It’s hard to avoid all the ads from car insurance companies like State Farm and Progressive that guarantee the cheapest price. So you should just pick the one with the catchiest commercial, right?
That is not the case, however, as there are a whole bunch of unknown factors like if you have a spouse, the number of miles you drive each year, and the likelihood of vehicle theft where you live, that all factor into the price you pay. The information below will cover these types of topics and educate you enough to have a jump start in finding the best auto insurance.
Figuring out which companies quote the cheapest car insurance rates for young drivers will take a bit more effort than just getting one or two price quotes.
Each insurance company uses a different method for establishing rates, so let’s rank the car insurance companies that tend to be cheaper in California.
Best Insurance Companies for Teens
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,109 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,146 |
| 3 | Nationwide | $1,213 |
| 4 | Century National | $1,214 |
| 5 | CSAA | $1,234 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,338 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,433 |
| 8 | Progressive | $1,496 |
| 9 | Allstate | $1,497 |
| 10 | Mercury | $1,503 |
| 11 | GEICO | $1,559 |
| 12 | The Hartford | $1,575 |
| 13 | MetLife | $1,590 |
| 14 | Allied | $1,603 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,682 |
| 16 | State Farm | $1,699 |
| 17 | Esurance | $1,739 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,788 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 20 | Farmers | $2,026 |
| Get Personalized Rates Go | ||
USAA quotes some of the most affordable car insurance rates in San Francisco at around $1,109 per year. This is $542 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Nationwide, Century National, and CSAA also make the cut as some of the cheapest San Francisco, CA insurance companies.
As the example above demonstrates, if you currently buy coverage from Century National and switched to Wawanesa, you could see savings of roughly $68. Policyholders with CSAA may save as much as $88 a year, and 21st Century policyholders might lower prices by up to $192 a year.
To see how much you can save, click here to start your free quote or feel free to get quotes from the companies below.
Bear in mind that those premiums are averaged for all types of insureds and vehicles and do not factor in an exact zip code location for young drivers. So the company that has the cheapest rates for you may not even be in the list above. That affirms the importance of why you need to quote rates from as many companies as possible using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
The type of vehicle you are buying coverage for is one of the main factors that determines the availability of cheap auto insurance for young drivers. Vehicles with lots of horsepower, poor safety features, or high incidents of liability claims will cost substantially more to insure than safer, lower-performance models.
The data below shows car insurance costs for a selection of the most cost-effective vehicles to insure.
| Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $6,302 |
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $6,309 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $6,751 |
| Toyota Prius | $6,811 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport Islander Package 4WD 2-Dr | $7,028 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $7,090 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T Station Wagon | $7,195 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $7,416 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $7,426 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $7,416 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $7,477 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $7,485 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Extended Cab 4WD | $7,477 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $7,537 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 4WD | $7,546 |
| Dodge Ram Quad Cab ST 2WD | $7,719 |
| Honda Civic LX-S 4-Dr Sedan | $7,800 |
| Start a Quote Go | |
Data based on single male driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Price estimates do not factor in zip code location which can influence price quotes substantially.
By looking at the data, you can figure that cars like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and Hyundai Elantra will be some of the cheaper vehicles to insure for youthful drivers. The price for an auto insurance policy will trend higher just because there is more liability exposure for young drivers, but overall those specific models will most likely have the lowest insurance prices that you are likely to find.
Picking a good quality insurance provider can be a challenge considering how many different companies insure vehicles in California. The company ratings below can help you select which companies to look at when buying insurance for young drivers.
These rankings are only made up of large insurance companies, so smaller companies that only insure vehicles in California are not taken into consideration for these rankings. To view rates from the most competitive companies in California, click this link.
Top 10 Large Car Insurance Companies in San Francisco Ranked by Value
- USAA
- American Family
- The Hartford
- AAA of Southern California
- Titan Insurance
- The General
- AAA Insurance
- State Farm
- Mercury Insurance
- Nationwide
Top 10 Large Car Insurance Companies in San Francisco Ranked by Claims Service
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- Esurance
- AAA Insurance
- Progressive
- Liberty Mutual
- GEICO
- Allstate
- Titan Insurance
- The Hartford
Responsible drivers pay cheaper car insurance rates
The common sense way to enjoy good car insurance prices in California for youthful drivers is to be a cautious driver and maintain a clean driving record. The diagram below demonstrates how traffic citations and accidents can drive up insurance rates for different ages of insureds. The prices are based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
In the prior example, the average cost of a car insurance policy per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $2,426. Receive one speeding ticket and the average cost rises to $2,748, an increase of $322 each year. Now add two accidents along with the one speeding ticket and the yearly cost of car insurance for young drivers increases to an average of $5,447. That’s an increase of $3,022, or $252 per month, just for not paying attention while driving!
How to find the cheapest car insurance for young drivers
The list below details many penny-pinching suggestions that can help you find low-cost coverage.
- Speeding tickets and other violations increase rates
- Buy your homeowners policy from the same company as your auto insurance
- Having at-fault accidents will increase rates
- Avoid price increases by not filing claims
- Drive safe vehicles
- Don’t waste money on full coverage for older vehicles
- Keep rates low by comparing prices once a year
The last idea is particularly necessary, as we discussed in this article. Rates change a lot, so don’t hesitate to buy a different policy if you find a better deal. Sticking with a specific company is fine, but it’s not recommended if your bullheadedness ends up costing you a wad of cash every year. Now is a great time to compare rates and find cheaper car insurance for young drivers in San Francisco.
The San Francisco car insurance agencies listed below are a good start to help you determine which policy fits your needs best, as some drivers aren’t sure which coverage they need and prefer to have a little guidance when comparing insurance rates for young drivers. It can be time-consuming to find the best coverage yourself, so getting advice from a licensed agent can add peace of mind knowing your policy gives you adequate protection in case of an accident or claim. To find an auto insurance agency close to where you live, click the button after the list.
- Rebekah Shapiro – State Farm Insurance Agent
1736 Stockton St #9 – San Francisco, CA 94133 – (415) 525-3344 - Scarborough Insurance Agency
329 Bryant St – San Francisco, CA 94107 – (415) 371-1398 - Traci Hollander – State Farm Insurance Agent
1501 Church St – San Francisco, CA 94131 – (415) 647-3007