You have most likely watched the ads from insurers like GEICO, The General, and Farmers claiming the cheapest rates, so you should just choose any of them, right?
Regrettably, it’s not quite that easy, as there are a lot of unknown elements such as if you have ever had a coverage lapse, whether you are married or single, and the number of miles you drive in a year, that all help calculate your car insurance rates. In this article, we will cover some of these topics and will hopefully give you a good start in finding the cheapest insurance.
Deciphering which company quotes the cheapest car insurance rates for 4×4 vehicles takes a tad more effort in order to find the lowest price. Each auto insurer has their own formula to set their prices, so we’ll go over the most competitive car insurance companies in California.
Find the Cheapest Car Insurance for 4×4’s
Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | USAA | $1,155 |
2 | Wawanesa | $1,192 |
3 | Nationwide | $1,213 |
4 | Century National | $1,214 |
5 | CSAA | $1,222 |
6 | 21st Century | $1,379 |
7 | Grange | $1,491 |
8 | GEICO | $1,513 |
9 | Allied | $1,541 |
10 | Progressive | $1,542 |
11 | Mercury | $1,548 |
12 | Allstate | $1,559 |
13 | MetLife | $1,590 |
14 | The Hartford | $1,639 |
15 | Unitrin | $1,699 |
16 | State Farm | $1,750 |
17 | Esurance | $1,756 |
18 | Travelers | $1,788 |
19 | Bristol West | $1,831 |
20 | Farmers | $2,026 |
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USAA quotes some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Sacramento at around $1,155 each year. This is $496 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Nationwide, Century National, and CSAA also make the cut as some of the lowest-priced Sacramento, CA car insurance companies.
In the above rates, if you buy coverage from Nationwide and switched to USAA, you may see yearly savings of in the vicinity of $58. Insureds with Century National may save as much as $59 a year, and CSAA insureds might see rate reductions of $67 a year.
These policy prices are averaged for all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and and are not calculated with an exact zip code location for 4×4 vehicles. So the insurer that can offer you the lowest price may not even be in the top 24 companies shown above. That underscores the importance of why you need to quote rates from as many companies as possible using your own personal information and vehicle type.
One of the more important components that are looked at to help calculate car insurance rates is where you keep your car in Sacramento. Cities with more crime and/or more people tend to have higher rates, whereas areas with less crime or weather claims profit from lower rates.
The table below lists the highest-priced places in California for 4×4 vehicles to purchase a policy in. Sacramento ranks #4 having an annual price of $1,703 for the average insurance policy, which is approximately $142 monthly.
Rank | City | Average Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | Glendale | $2,142 |
2 | Los Angeles | $2,104 |
3 | Oakland | $1,755 |
4 | Sacramento | $1,703 |
5 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
6 | San Bernardino | $1,596 |
7 | Santa Clarita | $1,595 |
8 | Long Beach | $1,578 |
9 | Garden Grove | $1,570 |
10 | Fontana | $1,566 |
11 | Stockton | $1,556 |
12 | Riverside | $1,542 |
13 | Moreno Valley | $1,536 |
14 | Modesto | $1,502 |
15 | Fresno | $1,502 |
16 | Santa Ana | $1,483 |
17 | Anaheim | $1,474 |
18 | San Jose | $1,437 |
19 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
20 | San Diego | $1,368 |
21 | Bakersfield | $1,353 |
22 | Fremont | $1,348 |
23 | Irvine | $1,343 |
24 | Oxnard | $1,318 |
25 | Chula Vista | $1,298 |
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Table data uses approximated as the specific zip code location can lower or raise coverage prices noticeably.
The make and model of vehicle requiring coverage is one of the main factors when comparison shopping for the lowest-priced auto insurance for 4×4 vehicles. Vehicles with limited top-end speed, good crash test ratings, or a low likelihood of liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than higher performance models.
The list below features insurance premiums for a selection of the most affordable automobiles to buy coverage for.
Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
---|---|
Ford Escape Limited 2WD | $1,370 |
Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $1,376 |
Toyota Prius | $1,485 |
Ford Explorer XLT 2WD | $1,503 |
Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,514 |
Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $1,558 |
Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,566 |
GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $1,589 |
Chevrolet Equinox LS AWD | $1,598 |
Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,589 |
Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,595 |
Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4WD 2-Dr | $1,644 |
Ford Focus SES 4-Dr Sedan | $1,653 |
Toyota Corolla LE | $1,676 |
Chevrolet Impala LTZ | $1,685 |
Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4WD | $1,704 |
Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $1,710 |
Ford F-150 STX Regular Cab 4WD | $1,719 |
GMC Sierra 3500HD SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $1,736 |
Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $1,772 |
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Table data assumes single male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, claim-free, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Premium costs do not factor in zip code location which can impact premium rates substantially.
Looking at the numbers, we can tell that vehicles like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Toyota Prius are most likely going to be the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for off-road vehicles.
Safe drivers pay less for car insurance
The common sense way to snag good car insurance premiums for off-road vehicles is to drive safe and avoid accidents and violations. The example below demonstrates how citations and at-fault accidents can affect premium costs for each different age category. The information is based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
The chart shows that the average cost of a car insurance policy in California per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $1,785. Add in two speeding tickets and the average cost hikes up to $2,536, an increase of $752 each year. Now include one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the yearly cost of car insurance for 4×4 vehicles jumps again to an average of $3,288. That’s an increase of $1,503, or $125 per month, just for not maintaining a clean driving record!
Cost comparison with and without full coverage
Reducing premiums for car insurance should be important to most vehicle owners, and one great way to find cheap insurance for 4×4 vehicles is to only buy liability coverage. The diagram below shows the comparison of car insurance costs with full coverage and liability only. The rates are based on no violations or claims, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
If we average all the age groups together, comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy costs $1,849 per year over and above liability coverage. That brings up the question if buying full coverage is a waste of money. There is no set guideline of when to stop paying for physical damage coverage, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is 10% or more of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then it might be time to buy liability only.
The illustration below illustrates how choosing a deductible can increase or decrease yearly insurance costs when researching cheap insurance for 4×4 vehicles. The data is based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
The chart above illustrates that a 40-year-old driver could reduce rates by $506 a year by switching the physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $762 by changing to a $1,000 deductible. Youthful drivers, like the Age 20 category, could reduce their rates $1,674 every year just by choosing larger deductibles.
When increasing deductibles, it will be necessary to have plenty of discretionary funds to satisfy the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the primary disadvantage of high deductibles.
Sacramento car insurance rates
Sacramento, CA car insurance rates are determined by lots of factors which can significantly increase or decrease the cost of having a policy. Getting older, getting married, or getting a couple of tickets can cause premium changes that can now make some companies more affordable than competitors.
In addition, companies modify rates multiple times each year to help ensure profitability. An unexpected high level of claims can cause higher prices, while lower claim levels can result in more affordable Sacramento car insurance rates.
The chart below shows the companies that have the cheapest car insurance in Sacramento, CA for a 40-year-old male driver with a clear driving record, no claims, and good financial standing. When quoting prices based on his current situation, USAA has the lowest car insurance rates in Sacramento at $1,507 each year. This is $144 less than the average premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide are also on the list of the most affordable Sacramento, CA auto insurance companies.
In the next rate comparison, we’ll give the driver from above a claim, a lower credit score, and a few traffic violations. Due to the fact that every auto insurer has a different process for filing rates in each state, comparing quotes could now result in a completely different list of cheap Sacramento auto insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the cheapest car insurance in Sacramento with Allstate, GEICO, Progressive, and Mercury now rounding out the top five. This example shows why consumers need to take the time to compare as many rates as possible when trying to get the best insurance quotes for 4×4 vehicles. Car insurance prices are impacted by many different factors and change frequently, so the best option two years ago may now be an over-priced policy.
The agents shown below can help you determine which coverage fits your budget, since many consumers aren’t sure which coverage to buy and prefer to have some professional guidance when comparing insurance rates for off-road vehicles. It’s not always easy to find the best coverage yourself, and getting advice from a licensed California insurance agent can provide you satisfaction knowing your coverage gives you sufficient coverage for your assets.
To find a Sacramento insurance agent close to where you live, click the button below the list.
Ice Insurance Agency
813 F St – Sacramento, CA 95814 – (916) 387-6800
McGee and Thielen Insurance Brokers
3840 Rosin Ct #245 – Sacramento, CA 95834 – (800) 901-9636
Nationwide Insurance: Greg Comia Insurance Agency Inc
7500 Elsie Ave Ste 106 – Sacramento, CA 95828 – (916) 682-6053