Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for 17 Year Olds in Oakland?

It’s hard to miss the commercials from insurers like Farmers and Allstate that make claims of enormous savings, so drivers should just pick the company with the best ad, right?

It’s not that simple, unfortunately, as there are a whole bunch of unknown aspects such as if you have a tendency to get pulled over, the vehicle you drive, and the crime level of your neighborhood, that all have an effect on the price of a policy. If you keep reading, we will teach you about the best ways to avoid paying too much and will hopefully give you a good start in finding the cheapest insurance in California.

For teen drivers, one of the big things that are looked at to help calculate the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is your zip code in Oakland. Areas with increased crime or more people will most likely have higher rates, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims can boast about having cheaper rates.

The illustration below ranks the most expensive cities in California for 17 year olds to buy an auto insurance policy in. Oakland ranks #3 with an annual cost of $1,755 for the average policyholder, which is about $146 monthly.

Premium amounts are comparative as the specific zip code location can increase or decrease coverage prices significantly.

Deciphering which companies have the cheapest car insurance rates for 17 year olds will require more time in order to find the best policy. Each company has their own formula for filing rates in each state, so let’s take a look at the car insurance companies with the most affordable rates in Oakland.

We do need to point out that Oakland car insurance rates are impacted by many things that may substantially change the cost of your policy. Simply having a birthday, having a claim, or getting a driving violation can cause premium changes resulting in some rates now being more affordable than before.

Best Auto Insurance Prices for Teens

Compare Rates and Save

USAA offers some of the lowest car insurance rates in Oakland at around $1,143 each year. This is $508 less than the average premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide would also make the list of some of the more affordable Oakland, CA insurance companies.

As shown in the table above, if you are currently insured with CSAA and switched to Wawanesa, you could realize a yearly savings of in the neighborhood of $52. Insureds with Nationwide might save as much as $104 a year, and 21st Century insureds might reduce rates by $192 a year.

It’s important to note that these rates are averages for all insureds and vehicles and and are not figured with a specific location for 17 year olds. So the car insurance company that can offer you the best price may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That helps illustrate why you need to get rate quotes from many companies using your own personal information and vehicle type.

The car, truck, or SUV requiring coverage is a large factor when quoting economical coverage for 17 year olds. Vehicles with limited speed and performance, good safety features, or a positive history of liability claims will cost much less to insure than fast, unsafe models. The next table ranks auto insurance rates for a number of the most cost-effective automobiles to buy coverage for.

Cost estimates assume single female driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Rates do not factor in Oakland, CA location which can change premium rates substantially.

Based upon the table data, makes and models like the Hyundai Elantra, Honda Accord, and Honda CR-V are some of the cheaper vehicles to insure for teen drivers. The price for car insurance will tend to be more expensive because there is more claim risk for 17 year olds, but generally speaking those specific models will probably have the lowest insurance rates possible.

Driving violations and accidents

The ideal way to enjoy good car insurance premiums in Oakland for teen drivers is to be a cautious driver and avoid accidents and traffic citations. The illustration below shows how violations and fender-benders can impact insurance premiums for different insured age categories. The prices are based on a single female driver, full coverage, $500 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.

The data above shows the average cost of auto insurance in California per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $2,161. Add in one speeding ticket and the average cost swells to $2,450, an increase of $289 each year. Then add two accidents along with the one speeding ticket and the 12-month cost of car insurance for 17 year olds goes up to an average of $4,966. That’s an increase of $2,805, or $234 per month, just for being a little careless behind the wheel!

The example below illustrates how your choice of deductibles can increase or decrease annual premium costs when researching cheap insurance for 17 year olds. The prices are based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no additional discounts are factored in.

The data above shows that a 50-year-old driver could cut expenses by $362 a year by switching the physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $546 by using a $1,000 deductible. Even younger insureds, like the age 20 example, could save up to $1,190 annually by choosing larger deductibles on their policy. When using a larger deductible, it’s a good idea to have spare funds to be able to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the main drawback of higher deductibles.

Shop around and save

Oakland, CA car insurance rates are based on many factors that may substantially change the price of coverage. Simply turning a year older, buying a new vehicle, or getting into an accident can trigger changes in premium resulting in some rates now being more affordable than competitors. Additionally, auto insurance companies change rates as often as every quarter to adjust for gains or losses. Unexpectedly high claims may cause rate increases, while a lower level of claims may result in lower-cost Oakland car insurance rates.

To illustrate this point, the chart below compares the cheapest car insurance in Oakland, CA for a 45-year-old male driver with a clear driving record, no claims, and great credit. If we look at prices based on his current risk profile, USAA may have the most affordable car insurance rates in Oakland at $1,454 a year. This is $197 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Nationwide, Century National, and CSAA also make the list of the best Oakland, CA auto insurance companies.

Now we will give the driver from above a chargeable claim, a lower credit rating, and a few blemishes on his driving record. Since every car insurance company uses their own calculation to set their prices, analyzing rate quotes most likely will result in a significantly different list of cheap Oakland auto insurance companies as shown below.

Grange now has the cheapest rate in Oakland, CA with Allstate, Allied, Mercury, and Progressive completing the list. This demonstrates why drivers need to perform an extensive rate comparison to find the most affordable auto insurance rates for 17 year olds.

Insurance rates are determined by many risk factors and can change substantially, so the lowest-price company two years ago may now be one of the more expensive options.

How to find the cheapest insurance for 17 year olds

Here are some of the recommended penny-pinching solutions that can help Oakland drivers quote cheap car insurance.

• Improve your credit score
• Get cheaper liability coverage by choosing a safer vehicle
• Frequent claims will increase rates
• Do not get tickets
• Prevent price hikes by avoiding at-fault accidents
• Compare rate quotes frequently

The last idea is remarkably important, as was affirmed in this write-up. Car insurance prices fluctuate constantly, so don’t be afraid to buy from a new company if a more affordable rate is found.

Brand loyalty is not necessarily bad, but is isn’t recommended if that stubbornness costs you money that could be going to better use. In just a few minutes you could compare rates to find cheaper car insurance for 17 year olds in Oakland.

The insurance agents in Oakland listed below can aid you in deciding which coverage meets your needs best, as some people prefer to have professional advice when shopping around for cheaper insurance for teen drivers. It’s not always easy to find the best policy yourself, so a licensed agent can give comfort knowing your coverage gives you enough protection. To locate an Oakland insurance agent in your neighborhood, click the link after the list.

• Farmers Insurance – Kim McGuire Reid
  4323 Piedmont Ave – Oakland, CA 94611 – (510) 428-2016
• Judy Chambers – State Farm Insurance Agent
  1305 Franklin St #400 – Oakland, CA 94612 – (510) 832-2195
• Larry Sneed – State Farm Insurance Agent
  11881 Skyline Blvd c – Oakland, CA 94619 – (510) 336-9909
• On My Way Insurance
  320 10th St – Oakland, CA 94607 – (510) 893-3298

More insurance agents in Oakland, CA