The words “low-priced” and “insurance” really should not be used together, specifically when comparison shopping for the lowest insurance prices for drivers with accidents. To save some money, let’s take a look at a few of the things that impact auto insurance rates, and find some ways to reduce the price of your next policy.
The car, truck, or SUV to be insured is a large factor when trying to find the most affordable coverage for drivers with accidents. Vehicles with higher performance, a lack of safety features, or a history of substantial liability claims will cost substantially more to insure than more modest models.
The table below ranks insurance premiums for some of the cheapest vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $2,284 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $2,453 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $2,479 |
| Honda Odyssey LX | $2,718 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $2,751 |
| Toyota Prius | $2,760 |
| Ford Focus SES 4-Dr Sedan | $2,818 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 4WD | $2,844 |
| Chevrolet Impala LTZ | $2,847 |
| Toyota Corolla S | $2,856 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 S 4-Dr Sedan | $2,847 |
| Ford Edge SEL AWD | $2,867 |
| Volkswagen Jetta SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $2,875 |
| Hyundai Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $2,931 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $2,937 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Extended Cab 4WD | $3,002 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $3,010 |
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Data assumes single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, and multi-policy. Information does not factor in your specific Fresno, CA location which can lower or raise price quotes noticeably.
Looking at the data, cars like the Ford Escape, Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, Honda Odyssey, and Dodge Grand Caravan are going to be a few of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for drivers with at-fault accidents. The cost of a car insurance policy will be more costly because there is more exposure for drivers with accidents, but overall those vehicles will tend to have the best insurance prices compared to all other vehicles.
Finding reliable, low-priced car insurance is tough enough, and deciding which insurers offer the best car insurance rates for drivers with accidents requires additional perseverance.
Each auto insurance company has a proprietary formula for setting rates, so let’s rank the car insurance companies that tend to be cheaper in California.
Find the Best Cheap Insurance for Accident Prone Drivers
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,109 |
| 2 | Century National | $1,178 |
| 3 | Wawanesa | $1,181 |
| 4 | CSAA | $1,234 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,250 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,366 |
| 7 | Mercury | $1,488 |
| 8 | Grange | $1,491 |
| 9 | Allstate | $1,497 |
| 10 | Allied | $1,541 |
| 11 | Progressive | $1,558 |
| 12 | GEICO | $1,575 |
| 13 | MetLife | $1,638 |
| 14 | The Hartford | $1,639 |
| 15 | State Farm | $1,699 |
| 16 | Unitrin | $1,699 |
| 17 | Esurance | $1,756 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,795 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,806 |
| 20 | Farmers | $2,006 |
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USAA quotes some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Fresno at around $1,109 annually. This is $542 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. Century National, Wawanesa, CSAA, and Nationwide also qualify as some of the more affordable Fresno, CA auto insurance companies.
In the rate table above, if you buy coverage from CSAA and switched to USAA, you may see yearly savings of roughly $125. Insureds with Nationwide could save as much as $141 a year, and 21st Century insureds might reduce rates by $257 a year.
To see if you’re overpaying, click here to get quotes or visit several of the following companies.
Be aware that those rates are averages for all types of insureds and vehicles and do not factor in a specific location for drivers with accidents. So the company that fits your situation best may not even be in the list above. That is why you need to quote rates from as many companies as possible using your own personal information and vehicle type.
For drivers with at-fault accidents, one of the more important considerations that are looked at to help calculate the amount you pay for auto insurance is where you keep your car in Fresno. Areas with more people or higher crime rates tend to have higher rates, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims have the benefit of cheaper auto insurance prices.
The next table ranks the highest-priced places in California for drivers with accidents to buy an auto insurance policy in. Fresno is listed at #13 having an annual price of $1,517 for the average insurance policy, which is about $126 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,104 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,079 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,745 |
| 4 | Oakland | $1,738 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,669 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,628 |
| 7 | Long Beach | $1,610 |
| 8 | Fontana | $1,566 |
| 9 | Santa Clarita | $1,548 |
| 10 | Modesto | $1,547 |
| 11 | Stockton | $1,541 |
| 12 | Garden Grove | $1,524 |
| 13 | Fresno | $1,517 |
| 14 | Santa Ana | $1,497 |
| 15 | Riverside | $1,497 |
| 16 | Moreno Valley | $1,491 |
| 17 | San Jose | $1,437 |
| 18 | Anaheim | $1,430 |
| 19 | Fremont | $1,403 |
| 20 | Irvine | $1,371 |
| 21 | San Diego | $1,368 |
| 22 | Huntington Beach | $1,360 |
| 23 | Oxnard | $1,358 |
| 24 | Bakersfield | $1,353 |
| 25 | Chula Vista | $1,311 |
| Quote Best Rates Go | ||
Price information shown is approximated as the specific area where the vehicle is garaged can lower or raise coverage prices substantially.
Price comparison of only insuring for liability
Buying cheaper car insurance should be important to the majority of vehicle owners, and one of the easiest ways to pay less for insurance for drivers with accidents is to not pay for full coverage. The example below shows the comparison of insurance premiums with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The price estimates are based on no violations or claims, $100 deductibles, single marital status, and no additional discounts are factored in.
On average, comp and collision coverage costs $2,525 per year over having just liability coverage. That brings up the question if physical damage coverage is worth the money. There is no definitive rule for excluding physical damage insurance, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
The chart below illustrates how choosing a deductible can increase or decrease premium costs when trying to find cheap insurance for drivers with accidents. The premiums assume a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
As shown above, a 40-year-old driver could save $476 a year by switching from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $712 by choosing a $1,000 deductible. Young drivers, such as the 20-year-old example, could drop their prices $1,216 or more by using a higher deductible. When raising deductibles, it will be required to have additional savings on hand to allow you to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the one inconvenience of using high deductibles.
If you like to get some professional advice when shopping for the best coverage for drivers with at-fault accidents, the agencies below are willing to provide answers to your questions and help you determine which auto insurance policy fits you best. To find an agent using an interactive map, click the button at the bottom.
Steve Bezzerides – State Farm Insurance Agent
4270 N Blackstone Ave #201 – Fresno, CA 93726 – (559) 222-5278
Walter L. Clark and Associates, Inc.
7673 N Ingram Ave #103 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 222-0300
Kathryn Dosher – State Farm Insurance Agent
125 E Barstow Ave #113 – Fresno, CA 93710 – (559) 221-6165
View more Fresno, CA insurance agents
How to find budget-friendly car insurance for drivers with accidents
Lowering your rates is not difficult, and here are many money-saving suggestions that can help Fresno drivers get lower-cost coverage.
- Higher deductibles mean lower rates
- Drive safely
- Good credit scores may lower your rates
- The safer your car, the less it costs to insure
- Do not get into accidents
- Comparison shop at least once a year
The last tip is extraordinarily significant, as we stressed in this piece. Prices charged by car insurance companies in Fresno can change in a short period of time, so drivers shouldn’t be resistant to buy a different policy if a more affordable price is available. Brand loyalty is not necessarily bad, but it’s not recommended if it’s costing you a small fortune year after year. Spend a few minutes and shop around to find cheaper car insurance for drivers with accidents.