The words “low-cost” and “insurance” really shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, specifically when you are trying to find the best coverage prices for drivers with bad credit. To help control this cost, let’s learn about some situations that impact auto insurance rates, and see if we can help you slash the price of your next policy.
Figuring out which companies quote the most affordable auto insurance rates for drivers with bad credit will take a bit more effort than just comparing rates from one or two companies. Each auto insurer has a unique formula for filing rates in each state, so we will examine the auto insurance companies with the most affordable rates in California.
Keep in mind that Irvine, CA auto insurance rates are determined by lots of factors which can substantially change the price of coverage. Getting older, moving to a different location, or getting a reckless driving citation can cause premium changes that can now make some companies cheaper than competitors.
Best Auto Insurance Prices with Bad Credit
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,155 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,157 |
| 3 | CSAA | $1,186 |
| 4 | Century National | $1,190 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,213 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,366 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,433 |
| 8 | Progressive | $1,496 |
| 9 | Allstate | $1,513 |
| 10 | Allied | $1,541 |
| 11 | Mercury | $1,548 |
| 12 | GEICO | $1,575 |
| 13 | The Hartford | $1,591 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,654 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,682 |
| 16 | State Farm | $1,699 |
| 17 | Esurance | $1,756 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,777 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,806 |
| 20 | Farmers | $2,006 |
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USAA may offer some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Irvine at around $1,155 per year. Wawanesa, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide also qualify as some of the best Irvine, CA car insurance companies.
As illustrated above, if you buy coverage from Nationwide and switched to Wawanesa, you may realize an annual premium reduction of about $56. Drivers with 21st Century may save as much as $209 a year, and Grange insureds might lower prices by $276 a year.
Be aware that those policy rates are averages across all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and do not take into consideration an exact zip code location for drivers with bad credit. So the insurer that fits your needs best may not even be in the top 24 companies shown above. That emphasizes why you need to compare rates from as many companies as possible using your own specific driver information and vehicle.
For people with poor credit, one of the largest considerations that determine the price you pay for insurance is where you choose to live in Irvine. Areas with increased crime or more people tend to have more expensive auto insurance rates, whereas areas with less people or fewer weather incidents benefit from having to pay less for coverage.
The information below ranks the most expensive cities in California for drivers with bad credit to purchase auto insurance in. Irvine shows up at #22 with an annual cost of $1,371 on average, which is approximately $114 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | $2,142 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | $2,104 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,755 |
| 4 | Sacramento | $1,720 |
| 5 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 6 | Stockton | $1,603 |
| 7 | Santa Clarita | $1,595 |
| 8 | San Bernardino | $1,580 |
| 9 | Long Beach | $1,578 |
| 10 | Garden Grove | $1,554 |
| 11 | Modesto | $1,547 |
| 12 | Moreno Valley | $1,536 |
| 13 | Fontana | $1,519 |
| 14 | Riverside | $1,497 |
| 15 | Anaheim | $1,474 |
| 16 | Fresno | $1,472 |
| 17 | Santa Ana | $1,453 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,437 |
| 19 | Fremont | $1,403 |
| 20 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
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Premium amounts are comparative as specific Irvine garaging address can raise or lower auto insurance rates significantly.
The make and model of vehicle to be insured is probably the most important factor when comparing cheap car insurance for drivers with bad credit. Vehicles with average performance, advanced safety features, or a positive history of liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than fast, unsafe models. The data below showcases coverage rates for the most economical vehicles to insure in California.
| Insured Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $816 |
| Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $826 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $835 |
| Toyota Prius | $904 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $966 |
| Ford Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $976 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Off-Road Package 4WD | $984 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2WD | $1,034 |
| Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4WD 2-Dr | $1,050 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $1,057 |
| Honda Civic SI 4-Dr Sedan | $1,066 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $1,087 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,091 |
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Prices based on single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, claim-free, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Premium amounts do not factor in specific location information which can alter coverage rates noticeably.
Based upon these rates, you can figure that cars like the Ford Escape, Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, and Toyota Prius are the most economical vehicles to insure for people with poor credit. Car insurance rates will be more expensive just due to the fact that there is a higher risk for drivers with bad credit, but in general those particular models will probably have the best rates possible.
The diagram below highlights how deductible selection can increase or decrease annual premium costs when getting quotes for cheap insurance for drivers with bad credit. The premiums are based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, and no other discounts are factored in.
In the chart above, a 30-year-old driver could pocket $342 a year by changing from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $516 by choosing a $1,000 deductible. Youthful drivers, like the 20-year-old example, could save up to $1,026 every year by choosing a higher deductible.
If you make the decision to raise deductibles, it is a good idea to have enough savings to allow you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the one disadvantage of using larger deductibles.
Buying coverage from the best car insurance company can be challenging considering how many companies sell coverage in California. The company information in the lists below can help you decide which insurers you want to consider when comparing auto insurance rates for drivers with bad credit. The ratings below only include companies with a national presence, so smaller companies that only insure vehicles in California will not be included in the list.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 98 | 100 | 100 | 94% | A++ | 98.6 |
| American Family | 98 | 89 | 100 | 86% | A | 95.4 |
| AAA of Southern California | 91 | 94 | 97 | 92% | A+ | 94.1 |
| State Farm | 88 | 93 | 96 | 90% | A++ | 92.4 |
| The Hartford | 94 | 92 | 90 | 89% | A+ | 91.7 |
| AAA Insurance | 88 | 89 | 95 | 91% | A | 91.2 |
| GEICO | 84 | 93 | 93 | 89% | A++ | 90.3 |
| The General | 89 | 91 | 89 | 88% | A- | 90 |
| Titan Insurance | 90 | 87 | 91 | 95% | A+ | 89.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 91 | 93 | 87% | A+ | 89.5 |
| Mercury Insurance | 88 | 91 | 90 | 85% | A+ | 89.4 |
| Allstate | 85 | 90 | 92 | 88% | A+ | 89.3 |
| Nationwide | 87 | 88 | 84 | 90% | A+ | 88.7 |
| Liberty Mutual | 84 | 87 | 93 | 88% | A | 88.5 |
| 21st Century | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88% | A | 86.7 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Responsible drivers pay cheaper auto insurance rates
In a perfect world, the ideal way to receive cheap auto insurance rates for people with poor credit is to drive cautiously and not get tickets or have accidents. The diagram below shows how violations and at-fault collisions can influence car insurance rates for each different age group. The rate quotes are based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.
The chart shows that the average cost of a car insurance policy in California per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $1,418. Receive two speeding tickets and the average cost increases to $2,003, an increase of $585 each year. Then throw in one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the 12-month cost of auto insurance for drivers with bad credit jumps again to an average of $2,598. That’s an increase of $1,180, or $98 per month, just for not driving attentively!