The words “affordable” and “insurance” probably shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, in particular when shopping around for the lowest insurance rates for a learners permit. Because it’s not cheap, let’s start off by going over some things that impact auto insurance rates, and see if we can help you shave a little off your next policy.
For new drivers, one of the largest components that are used to help calculate auto insurance rates is where you live in Irvine. Regions with larger populations or more claims will most likely have higher rates, whereas less populated areas have the enjoyment of a little cheaper coverage.
The information below rates the highest-priced places in California for a learners permit to buy car insurance in. Irvine shows up at #23 with the yearly price of $1,343 for the average policyholder, which is around $112 per month.
| 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 | $1,644 |
| 7 | Long Beach | $1,610 |
| 8 | Santa Clarita | $1,595 |
| 9 | Stockton | $1,588 |
| 10 | Fontana | $1,566 |
| 11 | Modesto | $1,547 |
| 12 | Moreno Valley | $1,536 |
| 13 | Riverside | $1,527 |
| 14 | Garden Grove | $1,508 |
| 15 | Fresno | $1,502 |
| 16 | Anaheim | $1,444 |
| 17 | Santa Ana | $1,439 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,437 |
| 19 | Fremont | $1,403 |
| 20 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
| 21 | Bakersfield | $1,381 |
| 22 | San Diego | $1,368 |
| 23 | Irvine | $1,343 |
| 24 | Oxnard | $1,304 |
| 25 | Chula Vista | $1,298 |
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Table data uses comparative as the specific zip code location can influence premium rates considerably.
Finding decent, reasonably-priced car insurance is not the easiest thing to do, and figuring out which company offers the most affordable car insurance rates for a learners permit involves additional perseverance. Every auto insurer has a unique approach for filing rates in each state, so let’s rank the car insurance companies with the most affordable rates in California.
It’s important to know that Irvine car insurance rates are based on many factors which can significantly increase or decrease the price you have to pay for coverage. Price variation is why Irvine drivers need to compare lots of rates to get affordable auto insurance rates for a learners permit. Car insurance prices can be altered by many risk factors and can increase or decrease at any time, so the best company six months ago may now be priced much higher than other options.
Find the Cheapest Auto Insurance in California
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,155 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,157 |
| 3 | CSAA | $1,186 |
| 4 | Century National | $1,190 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,250 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,366 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,447 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,488 |
| 9 | Progressive | $1,512 |
| 10 | Allied | $1,541 |
| 11 | GEICO | $1,559 |
| 12 | Allstate | $1,559 |
| 13 | MetLife | $1,606 |
| 14 | The Hartford | $1,623 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,699 |
| 16 | State Farm | $1,699 |
| 17 | Esurance | $1,756 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,777 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,860 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,946 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | ||
USAA generally has some of the lowest car insurance rates in Irvine at around $1,155 each year. This is $496 less than the average premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide also qualify as some of the most economical Irvine, CA auto insurance companies.
As shown in the table above, if you are insured with CSAA and switched to USAA, you may realize savings of in the neighborhood of $31. California drivers with Century National might save as much as $35 a year, and Nationwide customers might reduce prices by as much as $95 a year.
It’s important to note that these rates are averaged for all types of drivers and the different vehicles they drive and and are not calculated with a vehicle location for a learners permit. So the car insurance company that is best suited for you may not even be in the top 24 companies 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 information and vehicle.
Get discount Irvine car insurance
Insurers that offer quotes for a learners permit could also offer discounts that could lower prices by 30% or more if you meet eligibility requirements. Larger car insurance companies and some of the discounts are:
- GEICO has savings for anti-theft, daytime running lights, driver training, military active duty, membership and employees, multi-policy, and five-year accident-free.
- MetLife has discounts for defensive driver, accident-free, claim-free, good student, good driver, multi-policy
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including multiple autos, Drive Safe & Save, anti-theft, student away at school, driver’s education, accident-free, and good student.
- Progressive may offer discounts for homeowner, online signing, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, continuous coverage, multi-policy, and good student.
- Mercury Insurance offers premium reductions for annual mileage, ease of repair, good driver, age of vehicle, good student, accident-free, and anti-theft.
- 21st Century offers discounts including good student, theft prevention, early bird, teen driver, student driver, homeowners, and automatic seat belts.
- Allstate may have discounts that include defensive driver, FullPay discount, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, utility vehicle, and good student.
The illustration below shows the comparison of auto insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the rates. The premium estimates are based on a female driver, no claims or driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with passive restraint, anti-theft, vehicle safety, continuous coverage, paperless filing, and paid-in-full discounts applied. When these discounts are applied to the policy premium, theamount saved on car insurance for a learners permit is 28% or $1,150.
Impact of citations and accidents on insurance rates
The common sense way to earn good car insurance rates in Irvine for new drivers is to be an attentive driver and maintain a clean driving record. The chart below shows how violations and at-fault collisions impact car insurance rates for each different age category. The prices are based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
In the chart above, the average cost of an auto insurance policy in California per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $2,596. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost rises to $3,023, an increase of $427 each year. Next add one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of car insurance for a learners permit jumps again to an average of $4,252. That’s an increase of $1,656, or $138 per month, just for not driving carefully!
Compare quotes and save
California car insurance rates are based on many factors which can significantly increase or decrease the policy premium. Simply getting older, buying a different home, or getting a reckless driving citation can produce rate changes that can make some companies cheaper than competitors. Not only may things change on your end, but car insurance companies modify rates as needed to adjust for heavy claims or excess profits. Higher than normal claim frequency or severity may result in higher rates, while less frequent claims can result in lower-priced Irvine car insurance rates.
As an example, the data below shows which company has the cheapest car insurance in Irvine, CA for a 35-year-old female driver with no prior claims, no tickets, and good credit. If we compare prices based on her current rating profile, Wawanesa may offer the cheapest car insurance rates in Irvine at $1,162 per year. This is $489 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. USAA, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide round out the rest of the most affordable Irvine, CA auto insurance companies.
The chart below compares rates after we give the driver from the first example a claim surcharge, less-than-perfect credit, and a speeding ticket. Since each company uses a different method to set their prices, comparing insurance quotes may result in a completely different list of affordable companies as shown below.
Grange now has the lowest price in Irvine, CA with Allstate, Progressive, Mercury, and USAA also being competitive. This example demonstrates why drivers need to shop around when trying to find affordable car insurance quotes for a learners permit.
Rates can be altered by many things and change frequently, so the lowest-price company the last time you shopped around may now be quite expensive.
Tips for buying cheaper auto insurance for a learners permit
Here are some of the better penny-pinching ideas that can help California drivers get low-cost auto insurance.
- Buying car and homeowners insurance together can save money
- Safer vehicles generally have cheaper insurance rates
- Raise deductibles to save money
- Try to not file small claims
- Do not pay for comprehensive and collision coverage on older vehicles
- Good credit can mean cheaper rates
- Compare rate quotes frequently
The last item on the list is especially vital, as we noted in the prior article. Prices charged by auto insurers in Irvine can change in a short period of time, so drivers shouldn’t be reluctant to buy from a new company if you find a cheaper price.
Loyalty to a specific company is fine, but it’s not a great idea if your bullheadedness ends up costing you major coinage every year. In just a few minutes you could shop around to find cheaper car insurance for a learners permit.