The words “low-cost” and “insurance” probably shouldn’t be used together, in particular when searching for the cheapest coverage for business use. To save some money, let’s learn about some of the factors that have a considerable impact on car insurance prices, and find a way to take the bite out of your next policy.
Shopping around for cost effective car insurance is not most people’s favorite thing to do, and finding out which company quotes the best insurance rates for business use involves a bit more work. Each company has a unique approach for establishing rates, so let’s begin by taking a look at the insurance companies with the overall cheapest rates in California.
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| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,143 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,157 |
| 3 | CSAA | $1,198 |
| 4 | Century National | $1,226 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,263 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,366 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,433 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,488 |
| 9 | Allied | $1,556 |
| 10 | Progressive | $1,558 |
| 11 | Allstate | $1,559 |
| 12 | GEICO | $1,559 |
| 13 | The Hartford | $1,575 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,638 |
| 15 | Esurance | $1,688 |
| 16 | Unitrin | $1,750 |
| 17 | State Farm | $1,750 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,788 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,831 |
| 20 | Farmers | $2,006 |
| Quote Your Rates Go | ||
USAA may offer some of the most affordable 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, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide also are some of the more affordable Oakland, CA auto insurance companies.
As the rates illustrate above, if you are a policyholder with Nationwide and switched to Wawanesa, you might achieve a yearly price reduction of approximately $106. Drivers with 21st Century could save as much as $209 a year, and Grange insureds might cut rates by $276 a year.
To discover how much you can save, click here to get a free quote or quote rates from the companies below.
Bear in mind that those estimates are averages across all types of insureds and vehicles and do not factor in a specific zip code for business use. So the company that has the cheapest price for you may not even be in the list above. That’s why you need to get quotes using your own personalized driver profile and vehicle information.
The make and model of vehicle you are insuring is a significant factor that determines if you can find low-priced car insurance for business use. Vehicles with high performance engines, poor passenger safety features, or high incidents of liability claims will cost more to insure than more economical and safe models. The data below showcases insurance rates for some of the most economical automobiles to buy insurance for.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Toyota Prius | $1,438 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $1,454 |
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $1,466 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,546 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport Islander Package 4WD 2-Dr | $1,556 |
| Honda Civic LX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,590 |
| Ford Edge Limited AWD | $1,618 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Extended Cab 2WD | $1,646 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 4WD | $1,651 |
| Volkswagen Jetta SE 2.5 Station Wagon | $1,672 |
| GMC Sierra 3500HD SLE Extended Cab 2WD | $1,677 |
| Ford Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,682 |
| Ford Focus SE 2-Dr Coupe | $1,728 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $1,734 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $1,744 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $1,734 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $1,772 |
| Start Your Quote Go | |
Prices above based on single male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Rate quotes do not factor in specific garaging location which can lower or raise coverage prices significantly.
Looking at the rates, you can conclude that makes and models like the Toyota Prius, Honda CR-V, and Ford Escape are some of the cheaper vehicles to insure for using your car for business. Auto insurance rates will tend to be higher just because there is more liability exposure for business use, but generally speaking those particular models will most likely have the best rates possible.
Safe drivers pay less for insurance
The easiest way to earn the best insurance prices for using your car for business is to be an attentive driver and avoid getting tickets or having accidents. The chart below demonstrates how speeding tickets and at-fault fender-benders can increase car insurance costs for different age groups. The price estimates are based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
In the previous example, the average cost of an auto insurance policy in California per year with no accidents or violations is $3,385. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost hikes up to $3,814, an increase of $429 each year. Now add in one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the 12-month cost of insurance for business use increases to an average of $5,041. That’s an increase of $1,657, or $138 per month, just for not being attentive to the road!
Finding the top company is difficult considering how many companies sell coverage in Oakland. The rank data in the next section can help you choose which insurers to look at when comparing rates.
These ratings only include major nationwide insurance companies, so companies that only write business in California or surrounding areas will not be included in the list. To compare prices from these companies and more, click here.
Top 10 Large Auto Insurance Providers Overall in Oakland
- USAA
- American Family
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive
Top 10 Large Auto Insurance Providers in Oakland Ranked by Customer Service
- AAA of Southern California
- GEICO
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Mercury Insurance
- The General
- Progressive
- Allstate
- AAA Insurance
- American Family
The benefit of shopping around
Oakland, CA insurance rates are impacted by many things that control the cost of your policy. Simply having a birthday, adding a teenager to your policy, or having an accident may cause policy rate changes that can make some companies more affordable than others.
Not only may things change on your end, but insurers change the rates they charge in California as needed to adjust for heavy claims or excess profits. Significantly higher losses may result in additional price hikes, while lower claims can cause more affordable Oakland car insurance rates.
For example, the graph below shows the cheapest car insurance in Oakland, CA for a 45-year-old male driver with no prior accidents, a clean driving record, and a good credit rating. When comparing rates based on his current risk profile, USAA might quote the cheapest car insurance rates in Oakland at $1,468 annually. This is $183 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide are also included in the cheapest Oakland, CA auto insurance companies.
The next chart shows rates after we give the driver in the first chart a claim or two, a lower credit rating, and a couple of points charged on his driving record. Because each company has a proprietary method to set their prices, comparing prices most likely will result in a significantly different list of the cheapest car insurance companies in Oakland as shown below.
Grange now has the best insurance rate in Oakland, CA with Allstate, Allied, Progressive, and Mercury now rounding out the top five. This example proves why Oakland drivers need to compare many different companies when trying to get the most affordable auto insurance quotes for business use. Prices are influenced by many things and change dramatically, so the most affordable company a year ago may now be costing you a lot of money.
The insurance agencies listed below can most likely provide answers to your questions and help you determine which auto insurance policy fits you best, as many consumers aren’t sure which coverage to buy and prefer to have professional advice when comparing insurance rates for using your car for business. It’s not always simple to find the cheapest rate yourself, and professional agents can add peace of mind knowing you have adequate coverage if you have an accident or claim. To locate an Oakland auto insurance agent using an interactive map, click the link at the bottom.
- Allstate Insurance: Liz Drennan
4170 Piedmont Ave c – Oakland, CA 94611 – (510) 594-2090 - Travel Insurance Agency
610 16th St #508 – Oakland, CA 94612 – (510) 452-3366 - Farmers Insurance – Pamela Spikes
3410 Lakeshore Ave #204 – Oakland, CA 94610 – (510) 832-1005 - Rich Kirchner – State Farm Insurance Agent
5736 Thornhill Dr Ste 101 – Oakland, CA 94611 – (510) 339-9340
More insurance agents in Oakland, CA
How to find more affordable car insurance for business use
Here are some thrifty ideas that can help Oakland drivers buy lower-cost car insurance.
- Claim-free policyholders usually earn a discount
- Avoid at-fault accidents and claims
- Do not pay for full coverage if not needed
- Be a cautious driver
- Save money by bundling your home and auto policies
- Buy a car with high safety ratings
- Compare rates regularly and switch companies to save money
The last tip is very critical, as we emphasized in the article above. Coverage prices in Oakland can change in a short period of time, so drivers shouldn’t be reluctant to buy from a new company if a better rate can be found.
Many drivers have brand loyalty and that’s fine, but it isn’t a good idea if that loyalty ends up costing thousands of dollars over several years. If you have a few minutes, now is a great time to compare prices to find cheaper auto insurance for business use.