Ideally, we could tell you the single best car insurance company that has the best auto insurance prices in California. It’s not quite that easy, unfortunately, as there are a whole bunch of unknown elements like if you want the added protection of full coverage, your financial stability, and if you have ever had a coverage lapse, that all factor into the price you pay. We know insurance is not everyone’s favorite topic, but in this article we will cover the best ways to pay less and will hopefully give you a good start in finding the cheapest insurance in Oakland.
For a learners permit, one of the largest criteria that are used to help calculate auto insurance rates is your zip code in Oakland. Areas with increased crime or more people are more likely to have higher rates, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims get the luxury of paying less.
The information below ranks the most expensive areas in California for a school permit in which to buy car insurance. Oakland shows up at #3 with an annual cost of $1,738 for the average policyholder, which is about $145 per month.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,168 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,079 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,738 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,711 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,652 |
| 6 | Fontana | $1,581 |
| 7 | San Bernardino | $1,580 |
| 8 | Long Beach | $1,578 |
| 9 | Stockton | $1,556 |
| 10 | Garden Grove | $1,554 |
| 11 | Moreno Valley | $1,551 |
| 12 | Riverside | $1,542 |
| 13 | Santa Clarita | $1,533 |
| 14 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 15 | Fresno | $1,517 |
| 16 | Anaheim | $1,488 |
| 17 | Santa Ana | $1,439 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,437 |
| 19 | Huntington Beach | $1,416 |
| 20 | Bakersfield | $1,381 |
| 21 | Irvine | $1,371 |
| 22 | San Diego | $1,368 |
| 23 | Fremont | $1,361 |
| 24 | Chula Vista | $1,337 |
| 25 | Oxnard | $1,318 |
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Prices are approximated as the vehicle garaging location can impact insurance rates significantly.
The car, truck, or SUV needing coverage is one of the biggest factors when shopping for the most affordable insurance for a school permit. Vehicles with limited speed and performance, modern passenger safety features, or low incidents of liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than high performance models. The data below illustrates insurance premiums for a selection of the more affordable automobiles to insure in California.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $5,890 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $5,947 |
| Toyota Prius | $6,366 |
| Ford Explorer XLT AWD | $6,628 |
| Honda Odyssey EX | $6,933 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $6,990 |
| Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $7,000 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $6,990 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $6,996 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LT 2WD | $6,990 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $7,047 |
| Dodge Ram 3500 Crew Cab Laramie 2WD | $7,054 |
| Ford F-150 FX2 2WD | $7,047 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $7,054 |
| Dodge Ram Quad Cab ST 2WD | $7,216 |
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Table data represents single male driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Rate quotes do not factor in garaging location in Oakland, CA which can lower or raise prices noticeably.
Looking at the rates, you can expect models like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Toyota Prius will definitely be the cheapest vehicles to insure for a learners permit. The price of auto insurance will be higher anyway just due to the fact that there is more liability risk for a school permit, but overall those specific models will probably have the best rates compared to other vehicles.
Insuring your vehicle with the best company can be challenging considering how many companies provide coverage in Oakland. The ranking data below could help you choose which providers you want to consider when comparing rate quotes. The ratings below are only made up of companies that insure vehicles across America, so companies that may only write in California are not included in the list.
| 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 |
| Mercury Insurance | 88 | 91 | 90 | 85% | A+ | 89.4 |
| Allstate | 85 | 90 | 92 | 88% | A+ | 89.3 |
| Nationwide | 87 | 88 | 84 | 90% | A+ | 88.7 |
| Liberty Mutual | 84 | 87 | 93 | 88% | A | 88.5 |
| 21st Century | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88% | A | 86.7 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
How careless driving impacts Oakland auto insurance rates
A great way to snag the most affordable auto insurance rates in Oakland for a learners permit is to be a safe driver and avoid accidents and traffic violations. The illustration below illustrates how traffic citations and accidents can raise annual premium costs for each age group. The information is based on a single male driver, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.
In the chart above, the average cost of a car insurance policy per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $1,849. Factor in one speeding ticket and the average cost swells to $2,088, an increase of $239 each year. Now include two accidents along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of auto insurance for a school permit increases to an average of $4,329. That’s an increase of $2,479, or $207 per month, just for not driving carefully!
Get discount Oakland insurance rates
Insurance providers that provide policies for a school permit may also provide special discounts that could potentially reduce rates by as much as 25% or more if you meet eligibility requirements. Larger auto insurance companies and a selection of discounts can be found below.
- State Farm discounts include accident-free, multiple autos, good student, passive restraint, safe vehicle, and multiple policy.
- Nationwide offers premium reductions for business or organization, anti-theft, Farm Bureau membership, easy pay, and good student.
- GEICO may have discounts that include defensive driver, driver training, anti-theft, federal employee, and daytime running lights.
- AAA may offer discounts for anti-theft, multi-car, AAA membership discount, education and occupation, and good student.
- 21st Century may include discounts for theft prevention, defensive driver, anti-lock brakes, student driver, air bags, teen driver, and early bird.
- The Hartford policyholders can earn discounts including driver training, bundle, anti-theft, good student, defensive driver, air bag, and vehicle fuel type.
The illustration below compares insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the rates. The premium estimates are based on a male driver, a clean driving record, no claims, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $500 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the average rate with no discounts. The second shows the rates with vehicle safety, good student, anti-theft, paperless filing, paid-in-full, and passive restraint discounts applied. When these discounts are applied, theaverage yearly reduction on auto insurance for a school permit is 28% or $764.
Here’s why price comparisons are so important
Oakland auto insurance rates are calculated based on many things which can significantly increase or decrease the price you pay. Improving your credit rating, having a teen driver, or getting into an accident can trigger changes in premium that can now make some companies cheaper in comparison to the competition. Not only that, but insurance companies change the rates they charge in California at least once a year to ensure their profitability. Higher than normal claim frequency or severity may result in price increases, while a lower level of claims can cause cheaper Oakland car insurance rates.
The graph below shows rates for the cheapest car insurance in Oakland, CA for a 30-year-old male driver with a clear driving record, no claims, and a good credit history. If we estimate prices based on his personal risk profile, USAA quotes the most affordable car insurance rates in Oakland at $1,486 per year. This is $165 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. Century National, Wawanesa, Nationwide, and CSAA are the rest of the best Oakland, CA auto insurance companies.
The example below compares rates after we give the driver from the above example some claims, slightly worse credit, and a traffic ticket or two. Since each auto insurer has a different formula for determining rates, analyzing rates may now present a different set of the cheapest car insurance companies in Oakland as shown below.
Grange now has the best insurance rate in Oakland with Mercury, Progressive, Allstate, and GEICO also having competitive pricing. This demonstrates why consumers need to take the time to take the time to shop around when trying to get cheap auto insurance rates for a school permit. Prices are influenced by many different factors and can change without notice, so the most economical option when you bought your policy may now be wasting a lot of money.