Finding decent, low-priced auto insurance is easier said than done, and determining which insurers offer the lowest-priced car insurance rates for good students requires additional perseverance. Each company has their own formula to establish rates, so to begin we'll rank the overall cheapest car insurance companies in California.
We do need to point out that Santa Ana, CA car insurance rates are impacted by many factors which can substantially change the price you have to pay for coverage. This price fluctuation is why consumers need to take the time to take the time to shop around to find the best insurance quotes for good students. Auto insurance prices are impacted by many risk factors and change substantially, so the cheapest company when you bought your policy may now not even be in the top five.
Best Auto Insurance Prices for Students
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,143 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,146 |
| 3 | CSAA | $1,198 |
| 4 | Century National | $1,226 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,250 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,338 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,433 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,503 |
| 9 | GEICO | $1,513 |
| 10 | Allstate | $1,543 |
| 11 | Progressive | $1,558 |
| 12 | The Hartford | $1,575 |
| 13 | Allied | $1,603 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,654 |
| 15 | Esurance | $1,739 |
| 16 | Unitrin | $1,750 |
| 17 | State Farm | $1,750 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,806 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,966 |
| Find Your Rate Go | ||
USAA has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Santa Ana at around $1,143 annually. Wawanesa, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide also make the cut as some of the lowest-priced Santa Ana, CA insurance companies.
In the above rates, if you currently buy coverage from CSAA and switched to USAA, you might see an annual savings of approximately $55. Drivers with Century National might save as much as $83 a year, and Nationwide policyholders might lower prices by up to $107 a year.
To find cheaper insurance rates for your vehicle, click here to start a quote or click through to the companies below.
Bear in mind that those policy prices are averaged for all drivers and vehicles and are not factoring in a specific zip code for good students. So the company that has the cheapest price for you may not even be in the top 24 companies shown above. That helps illustrate why you need to compare prices as often as possible using your own driver information and specific vehicle type.
One of the many things that are looked at to help calculate the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is your address. Areas with increased crime or more people will most likely have higher rates, whereas areas with less congestion benefit from lower coverage costs.
The next table shows the most expensive areas in California for good students to purchase auto insurance in. Santa Ana ranks #15 having an annual price of $1,483 for the average policyholder, which is approximately $124 monthly.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | $2,142 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | $2,083 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,755 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,745 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,720 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,644 |
| 7 | Long Beach | $1,626 |
| 8 | Santa Clarita | $1,580 |
| 9 | Fontana | $1,566 |
| 10 | Stockton | $1,556 |
| 11 | Riverside | $1,527 |
| 12 | Garden Grove | $1,508 |
| 13 | Moreno Valley | $1,491 |
| 14 | Modesto | $1,487 |
| 15 | Santa Ana | $1,483 |
| 16 | Fresno | $1,457 |
| 17 | Anaheim | $1,430 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,423 |
| 19 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
| 20 | Fremont | $1,389 |
| 21 | Oxnard | $1,344 |
| 22 | Irvine | $1,343 |
| 23 | Bakersfield | $1,340 |
| 24 | San Diego | $1,327 |
| 25 | Chula Vista | $1,298 |
| Quote Best Rates Go | ||
Rate information is estimated as the specific area where the vehicle is garaged can lower or raise price quotes noticeably.
The car, truck, or SUV you are buying coverage for is a large consideration when quoting the most affordable insurance for good students. Vehicles with lower performance, a plethora of safety features, or low incidents of liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than adrenaline junky models. The data below features car insurance rates for some of the more affordable automobiles to buy insurance for.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $3,571 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $3,578 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $3,613 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,891 |
| Ford F-150 XL Super Cab 2WD | $3,959 |
| Toyota Tacoma 4WD | $4,001 |
| Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $4,198 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $4,204 |
| Honda Odyssey EX W/Rear Entertainment | $4,198 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $4,208 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $4,240 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $4,246 |
| Toyota RAV4 4WD | $4,240 |
| GMC Sierra SL Extended Cab 2WD | $4,246 |
| Ford Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $4,240 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $4,279 |
| Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer AWD | $4,286 |
| Start a Quote Go | |
Cost estimates assume single male driver age 18, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Rate information does not factor in garaging location in Santa Ana, CA which can influence premiums noticeably.
Looking at the numbers, cars like the Ford Escape, Hyundai Elantra, Honda CR-V, Toyota Prius, and Ford F-150 should be a few of the cheaper vehicles to insure for student drivers.
Ratings for California car insurance companies
Buying coverage from the best car insurance company can be challenging considering how many companies provide coverage in Santa Ana. The company information shown below can help you analyze which car insurance providers to look at when comparing rate quotes.
These ratings are only comprised of companies that insure vehicles nationwide, so smaller regional companies will not be included in this list. To compare prices from the most competitive companies in California, follow this link.
| 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 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Car insurance rates are higher with tickets and accidents
The common sense way to score the best car insurance rates in California for student drivers is to be a safe driver and avoid at-fault accidents and violations. The example below demonstrates how speeding tickets and accidents influence auto insurance costs for different age groups. The premium estimates are based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
In the prior example, the average cost of car insurance in California per year with no violations or accidents is $2,882. Add in two speeding tickets and the average cost rises to $3,996, an increase of $1,114 each year. Then include two accidents along with the two speeding tickets and the yearly cost of car insurance for good students increases to an average of $7,985. That's an increase of $5,103, or $425 per month, just for not being attentive to the road!
Should you buy full coverage?
Reducing premiums for car insurance is important to the majority of vehicle owners, and a great way to buy cheaper insurance for good students is to buy liability only. The example below visualizes the comparison of auto insurance costs when comparing full coverage to liability only. The premiums assume no claims or driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are factored in.
If we average the cost for all age groups, physical damage coverage on your policy costs an extra $2,501 per year more than carrying just liability coverage. At some point, almost every driver questions if paying for full coverage is worth it. There is no set guideline to exclude comp and collision coverage, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than around 10% of the vehicle's replacement cost less your deductible, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
For example, let's say your vehicle's replacement cost is $9,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would receive is $8,000 after paying your deductible. If premiums are more than $800 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
If you aren't sure which coverage you need and prefer to get help from a professional when shopping for cheaper insurance for good students, the insurance agencies below can help you decide which coverages and limits you need. To locate a Santa Ana car insurance agency using an interactive map, click the button after the list or click here to get price quotes now.
- Tutton Insurance Services Inc
2913 S. Pullman St - Santa Ana, CA 92705 - (949) 261-5335 - Palmer Insurance and Income Tax
631 N Main St - Santa Ana, CA 92701 - (714) 835-0840 - State Farm Insurance: Luis Olmedo
600 S Grand Ave #101 - Santa Ana, CA 92705 - (714) 486-3441 - Farmers Insurance - Araceli Padilla
2424 N Grand Ave b - Santa Ana, CA 92705 - (714) 543-4638 - California Insurance Specialists
400 N Tustin Ave # 425 - Santa Ana, CA 92705 - (714) 558-8041
More insurance agents in Santa Ana, CA
How to find budget-friendly car insurance for good students
It is possible to find better rates, and here are some thrifty solutions that can help you get low-cost coverage.
- Claim-free drivers earn discounts
- Save money by insuring your home and auto with the same company
- Tickets and violations raise rates
- Higher comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles will save money
- Increase your credit rating
- Prevent rate increases by staying accident-free
- Shop your coverage around for the best deal
The last suggestion is remarkably significant, as was affirmed in this piece. Rates in Santa Ana can be modified anytime, so you should be ready to change insurance companies if a lower-cost policy is available.
Many consumers stick with the same company and that's fine, but it isn't a good idea if that devotion results in you overpaying a small fortune. If you have a few minutes, now is a great time to compare rates and find cheaper insurance for good students.