The words “low-cost” and “insurance” really shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, especially when shopping around for the lowest insurance rates for retired military. Because of the high cost, let’s teach you some of the things that impact insurance premiums, and find some ways to take the bite out of your next policy.
The make and model of vehicle that is being insured is one of the biggest factors that determines whether or not you can buy affordable auto insurance for retired military. Vehicles with lower performance, a plethora of safety features, or a track record of few liability claims will cost much less to insure than adrenaline junky models.
The list below ranks car insurance rates for the most affordable vehicles to insure in California.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $1,351 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,464 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,496 |
| Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,570 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,578 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $1,599 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $1,606 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,599 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LT 2WD | $1,609 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Crew | $1,630 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $1,678 |
| Toyota Corolla XLE | $1,680 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Regular Cab 2WD | $1,704 |
| GMC Sierra SLT Extended Cab 4WD | $1,712 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $1,802 |
| Ford Fusion SEL AWD 4-Dr Sedan | $1,828 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $1,833 |
| Start Your Quote Go | |
Data assumes single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle. Price estimates do not factor in specific location which can lower or raise price quotes considerably.
Looking at the rates, you can conclude that cars like the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, and Ford Focus are the cheaper vehicles to insure for veterans.
For veterans, one of the big criteria that are looked at to determine the annual cost of car insurance is where your car is garaged. Areas with more people or even just a higher incidence of claims are more likely to have higher rates, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims profit from lower rates.
The information below lists the most expensive places in California for retired military in which to buy car insurance. Sacramento is ranked at #5 costing $1,669 for the average insurance policy, which is approximately $139 per month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,168 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,058 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,704 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,669 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,628 |
| 7 | Long Beach | $1,626 |
| 8 | Santa Clarita | $1,580 |
| 9 | Riverside | $1,542 |
| 10 | Stockton | $1,541 |
| 11 | Moreno Valley | $1,536 |
| 12 | Fontana | $1,535 |
| 13 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 14 | Garden Grove | $1,524 |
| 15 | Santa Ana | $1,483 |
| 16 | Fresno | $1,457 |
| 17 | San Jose | $1,437 |
| 18 | Anaheim | $1,430 |
| 19 | Fremont | $1,403 |
| 20 | Huntington Beach | $1,360 |
| Find the Best Rates Go | ||
Price information shown is estimated as specific location information can influence insurance rates noticeably.
Deciphering which company quotes the cheapest insurance rates for retired military will require more time in order to find the most economical policy. Every insurance company uses their own calculation for setting prices, so we’ll go over the insurance companies with the overall cheapest rates in California.
We do need to point out that Sacramento insurance rates are impacted by many factors which can substantially decrease or increase the price you have to pay for coverage. Getting older, having a teen driver, or having an accident may prompt premium changes that can make some companies cheaper than competitors.
Cheap Insurance Rates for Vets
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,109 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,181 |
| 3 | CSAA | $1,198 |
| 4 | Century National | $1,214 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,263 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,325 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,491 |
| 8 | Progressive | $1,496 |
| 9 | Mercury | $1,503 |
| 10 | Allstate | $1,559 |
| 11 | GEICO | $1,575 |
| 12 | The Hartford | $1,591 |
| 13 | Allied | $1,603 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,606 |
| 15 | Esurance | $1,688 |
| 16 | State Farm | $1,733 |
| 17 | Unitrin | $1,750 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,860 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,966 |
| Quote Your Rates Go | ||
USAA has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Sacramento at around $1,109 a year. This is $542 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide also rank well as some of the most economical Sacramento, CA auto insurance companies.
In the above example, if you are currently insured with Wawanesa and switched to USAA, you might achieve annual savings of upwards of $72. Insureds with CSAA could save as much as $89 a year, and Century National insureds might lower prices by up to $105 a year.
Be aware that those policy prices are averages across all drivers and vehicles and and are not calculated with an exact vehicle garaging location for retired military. So the company that can offer you the lowest price may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That’s why you need to compare rates from multiple companies using your own driver and vehicle profiles.
Careless Sacramento drivers pay higher rates
In a perfect world, the ideal way to enjoy good insurance rates in California for veterans is to be a safe driver and not receive tickets or have accidents. The diagram below shows how violations and at-fault fender-benders can raise insurance premiums for different age groups. The rates are based on a single male driver, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.
In the chart above, the average cost of an auto insurance policy in Sacramento per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $2,501. Receive two speeding tickets and the average cost surges to $3,297, an increase of $796 each year. Then throw in one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the annual cost of insurance for retired military goes up to an average of $4,112. That’s an increase of $1,611, or $134 per month, just for not driving responsibly!
The diagram below shows how choosing a deductible can change insurance premiums when searching for cheap insurance for retired military. The rate quotes are based on a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
As shown above, a 40-year-old driver could lower their car insurance rates by $420 a year by switching their comprehensive and collision coverages from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $632 by choosing a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, like the 20-year-old example, could potentially save as much as $1,068 every year by selecting a higher deductible. When increasing deductibles, it will be important to have enough in a savings account to allow you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which deters some people from using high deductibles.
Ending up with a highly-rated company is hard considering how many companies sell coverage in California. The ranking information below could help you choose which providers you want to consider purchasing from. These rankings are only made up of the largest companies in America, so smaller companies that only insure vehicles in California are not included in these rankings.
Top 10 Major Auto Insurance Providers Overall in Sacramento
- USAA
- American Family
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive
Top 10 Major Auto Insurance Providers in Sacramento Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- Titan Insurance – 95%
- USAA – 94%
- AAA of Southern California – 92%
- AAA Insurance – 91%
- Nationwide – 90%
- State Farm – 90%
- The Hartford – 89%
- GEICO – 89%
- The General – 88%
- 21st Century – 88%
If you like to get some professional advice when comparing insurance rates for retired military, the agents listed below are willing to help you decide which car insurance policy is best.
To locate a Sacramento car insurance agency using an interactive map, click the button below the list.
Sherman Chan – State Farm Insurance Agent
1355 Florin Rd Ste 1 – Sacramento, CA 95822 – (916) 422-1550
Ancal Insurance Agency
2641 Cottage Way #2 – Sacramento, CA 95825 – (916) 485-5410
Bill Batchelder – State Farm Insurance Agent
8887 Folsom Blvd #3a – Sacramento, CA 95826 – (916) 361-3114
More Sacramento, CA insurance agents
How to find more affordable car insurance for retired military
The list below shows a few penny-pinching suggestions that can help California drivers locate more affordable coverage.
- If your vehicles are older, consider dropping full coverage
- Good credit can mean cheaper rates
- Buy a vehicle with excellent safety ratings
- Raise your deductibles
- Be a safe driver
- Avoid at-fault accidents and claims
- Shop around for cheaper prices
The final tip is incredibly vital, as was pointed out in the prior information. Prices charged by auto insurers in Sacramento can be adjusted at any time, so drivers shouldn’t hesitate to switch to a new company if you find a better deal.
Many drivers prefer to stick with one company, but it’s not a good idea if your bullheadedness ends up costing you major coinage every year. Take a couple minutes and shop around and find cheaper auto insurance for retired military.