For drivers in Santa Ana, one of the largest considerations that aid in calculating the annual cost of car insurance is where you normally keep your vehicle in Santa Ana. Regions with more people or even just more weather-related claims will most likely have higher rates, whereas areas that tend to be more rural benefit from lower rates.
The next table rates the most expensive places in California to buy car insurance in. Santa Ana ranks #16 with a yearly cost of $1,497 for coverage, which is around $125 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,168 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,079 |
| 3 | Sacramento | $1,720 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,711 |
| 5 | Oakland | $1,704 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,644 |
| 7 | Long Beach | $1,626 |
| 8 | Fontana | $1,581 |
| 9 | Santa Clarita | $1,580 |
| 10 | Garden Grove | $1,554 |
| 11 | Moreno Valley | $1,551 |
| 12 | Stockton | $1,541 |
| 13 | Riverside | $1,527 |
| 14 | Fresno | $1,517 |
| 15 | Modesto | $1,502 |
| 16 | Santa Ana | $1,497 |
| 17 | Anaheim | $1,430 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,423 |
| 19 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
| 20 | Bakersfield | $1,394 |
| 21 | Fremont | $1,361 |
| 22 | Oxnard | $1,358 |
| 23 | Chula Vista | $1,350 |
| 24 | San Diego | $1,340 |
| 25 | Irvine | $1,330 |
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Premium costs are approximated as the specific Santa Ana residence address can raise or lower auto insurance rates considerably.
Seeing where Santa Ana ranks price-wise, trying to find budget auto insurance is challenging, and finding out which company offers the most affordable car insurance rates in Santa Ana takes even more rate comparisons.
Every auto insurer has a unique formula for determining prices, so we'll go over the car insurance companies that tend to be cheaper in Santa Ana.
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| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,109 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,181 |
| 3 | CSAA | $1,186 |
| 4 | Nationwide | $1,226 |
| 5 | Century National | $1,226 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,325 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,491 |
| 8 | Allstate | $1,497 |
| 9 | GEICO | $1,529 |
| 10 | Mercury | $1,533 |
| 11 | Progressive | $1,542 |
| 12 | Allied | $1,588 |
| 13 | MetLife | $1,590 |
| 14 | The Hartford | $1,591 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,682 |
| 16 | Esurance | $1,705 |
| 17 | State Farm | $1,733 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,806 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,946 |
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USAA normally has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Santa Ana at around $1,109 annually. Wawanesa, CSAA, Nationwide, and Century National are also some of the cheapest Santa Ana, CA auto insurance companies.
As the example above demonstrates, if you have coverage with Century National and switched to Wawanesa, you might achieve a yearly price reduction of in the vicinity of $45. California drivers with 21st Century could save as much as $144 a year, and Grange customers might reduce rates by $310 a year.
Bear in mind that those premium estimates are averaged across all types of insureds and vehicles and are not factoring in an exact location in Santa Ana. So the company that fits your situation best may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That helps illustrate why you need to get quotes using your own driver data and vehicle information.
The vehicle you are buying coverage for is one of the largest considerations that determines whether or not you can buy the lowest-priced coverage in Santa Ana. Vehicles with high performance features, poor safety features, or an increased likelihood of liability claims will cost significantly more to insure than more modest models. The list below estimates insurance prices for the cheapest automobiles to insure.
| Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $958 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $1,051 |
| Ford Edge Limited 2WD | $1,112 |
| Toyota Tacoma 2WD | $1,122 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,112 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $1,134 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 4WD | $1,142 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $1,143 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,168 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $1,174 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Regular Cab 4WD | $1,190 |
| Toyota Corolla S | $1,194 |
| Ford Fusion SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $1,214 |
| Nissan Altima 3.5 SR 4-Dr Sedan | $1,223 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 4WD | $1,214 |
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Above prices assume single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Price estimates do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can revise premiums greatly.
Looking at the numbers, we can tell that cars like the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Edge, Toyota Tacoma, and Ford Focus are the most economical vehicles to insure for drivers in Santa Ana.
Price comparison of only insuring for liability
Saving money when shopping for car insurance is probably important to most vehicle owners, and one common way to lower the cost of insurance in Santa Ana is to only buy liability coverage. The illustration below illustrates the difference between auto insurance rates with full coverage compared to only the California minimum liability coverage. The premiums are based on no accidents or driving violations, $250 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are factored in.
If all age groups are averaged, physical damage coverage costs an additional $2,314 per year more than just buying liability insurance. That is a large expense which might make you wonder if buying full coverage is worth the money. There is no set guideline to stop paying for physical damage insurance, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than about 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
For example, let's assume your vehicle's book value is $11,500 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most your company will settle for is $10,500 after the deductible is paid. If you are currently paying more than $1,050 a year to have full coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
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California car insurance rates are impacted by many things that may substantially change the price you pay. Simply having another birthday, buying a new vehicle, or getting a driving violation may cause policy rate changes that can now make some companies much cheaper than others.
Not only that, but companies file new California auto insurance rates as often as every three months to ensure their profitability. A period of increased losses can result in higher prices, while lower claim levels may result in lower-cost Santa Ana car insurance rates.
To illustrate this point, the data below analyzes the cheapest car insurance in Santa Ana, CA for a 45-year-old male driver with no violations or accidents, and a good credit rating. If we estimate rates based on his personal profile, USAA might offer the most affordable car insurance rates in Santa Ana at $1,262 annually. This is $389 less than the average premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Century National, Wawanesa, CSAA, and Nationwide round out the rest of the best Santa Ana, CA auto insurance companies.
The chart below compares rates after we give the driver from above an accident surcharge, a lower credit rating, and a couple of points charged on his driving record. Since each insurance company has a different process to determining premium rates, comparing rates could result in a different list of the cheapest car insurance companies in Santa Ana as shown below.
Mercury now has the lowest price on auto insurance in Santa Ana with Grange, Allstate, Progressive, and GEICO now being in the top five. This example proves why it is important to compare as many rates as possible when trying to find the cheapest auto insurance rates in Santa Ana. Rates can be altered by many factors and change dramatically, so the best option six months ago may now be priced much higher than other options.
How to find the cheapest auto insurance in Santa Ana
Here are many penny-pinching ideas that can help you locate cheaper car insurance.
- Try paying for small claims out-of-pocket
- Pay cheaper rates with good credit scores
- Avoid having at-fault accidents
- Bundle car and home insurance and save money
- Raise your deductibles
- You will pay more if you get tickets or have at-fault accidents
- Keep rates low by shopping around frequently
The last item on the list is very crucial, as we pointed out in the prior information. Insurance prices can change significantly in a year, so drivers shouldn't be reluctant to buy a different policy if a better deal can be had. Having a favorite company is great, but we do not recommend it if that dedication is costing lots of money. Now is a great time to shop around to find cheaper insurance in Santa Ana in Santa Ana.