The words “low-priced” and “insurance” probably shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, specifically when you are looking for the best coverage prices for 16 year olds. Because of the high cost, let’s take a look at some situations that help determine insurance premiums, and find out if you can slash the price of the next policy you buy.
Deciphering which companies quote the most affordable insurance rates for 16 year olds calls for a little more effort in order to find the most economical policy.
Every insurance company has their own unique process for establishing rates, so let’s take a look at the insurance companies with the overall best prices in California. We do need to point out that California insurance rates are impacted by many factors which can substantially decrease or increase the cost of a policy. Getting older, buying another vehicle, or getting a ticket for careless driving may generate price changes resulting in some rates now being cheaper than others.
Best Car Insurance Prices for Teens
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,121 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,146 |
| 3 | Century National | $1,214 |
| 4 | Nationwide | $1,226 |
| 5 | CSAA | $1,234 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,325 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,477 |
| 8 | Allstate | $1,497 |
| 9 | Mercury | $1,533 |
| 10 | Progressive | $1,542 |
| 11 | Allied | $1,556 |
| 12 | GEICO | $1,575 |
| 13 | MetLife | $1,606 |
| 14 | The Hartford | $1,623 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,699 |
| 16 | State Farm | $1,750 |
| 17 | Esurance | $1,756 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,842 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,966 |
| Find Your Rate Go | ||
USAA generally has some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Sacramento at around $1,121 per year. Wawanesa, Century National, Nationwide, and CSAA also make the cut as some of the lowest-priced Sacramento, CA car insurance companies.
As the example above demonstrates, if you currently have coverage with Century National and switched to USAA, you may realize yearly savings of upwards of $93. Drivers with Nationwide could save as much as $105 a year, and CSAA insureds might reduce prices by as much as $113 a year.
Understand that those premium estimates are averaged for all types of drivers and the different vehicles they drive and do not take into consideration a specific location for 16 year olds. So the insurer that can offer you the best rate may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That illustrates why you need to get rate quotes using your own personalized driver profile and vehicle information.
For new drivers, one of the big things that are looked at to help calculate the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is the neighborhood you call home. Cities with more crime and/or more people will most likely have higher rates, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates have the gratification of cheaper auto insurance rates.
The following table ranks the most costly cities in California for 16 year olds to buy car insurance in. Sacramento makes the list at #5 with an annual rate of $1,703 for the average insurance policy, which is around $142 per month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | $2,142 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | $2,104 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,763 |
| 4 | Oakland | $1,704 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,703 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,644 |
| 7 | Santa Clarita | $1,580 |
| 8 | Long Beach | $1,578 |
| 9 | Garden Grove | $1,570 |
| 10 | Fontana | $1,566 |
| 11 | Stockton | $1,556 |
| 12 | Moreno Valley | $1,551 |
| 13 | Modesto | $1,547 |
| 14 | Riverside | $1,542 |
| 15 | Santa Ana | $1,497 |
| 16 | Anaheim | $1,474 |
| 17 | Fresno | $1,457 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,423 |
| 19 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
| 20 | Fremont | $1,389 |
| 21 | Bakersfield | $1,381 |
| 22 | Irvine | $1,371 |
| 23 | Chula Vista | $1,350 |
| 24 | San Diego | $1,340 |
| 25 | Oxnard | $1,304 |
| Compare Prices Now Go | ||
Prices are estimated as the garaging address in Sacramento can modify rates significantly.
The car, truck, or SUV that needs insurance is one of the biggest factors when consumers are trying to find economical auto insurance for 16 year olds. Vehicles with more horsepower, poor safety ratings, or an increased likelihood of liability claims will cost more to insure than more economical and safe models.
The information below illustrates car insurance prices for the cheaper vehicles to insure.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $5,010 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $5,056 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $5,359 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $5,368 |
| Toyota Prius | $5,405 |
| Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $5,894 |
| Honda Odyssey EX | $5,901 |
| Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $5,940 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS AWD | $5,950 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $5,940 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $5,986 |
| Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer AWD | $5,995 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $5,986 |
| Ford F-150 Lariat Super Cab 2WD | $5,992 |
| Ford Focus SES 4-Dr Sedan | $6,200 |
| Get a Custom Quote Go | |
Data assumes single female driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Estimates do not factor in specific garaging location which can impact coverage prices considerably.
Based upon these rates, you can figure that cars like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Elantra, and Honda Accord will be the cheaper vehicles to insure for new drivers. The price of auto insurance will be more expensive because of the fact that there is more risk for 16 year olds, but generally speaking those vehicles will probably have the best insurance prices compared to other types of vehicles.
Get discount Sacramento auto insurance
Insurance companies that provide policies for 16 year olds may additionally offer special discounts that could reduce prices by as much as 40% or more if you meet specific criteria. A few popular companies and their offered discounts are outlined below.
- American Family has discounts for defensive driver, accident-free, good driver, air bags, TimeAway discount, and multi-vehicle.
- State Farm may have discounts that include safe vehicle, anti-theft, good student, defensive driving training, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
- 21st Century has savings for 55 and older, student driver, anti-lock brakes, homeowners, early bird, teen driver, and driver training.
- Travelers may include discounts for driver training, home ownership, new car, multi-car, multi-policy, and IntelliDrive.
- GEICO discounts include good student, anti-theft, seat belt use, air bags, multi-vehicle, military active duty, and emergency military deployment.
The information below visualizes the comparison of premium costs with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The rate quotes are based on a female driver, no tickets, no at-fault accidents, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $500 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the average rate with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with anti-theft, paperless filing, passive restraint, continuous coverage, paid-in-full, and vehicle safety discounts applied. When these discounts are applied, theamount saved on insurance for 16 year olds is 28% or $711.
The illustration below demonstrates how deductibles can change insurance costs when trying to find cheap insurance for 16 year olds. The rates are based on a married female driver, full coverage, and no discounts are applied.
As shown above, a 50-year-old driver could reduce rates by $300 a year by switching their comprehensive and collision coverages from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $456 by selecting a $1,000 deductible. Even younger insureds, like the 20-year-old example, can save as much as $750 or more just by choosing larger deductibles. If you do decide to increase your deductibles, it will be important to have plenty of savings on hand to enable you to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the main drawback of higher deductibles.
How violations and accidents impact rates
The ideal way to snag low insurance rates in Sacramento for new drivers is to be a safe driver and avoid at-fault accidents and violations. The example below illustrates how traffic citations and at-fault collisions can drive up annual premium costs for each age group. The premiums assume a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
The data charted above shows the average cost of auto insurance per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $2,121. Receive one speeding ticket and the average cost hikes up to $2,476, an increase of $355 each year. Then throw in two accidents along with the one speeding ticket and the 12-month cost of insurance for 16 year olds jumps again to an average of $5,689. That’s an increase of $3,568, or $297 per month, just for being a careless driver!
Ideas to find cheaper auto insurance for 16 year olds
It is possible to find better rates, and here are some penny-pinching solutions that can help Sacramento drivers quote low-cost coverage.
- Don’t have frequent claims
- Vehicles with good safety ratings have lower liability rates
- Good credit scores may make rates cheaper
- Save money by bundling your home and auto policies
- Raise deductibles to save money
- If your vehicles are older, consider dropping full coverage
- Compare rates and switch if you can find a better deal
That final tip is particularly critical, as was stressed in the article above. Prices fluctuate constantly, so don’t be tentative to buy a different policy if a better rate can be found. Brand loyalty is not necessarily bad, but is isn’t recommended if that stubbornness costs you major coinage every year. In just a few minutes you could compare prices and find cheaper car insurance for 16 year olds in Sacramento.
If you aren’t sure which coverage you need and prefer to have the advice of a professional agent when shopping for the best coverage for new drivers, the insurance agencies listed below can help you decide which coverage fits your budget.
To find an agent nearest to you, click the button following the list.
- Bates Insurance Agency | Auto Insurance and Homeowners Insurance and Car Insurance
2306 J St – Sacramento, CA 95816 – (916) 251-3548 - Timothy Aust – State Farm Insurance Agent
2710 Arden Way – Sacramento, CA 95825 – (916) 482-5328 - Brian Clark – State Farm Insurance Agent
2331 El Camino Ave – Sacramento, CA 95821 – (916) 488-2212 - Foster and Parker Insurance Agency
2020 Hurley Way – Sacramento, CA 95825 – (916) 481-0689