The words “economical” and “insurance” probably shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, in particular when comparison shopping for the best price on coverage for drivers with good credit. Because it’s so expensive, let’s start the ball rolling by going over a few of the factors that help determine auto insurance rates, and see if we can help you lower the price of your next policy.
Shopping around for low-cost insurance is hard enough, and figuring out which companies have the cheapest car insurance rates for drivers with good credit involves even more diligence. Each insurer has a different formula to determine premium rates, so let’s take a look at the car insurance companies with the most affordable rates in Oakland, CA.
It’s a good idea to be aware that Oakland, CA car insurance rates are determined by lots of factors that can increase the price you pay. This price variation is why it is important to compare lots of rates to get cheap car insurance quotes for drivers with good credit. Rates are calculated by many risk factors and can increase or decrease at any time, so the cheapest company six months ago may now cost much more than other companies.
Find Cheaper Car Insurance for High Credit
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,155 |
| 2 | Century National | $1,178 |
| 3 | Wawanesa | $1,192 |
| 4 | CSAA | $1,222 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,250 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,338 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,477 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,503 |
| 9 | GEICO | $1,513 |
| 10 | Progressive | $1,542 |
| 11 | Allstate | $1,559 |
| 12 | Allied | $1,588 |
| 13 | MetLife | $1,606 |
| 14 | The Hartford | $1,639 |
| 15 | State Farm | $1,682 |
| 16 | Esurance | $1,688 |
| 17 | Unitrin | $1,733 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,777 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,842 |
| 20 | Farmers | $2,026 |
| Quote Your Rates Go | ||
USAA may offer some of the best car insurance rates in Oakland at around $1,155 annually. This is $496 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. Century National, Wawanesa, CSAA, and Nationwide also qualify as some of the lowest-priced Oakland, CA car insurance companies.
As shown in the rates above, if you are a policyholder with CSAA and switched to Century National, you might see an annual savings of roughly $44. Policyholders with Nationwide may save as much as $72 a year, and 21st Century policyholders might lower prices by $160 a year.
These premium estimates are averages for all types of drivers and the different vehicles they drive and and are not calculated with a specific zip code for drivers with good credit. So the auto insurance company that fits your age and vehicle best may not even be in the list above. That is why you need to compare rates from multiple companies using your own individual information.
One of the more important things that help determine the price you pay for insurance is where you live in Oakland. More populated areas will most likely pay more, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims benefit from having to pay less for coverage.
The illustration below sorts the highest-priced areas in California for drivers with good credit to purchase a policy in. Oakland is listed at #3 with the yearly price of $1,738 for the average insured, which is around $145 monthly.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,146 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,058 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,738 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,669 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,628 |
| 7 | Long Beach | $1,610 |
| 8 | Stockton | $1,603 |
| 9 | Santa Clarita | $1,595 |
| 10 | Modesto | $1,547 |
| 11 | Riverside | $1,527 |
| 12 | Fontana | $1,519 |
| 13 | Garden Grove | $1,508 |
| 14 | Fresno | $1,502 |
| 15 | Moreno Valley | $1,491 |
| 16 | Santa Ana | $1,453 |
| 17 | Anaheim | $1,444 |
| 18 | Huntington Beach | $1,416 |
| 19 | San Jose | $1,395 |
| 20 | Bakersfield | $1,394 |
| 21 | San Diego | $1,381 |
| 22 | Fremont | $1,348 |
| 23 | Irvine | $1,330 |
| 24 | Oxnard | $1,318 |
| 25 | Chula Vista | $1,311 |
| Find Cheaper Insurance Go | ||
Rate quotes are approximated as the vehicle garaging location can increase or decrease coverage rates greatly.
The vehicle model needing coverage is probably the largest consideration when comparing cheaper auto insurance for drivers with good credit. Vehicles with limited speed and performance, advanced safety features, or a track record of few liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than adrenaline junky models.
The next table estimates coverage premiums for a handful of the most economical vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape Limited 2WD | $1,375 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $1,505 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $1,508 |
| Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4WD 2-Dr | $1,514 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $1,594 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $1,600 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,602 |
| Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $1,623 |
| Toyota Tacoma 4WD | $1,647 |
| Ford Edge SE 2WD | $1,673 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,680 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,688 |
| Volkswagen Jetta SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,709 |
| Start Your Quote Go | |
Price data assumes single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, claim-free, and safe-driver. Prices do not factor in specific location information which can impact coverage prices substantially.
Looking at the numbers, we can presume that cars like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Jeep Wrangler are likely to be some of the most affordable vehicles to insure for financially responsible drivers.
Illustration showing the impact of accidents and violations
In a perfect world, the ideal way to score the cheapest car insurance prices for financially responsible drivers is to drive attentively and avoid accidents and keep your driving record clean. The example below shows how violations and at-fault fender-benders can affect insurance rates for different age groups. Data assumes a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
In the previous chart, the average cost of an auto insurance policy in California per year with no accidents or violations is $2,596. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost increases to $3,023, an increase of $427 each year. Now add in two accidents along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of car insurance for drivers with good credit increases to an average of $6,655. That’s an increase of $4,059, or $338 per month, just for not being more responsible behind the wheel!
Selecting a highly-rated insurance provider can be rather challenging considering how many companies sell insurance in Oakland. The company ratings displayed below may help you select which companies to look at when shopping car insurance rates for drivers with good credit.
These ratings are only comprised of insurance companies that insure vehicles in the majority of U.S. states, so companies that may only write in California are not factored into the list. To compare prices from many more California auto insurance companies, just click here.
| 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 |
| Esurance | 85 | 80 | 95 | 87% | A+ | 85.9 |
| Safeco | 85 | 85 | 85 | 86% | A | 85.8 |
| Travelers | 80 | 87 | 87 | 83% | A++ | 85.2 |
| Farmers Insurance | 78 | 87 | 88 | 79% | A | 84.3 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Why you should compare rates
California car insurance rates are calculated based on many things which can substantially decrease or increase the policy premium. Simply having a birthday, buying a different vehicle, or getting a speeding ticket can trigger changes in premium resulting in some rates now being cheaper than competitors. In addition, companies change premium rates without warning in order to offset underwriting gains or losses. Significantly higher claims can cause higher rates, while lower claim levels may produce lower-priced Oakland car insurance rates.
To illustrate this point, the data below shows the company with the cheapest car insurance in Oakland, CA for a 35-year-old male driver with a good driving record, no prior claims, and a decent credit rating. When quoting prices based on his current situation, USAA might quote the lowest car insurance rates in Oakland at $1,509 a year. This is $142 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. Century National, Wawanesa, CSAA, and Nationwide also make the list of the most affordable Oakland, CA auto insurance companies.
Let’s now give the driver in the first chart an accident surcharge, less-than-perfect credit, and a speeding citation. Since each auto insurance company has a unique approach for filing rates in each state, getting updated rate quotes may result in a different list of affordable Oakland car insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the best car insurance rate in Oakland, CA with Progressive, Allstate, GEICO, and Mercury now being in the top five. This example shows why it is important to compare as many rates as possible when trying to find the most affordable auto insurance quotes for drivers with good credit. Auto insurance prices are influenced by many things and change substantially, so the most economical company the last time you shopped your coverage around may now be quite expensive.
Tips for finding economical car insurance for drivers with good credit
Lowering your rates is not difficult, and here are many thrifty suggestions that can help you buy low-cost car insurance.
- Better credit scores save money
- Increase physical damage deductibles
- Drive safely
- Prevent price hikes by avoiding at-fault accidents
- Older vehicles may not need full coverage
- Drive a car with a high safety rating
- Compare prices frequently to find the best deal
The last tip in the list is remarkably critical, as we hit on in this article. Car insurance rates in Oakland can change considerably based on profitability, so you should be ready to switch to a new company if a cheaper price is available. Many consumers stick with the same company and that’s fine, but it’s not a great idea if your bullheadedness ends up costing you lots of hard earned cash every month. In just a couple of minutes you could shop around and find cheaper insurance for drivers with good credit.
The professional agents shown below can help you determine which car insurance company is the best fit, as many people would rather have some advice when comparing insurance rates for drivers with good credit. It’s not always simple to find the cheapest rates, so getting advice from a licensed agent can give comfort knowing you have sufficient coverage for your assets.
To locate an Oakland auto insurance agent nearest to you, click the button at the bottom of the list.
Farmers Insurance – Pamela Spikes
3410 Lakeshore Ave #204 – Oakland, CA 94610 – (510) 832-1005
Farmers Insurance: Man Kin Lau
638 Webster St #200a – Oakland, CA 94607 – (510) 282-7996
Frank Sanchez – State Farm Agent
5301 Claremont Ave – Oakland, CA 94618 – (510) 658-2722
Jose Cano – State Farm Insurance Agent
3301 E 12th St Suite 113 – Oakland, CA 94601 – (510) 533-8107