Establishing which companies have the cheapest insurance rates for a school permit takes a little more effort than just comparing a company or two. Each auto insurance company has a proprietary method to determine rates, so we’ll take a look at the insurance companies with the overall best prices in Fresno.
We do need to point out that California insurance rates are calculated based on many things that can increase the cost of a policy. Getting older, buying a new vehicle, or getting a ticket for careless driving can trigger changes in premium resulting in some rates now being more affordable than before.
Best Cheap Insurance Rates for Students
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Wawanesa quotes some of the best car insurance rates in Fresno at around $1,146 annually. This is $505 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. USAA, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide also are some of the best Fresno, CA car insurance companies.
As the example above demonstrates, if you buy coverage from CSAA and switched to Wawanesa, you may see an annual premium reduction of in the vicinity of $52. Insureds with Century National may save as much as $80 a year, and Nationwide policyholders might reduce rates by $117 a year.
To get a quick, customized rate comparison, click here to start your custom quote or visit several of the following companies.
Remember that these policy prices are averages across all drivers and vehicles in California and and are not calculated with an exact vehicle garaging location for a school permit. So the company that has the cheapest price for you may not even be in the top 24 companies shown above. That emphasizes why you need to compare prices as often as possible using your own specific driver information and vehicle.
The make and model of vehicle you are seeking coverage for is probably the most important factor that determines whether or not you can buy low-cost auto insurance for a school permit. Vehicles with lots of horsepower, a lack of safety features, or high incidents of liability claims will cost much more to insure than more modest models.
The next table outlines insurance prices for a handful of the more affordable vehicles to insure.
| Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $3,613 |
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $3,620 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,914 |
| Ford Edge SE 2WD | $4,024 |
| Ford F-150 XL Crew Cab 2WD | $4,060 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 4WD | $4,068 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $4,253 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Hero | $4,289 |
| Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid | $4,297 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $4,289 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS AWD | $4,299 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 4WD | $4,289 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport 2WD 4-Dr | $4,476 |
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Table data represents single female driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Estimates do not factor in specific garaging location which can change prices substantially.
Based upon the table data, you can presume that models like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Toyota Prius are most likely going to be some of the more affordable vehicles to insure for a learners permit. Prices will trend higher because there is more exposure for a school permit, but in general those models will have the lowest prices compared to other types of vehicles.
Illustration showing the impact of accidents and violations
The easiest method to receive affordable insurance prices in Fresno for a learners permit is to be a careful driver and have a clean driving record. The diagram below demonstrates how traffic citations and accident claims increase car insurance rates for each age group. The rates are based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
In the previous example, the average cost of a car insurance policy per year with no violations or accidents is $2,122. Add in one speeding ticket and the average cost rises to $2,445, an increase of $324 each year. Now get two accidents along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of insurance for a school permit goes up to an average of $5,469. That’s an increase of $3,347, or $279 per month, just for not driving responsibly!
Discounts on Fresno insurance rates
Insurance companies that provide policies for a school permit may also give you discounts that could potentially reduce rates by 40% or more if you are eligible to receive them. The best insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts are:
- GEICO may have discounts that include military active duty, multi-vehicle, anti-lock brakes, defensive driver, emergency military deployment, and membership and employees.
- MetLife offers discounts including multi-policy, accident-free, good driver, good student, defensive driver, and claim-free.
- Progressive offers discounts for good student, homeowner, online quote discount, online signing, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy.
- Travelers includes discounts for continuous insurance, early quote, IntelliDrive, save driver, and driver training.
- SAFECO offers premium reductions for drive less, accident prevention training, anti-theft, anti-lock brakes, teen safety rewards, and homeowner.
- AAA discounts include good driver, good student, anti-theft, AAA membership discount, education and occupation, and multi-car.
The illustration below compares car insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The premium estimates are based on a male driver, a clean driving record, no claims, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $250 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with paperless filing, continuous coverage, good student, vehicle safety, paid-in-full, and anti-theft discounts applied. When taking advantage of discounts, the average yearly reduction on insurance for a school permit is 28% or $903.
Why you should compare rates
California insurance rates are calculated based on many things that can increase the policy premium. Simply improving your credit, getting married, or getting a DUI can trigger changes in premium that can make some companies cheaper than before.
Not only that, but insurers modify rates every year or even multiple times each year in order to remain profitable. Higher than usual claims can cause more expensive premiums, while a profitable period can produce cheaper Fresno car insurance rates.
For instance, the chart below shows the cheapest car insurance in Fresno, CA for a 35-year-old male driver with a good driving record, no prior claims, and good financial standing. If we estimate rates based on his current risk profile, USAA may have the most affordable car insurance rates in Fresno at $1,258 each year. This is $393 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, Nationwide, and CSAA are also included in the top five cheapest Fresno, CA auto insurance companies.
In this next rate comparison, we will give the driver from the first rate comparison an accident surcharge, a little lower credit rating, and a speeding citation. Because every insurance company has a unique formula for establishing rates, comparing quotes may now show a different set of affordable Fresno car insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the cheapest insurance rate in Fresno with Progressive, Mercury, Allstate, and Allied now being in the top five. This illustrates why it is critical to do a thorough rate comparison when trying to get the most affordable insurance quotes for a school permit.
Car insurance prices can be determined by many risk factors and change frequently, so the most economical company the last time you shopped around may now be an over-priced policy.