 per month, just for not being more responsible behind the wheel!

Low rates can quickly become overpriced

San Francisco auto insurance rates are impacted by many factors that can increase the cost of your policy. Simply improving your credit, having a teenage driver, or having an accident may prompt premium changes resulting in some rates now being more affordable than competitors.

Not only that, but auto insurance companies modify pricing multiple times each year to adjust for gains or losses. Higher than usual claims can result in higher priced premiums, while a better loss history can cause lower-cost San Francisco car insurance rates.

For example, the graph below compares the cheapest car insurance in San Francisco, CA for a 30-year-old male driver with a good driving record, no prior claims, and good credit. When quoting prices based on his personal risk profile, USAA may have the lowest car insurance rates in San Francisco at $1,463 annually. This is $188 less than the average policy premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide round out the rest of the most affordable San Francisco, CA auto insurance companies.

In this example, we will give the driver from the first example a claim surcharge, a lower credit rating, and a blemish on his driving record. Since each auto insurance company uses a different method to determine rates, comparing insurance quotes could result in a new list of the cheapest San Francisco car insurance companies as shown below.

Grange now has the lowest price in San Francisco with Progressive, GEICO, Mercury, and Allied also being competitive. This shows why it is crucial to compare rates to get the most budget-friendly car insurance rates for 17 year olds. Car insurance prices are determined by many risk factors and can change substantially, so the most economical company the last time you checked may now be one of the more expensive options.